The Other side of Paradise (Part 1)- Eindhoven

It seems that the management team at the Preek Hotel is not cognizant of the Equal Treatment Legislation...

The following is a first hand experience of the work environment while being employed at Preek Hotel** in Eindhoven for approximately nine months.

**Please note, the names mentioned in this blog, including that of the hotel have been changed to protect the identities of those involved. I swear on my life and on the graves of my grandparents that the events occurred as described and I am willing to take a polygraph test if the general manager of the hotel wishes to pursue that, as he claims, "...we don't recognize the events that took place..."

When the name Preek Hotel(one of the few hotels within walking distance of Eindhoven Central) is mentioned, the first thought that comes to mind is luxury. A quick Google search reveals that it ranks among the top five hotels in Eindhoven. Preek Hotel professes values of trust, respect and inclusivity regarding diversity, but do the members of the management team genuinely uphold these principles, particularly concerning certain employees in lower positions?

Verbal abuse and bullying

I signed a contract in October 2023 to work as a chef on the breakfast shift at Preek Hotel, with a start date in November for a duration of nine months. Due to my unfamiliarity with the area, the head chef, Malik, instructed Lenny to meet me at the hotel entrance to guide me to the kitchen. I arrived at the agreed time, but Lenny was absent. Although I found my way to the kitchen, this incident foreshadowed the challenges ahead.

Throughout my time working with Lenny, I faced daily verbal harassment. He frequently called me "stupid" or suggested that if I was intelligent, I would follow his methods. Notably, he only made these remarks when other colleagues were not present. His aggression extended beyond words. For instance, when a guest inquired about a gluten-free cereal, I noticed the ingredient card was facing away from the jar. I attempted to reposition it for visibility, but Lenny insisted it remain hidden. When I persisted, he removed it entirely from the table, thus disregarding the serious health risks posed by not disclosing ingredient information, especially for those with allergies. He would also become irate if I adjusted the oven temperature without informing him.

Lenny's anger was palpable, often causing his face to redden if my responses did not align with his expectations. He preferred me to say, "Yes, Lenny," instead of simply "Okay." Each day I worked with him filled me with anxiety, fearing he might eventually resort to physical violence. My fears were eventually confirmed. There was also a day he became upset because he believed I was leaving without saying goodbye to him - this being relayed to me by the HR manager who was nearby and witnessed his reaction.

In addition to Lenny's harassment, I also faced bullying from Abdel. Like Lenny, Abdel insisted that tasks be performed solely according to his preferences. There were instances when I was denied breaks, despite being legally entitled to a 30-minute break during an eight-hour shift. On January 7, after being on my feet for over six hours, I informed Abdel that I would take a break as breakfast was nearly over. He initially agreed, but while I was on my break making tea, he shouted at me to prepare an omelet for a guest. I reminded him I was on break, but he vehemently insisted and shouted, "No, no, the guest is king!" Seeing as I had just started working there, I felt compelled to comply. A Ukrainian colleague witnessed this incident and expressed her shock. I later sent Abdel a WhatsApp message requesting more respect, but he ignored it. He often assumed I was responsible for mistakes made by others, and when I tried to clarify, he would dismiss me with "Geen word," leading me to refrain from saying anything.

Abdel's hostility was not limited to verbal abuse. On one occasion, after receiving approval from the sous chef and head chef to prepare lunch for the staff, Abdel locked the freezer to prevent me from accessing necessary ingredients, despite it typically being left unlocked.

Physical assault

I was frequently reminded to clean up after myself, yet this expectation was not consistently applied to others. On April 27, I was physically assaulted by Marvin simply for asking him to clean up his mess on the cooktop. I was roughly pushed, an incident witnessed by a colleague from F&B, who was shocked by the aggression. It may have also been seen by guests and the incident was likely captured on security cameras within the dining area. This was not an isolated event; Lenny also assaulted me after one of his outbursts, brushing against me forcefully despite there being ample space for him to pass by.

Differential treatment

From my first day at Preek Hotel, I felt I was treated differently. The first thing I noticed was that when an individual joined the kitchen team and they were added to the WhatsApp group, they were introduced by the head chef who would state, "Welcome X." I was the only one who did not get an introductory welcome. In November, shortly after starting, I developed a severe cough that led to bruised ribs, causing me significant pain and limiting my sleep to just two hours a night. I required strong painkillers to manage the discomfort and sometimes needed assistance to get into bed. When I called in sick, the HR manager compared my situation to that of the head chef, who also had a cough, telling me, "That’s not how we do things here," implying I should work through the pain and coughing. Was the differential treatment due to my background? My reasons for coming to the Netherlands? Or perhaps because I did not conform to their expectations of masculinity or femininity?

In addition to my own experiences, I observed that some guests and Ukrainian colleagues were treated differently by Abdel. He would shout at me in a menacing manner and I noticed he directed the same behavior towards the young Ukrainian women working from food and beverage department. He was always pleasant with the Dutch females. Furthermore, his attitude towards guests of Asian descent, particularly those who appeared Japanese or Chinese, displayed clear discrimination. For instance, when a guest requested an omelet, he would often feign ignorance and walk away. I was certain he heard the request, as he would mutter under his breath about them always wanting omelets. On one occasion, after stepping away to use the restroom, I returned to find a guest still waiting for their omelet. This was in stark contrast to how he responded to requests from Dutch, French-speaking, or Arabic guests, who received prompt attention.

Click here for part 2