> The tendency to call people like chefs or line cooks "unskilled labor" is disgusting. I don't think this is disgusting. I don't believe it's meant to imply

> The tendency to call people like chefs or line cooks "unskilled labor" is disgusting. I don't think this is disgusting. I don't believe it's meant to imply what I believe you think it implies. It sounds to me as if, in your life, this term "unskilled labor" may be used as a slur --- is this the case? It is not the canonical intent behind "skilled/unskilled labor" terminology. "Unskilled labor" means you don't spend years on preliminary education before you can even enter the job market. It means you can hire a person with no prior training or pertinent education and expect them to be able to succeed given a reasonable training program and work ethic. Compare this to "skilled labor" where entry into the field is gated upon higher education (or perhaps apprenticeship). I'm not disparaging line cooks. As you say, it's very high-pressure, and experience and drive are critical to competency in such an environment. PS. I do also agree that "differentiation" and "skilled/unskilled labor" are orthogonal concepts.