Jason Atherton takes to Instagram to defend himself amid sexism row

Jason Atherton has responded on Instagram to the social media outcry over an interview he gave to the Times newspaper, in which he said sexism was no longer a prevalent problem in the hospitality industry.

Asked whether women today experience sexism in Britain’s kitchens, Atherton told the newspaper: “No, not really. I’ve not seen it. Any industry has its ups and downs. I think there’s way too much focus on our industry because of that.”

Among those to respond to the piece was chef Poppy O’Toole, who wrote in a post: “It is disappointing to see a leader in our industry diminish the experiences of those who have spoken out openly about the sexism in the hospitality industry. Speaking on my experiences in Michelin-starred kitchens, I’ve had an employer grab my arse at a public event, tell me what sexual positions they’d want me in in front of my entire team who remained silent and then continue to send sexual propositions out of work hours.

“Let’s not continue to ignore a problem. I have shared the previous messages I received from women in and out of the industry. Let their stories be enough reason to be better.”

O’Toole’s comments have garnered more than 24,000 likes since they were posted on February 17, and hundreds of comments. Many include high-profile chefs and hospitality staff sharing similar experiences of sexist behaviour.

Atherton yesterday took to Instagram to offer an apology, saying his comments were misconstrued. “I would like to put the record straight regarding the interview published in yesterday’s [the Times]. I do not condone sexism in the industry or anywhere.

“My family is all women except for me — my wife and three young growing daughters, so sexism couldn’t be further from my world view.”

Atherton also spoke directly to the Standard, penning a piece where he insinuated his comments were blown out of proportion, writing: “I am categorically and absolutely against sexism, 100 per cent, and I will not tolerate it.”

O’Toole was one of the first to respond to Atherton’s post, writing “It definitely seemed as though you were doubling down on it with the number of comments about sexism no longer being an issue and yourself then sharing the article on your stories saying ‘Thank you very much @thetimes for the wonderful article!’.

“But thank you for clarifying that this was a mistake and not what you meant. It may be worth reading the hundreds of comments on my post which highlight that it is still very much an issue and as a leader in the industry, it is your responsibly to look inwards as well as not speak on the behalf of women. But it is appreciated that you have gone back on what you’ve said and hopefully from this point on will continue to be vocal in pushing for change in the industry, even when under the pressure of difficult questions.”

Atherton received a number of other responses, both critical and not. While some derided his line of reasoning — “I can’t be sexist because I have a wife and daughters really isn’t the argument you think it is” wrote one commentator — others were quick to praise the longstanding chef. “You are a pillar of the industry” said Thomas Leatherbarrow, a chocolatier.