A London-based chef has apologised for what his peers branded a “rude” response towards criticism, after he faced backlash online for revealing the line-up of his kitchen team at his Notting Hill restaurant. Thomas Straker, who opened his namesake restaurant Straker’s in 2022, recently shared a photograph of his “chef team” comprising eight people, including himself. All eight members of the team pictured were white and male, prompting complaints from social media users who believed it did not reflect the diversity of London. Some comments claimed Straker’s team showed how the food industry was a “white boy’s club”, while others urged the restaurateur to provide chefs from minority groups a “safe place to grow as chefs”. Straker, who found fame by sharing his recipes and cooking videos on TikTok, responded to the negative backlash by commenting: “Honestly, people need to calm down. Firstly, there is a shortage of chefs/hospitality workers. Secondly, if you feel so passionately, please go and gather CVs of any chefs you think we’re missing in the team. Solutions not problems. Thank you.” However, his response has also been criticised as “rude”, with a number of chefs and other figures in the food industry weighing in on the online storm. He has since shared an apology via his Instagram Story. “On Friday night, I put up a post of my chef team and many rightly pointed out the lack of diversity in it. I am very sorry for my initial response, where some queried whether I take this issue seriously,” he said. “I am absolutely committed to ensuring diversity in my restaurants, unfortunately we aren’t achieving this in my kitchens currently and this is an area I know I need to improve on, making sure it is seen as a welcoming and approachable environment for all. Tom x.” Becky Paskin, a drinks expert who appears regularly on ITV’S Love Your Weekend, wrote on Straker’s original post: “Too often we say, ‘We only recruit on the basis of the best people for the job’ without any consideration the role bias plays in the selection process. “It’s been proven time and again that diverse teams are more creative, productive and successful. If every member looks the same and has the same background, you’ll find they’ll all think the same as well. Forming diverse teams is not only the right thing to do, it makes business sense too.” US chef Kenji Lopez-Alt, who is known for his book The Food Lab: Better Home Cooking Through Science, added: “Get off the social media for a week or so. Do some reflection. Talk to people who care about you and who you trust. Be better.” However, some people have defended Straker’s choice to hire who he wants in his team, and pointed out the staff shortage affecting the entire restaurant industry. Henry Tilley, restaurant manager at Native in London, wrote: “The industry is on its knees right now. There [aren’t] enough chefs or even [front-of-house staff] to go around as it is. We would love some applications for chef positions in our restaurants from female or non-binary individuals. The reality of the matter is we never get the applications so can’t be as representative as we’d like.” But Ben Mulock, executive chef of Balans in Soho, says the onus is on senior chefs to “solve the problem” of lack of diversity, instead of “asking others to solve it for us”. He told The Independent: “I am a white male executive chef, so it is my responsibility to push for an inclusive workforce, be that sex, age or ethnicity. They are not mutually exclusive – they are all important. “No, it’s not easy and at the moment, it almost seems impossible to recruit, but if we don’t try, we don’t move it forward. We always need to do better for this industry, and if we can’t do it in London, where can we?” While Straker’s post was not intended to stir controversy, the lack of diversity in his team has “shone a light on the broader challenges we face in kitchens these days”, Hannah Norris of Nourish PR said. “This is a classic case of an ill thought-out post,” she told The Independent. “Thomas Straker has issued what he believed was a photo of a group of confident, strong-looking chefs ready for service but didn’t think about the optics of the image and what it represented. “Whilst it was well-meaning I believe, a picture doesn’t lie. For whatever reason, he currently has no women or people of colour in his kitchen, so it all looks a bit ‘pale, male and stale’. Perhaps the reaction to this image will make Thomas think again a bit more carefully about who he wants to employ in the future.” The Independent has contacted Straker for comment. Read More The dish that defines me: Frank Yeung’s prawn wontons Between Brexit and Covid, London’s food scene has become a dog’s dinner – can it be saved? Prince William serves up vegetarian ‘Earthshot burgers’ to shocked diners Restaurant introduces ‘minimum spend’ that sees solo diners pay double to eat alone Restaurant with ‘tips are a privilege’ policy sparks intense backlash on social media How to make the Prince of Wales’s Earthshot burger

The fashion industry's enormous waste problem is pushing governments, particularly in Europe, towards...

Glastonbury has officially kicked off, with thousands of people rushing through the gates of Worthy Farm to attend the biggest festival in the world. The annual celebration of live music and performing arts will see headliners such as Arctic Monkeys, Elton John, and Guns ‘N’ Roses take to the main stage, as well as hundreds of other artists. Get live updates on Glastonbury 2023 here. It is also an event known for attracting some of the most edgy and chic sartorial looks that informed festival fashion all around the world. Famously, celebrities including Kate Moss, Alexa Chung and Sienna Miller have sparked trends while attending the major event. Although festival fashion has changed drastically over the years, this year’s Glastonbury can still expect to see some head-turning outfits, as revellers trot out their hardiest gear amid the sun and rain forecasts for the next few days. Here are our favourite looks at the festival so far: Ready, set, match Matching group outfits is a great way to make a statement as well as keep an eye on members of your squad at all times. Lost Jessica? Just look for the girl vibing in the Healing Fields in the same outfit as you. Flower power Are flower crowns a little 2010? Perhaps, but they’re classic festival-wear for a reason. This version is bright and vibrant, and most importantly, BIG. We love a good flower crown. Flying high Inflatable wings are certainly an unusual choice, but look perfectly in the right place at Glastonbury. We just hope he looks where he’s going, or someone’s going to get a face full of wing. Feeling green We can’t tell if this guy is trying to blend in with the foliage behind him, but he’s doing a pretty good job of it. 10/10 camouflage skills. Dress for the weather you want This huge wide-brimmed feather hat screams “sunshine” and will be sure to keep the excellent weather in Somerset going – even when the sun slips behind a cloud. Smile, boys Don’t feel like smiling? Let your head do it for you. Suited and booted These lads look like they know how to have a good time. Is the one in pink their leader? Read More Glastonbury festival fashion isn’t just about ripping off Kate Moss… it might not even exist anymore Glastonbury 2023 – live: Festival kicks off at Worthy Farm with spectacular fireworks display Free milk, £1 camping and political protests: Glastonbury through the years, in pictures How to navigate summer festivals with your teenager Glastonbury festival fashion might not even exist anymore 6 hacks for handling the heatwave at a festival

However you view the events of Monster's first act is far from how they’ll appear

Skateboarders in colourful outfits zip around a skatepark unique in Amsterdam, one of the first in the world to provide a safe space...

This week iPhone users in the UK gained the ability to add their debit and

Technology services provider Accenture is the latest company to ramp up its artificial intelligence business, announcing Tuesday that it will invest $3 billion over the next three years and double its AI-related staff to accommodate scorching hot demand

Netflix's password sharing era is over. But that doesn't mean you can't get around the

Cats do fart—but their flatulence is usually quiet. Veterinarians explain why.

Ohio voters will decide this summer whether to make it more difficult to change the state's constitution -- only months before a potential ballot measure in November over whether to guarantee abortion rights in the state. Ohio's Republican-controlled legislature this week approved a resolution that will ask voters in August to increase the threshold needed to change the constitution from a simple majority to 60%.

South Korea has spent billions of dollars on policies to boost its birth rate. But when Kim Kyu-jin and her wife wanted to have a baby...

A top official in Hong Kong says the city would immediately ban the import of aquatic products from 10 prefectures in Japan if it discharges treated radioactive wastewater into the sea