Why Chefs Deserve Better - And How Digitalisation Are Changing the Kitchen for Good

In kitchens across workplaces, schools, and universities, chefs show up every day to do what they love: cook great food, lead their teams, and create memorable experiences.

But for many, that’s no longer the full picture.

Today’s chefs spend a surprising amount of time away from the kitchen - buried in spreadsheets, chasing down emails, and manually updating order forms or inventory lists. Admin work is eating into their creativity, their leadership, and their time.

And we think that’s a problem worth solving.

The Kitchen Wasn’t Meant to Run on Excel

Planning a weekly menu or calculating portion sizes shouldn’t feel like doing accounting homework. But that’s the reality for chefs working with Excel and other manual systems.

It’s time-consuming. It’s prone to errors. And it’s just not what they’re here to do.

Chefs are meant to lead - not click through rows and columns or double-check formulas. They need tools that support their role, not distract from it.

The Hidden Time Sink in Today’s Kitchens

We often think of chefs as being constantly on their feet - prepping ingredients, leading their team, and making sure every plate leaves the kitchen just right.

But behind every perfectly run kitchen, there’s a hidden reality: a growing mountain of admin work.

Chefs are now expected to plan menus, manage orders, track budgets, handle food waste data, and communicate with multiple stakeholders — often using outdated tools like spreadsheets and emails.

And the time it takes? It adds up quickly.

• Chefs typically work more than 50 hours a week, often including evenings, weekends, and early mornings. (source: link)

• Small business operators - like many chefs in canteens - spend around 16 hours each week on administrative tasks such as email, scheduling, and documentation. (source: link)

• Broader research shows that managers spend over 11 hours per week on admin, and wish they could cut that down to focus on their core responsibilities. (source: link)

That’s time not spent leading the kitchen. Not spent improving food quality. Not spent building a strong team culture. Just admin - and exhaustion.

It’s clear: the systems in place are draining the most valuable resource in the kitchen - the chef’s time.

Chefs Deserve Better. And We’re Here to Make It Happen.

At Kanpla, we believe chefs should spend more time with their team and their craft — and less time buried in admin work.

That’s why we’ve built a platform designed specifically for contract catering teams. It brings everything together in one digital place:

• Planning

• Ordering

• Communication

• Menu updates

• Guest interaction

No more exporting files. No more scattered notes. Just clear, simple tools made for the way modern kitchens actually work.

Meet the Movement: “Chefs Deserve Better”

We’re proud to launch our new campaign: Chefs Deserve Better.

It’s more than a slogan - it’s a call to rethink how we support the people at the heart of every kitchen.

Because when chefs have the right tools, the whole operation runs better. The food improves. The team thrives. The guests feel the difference.

Join Us in Giving Chefs the Tools They Deserve

If you’ve ever seen a chef struggle to keep up with paperwork, or felt like your kitchen could run smoother with the right support - this campaign is for you.

Let’s make kitchens more efficient.
Let’s put the focus back on food.
Let’s give chefs what they really need.