What is Marc Meyer's "Voices from the Kitchen" about?

The book compiles 27 interviews with immigrant restaurant employees, highlighting their personal journeys and contributions to the industry.

How important are immigrants to the U.S. restaurant industry?

Immigrant workers are crucial, comprising over 22% of the U.S. restaurant workforce and performing essential roles.

What challenges do immigrant restaurant workers face?

They often face threats to their existence, family separation, work multiple jobs, and deal with difficult pasts in their home countries.

Home / Lifestyle / Voices from the Kitchen: Real Stories of Resilience

Voices from the Kitchen: Real Stories of Resilience

7 Dec, 2025

•

Summary

Chef Marc Meyer's book shares 27 harrowing interviews with immigrant restaurant staff.
Immigrant workers, often overqualified, face daily threats and family separation.
The restaurant industry relies heavily on immigrant labor, with over 22% being foreign-born.

Voices from the Kitchen: Real Stories of Resilience

Chef Marc Meyer's "Voices from the Kitchen" offers a powerful glimpse into the lives of immigrant workers who are the backbone of the U.S. restaurant industry. The book features 27 transcribed interviews, moving beyond recipes to share the profound personal journeys and sacrifices of these indispensable employees.

These narratives reveal individuals who have escaped perilous situations, working multiple jobs and enduring long separations from loved ones. Many possess skills and past careers far exceeding their current roles, yet they form the essential labor force, with over 22% of restaurant employees being foreign-born.

The stories, originating from countries worldwide, illustrate the immense diversity within the culinary world and the personal challenges faced. Meyer aims to provide a human face to these individuals amidst increasingly harsh immigration policies, emphasizing their resilience and dignity.