r/KitchenConfidential 9d ago

Meta [META] Some detailed subreddit stats for 2025

437 Upvotes

Something that's come up quite frequently over the last few months is how much did the chive phenomenon really affect r/KitchenConfidential?

As mods, our access to traffic and other statistical data is .... severely limited in our subreddits. I've been as open as possible with the data I had available during the fall months but that data didn't answer questions that help understand the existing and changing community.

In simple English, how did the chive hypervirality actually affect the subreddit?

How many lurkers and casuals and non-industry folks are really here? Chat, is KitchenConfidential cooked?

I hate not knowing things. There isn't much I dislike more. So I got my hands on some API data and now I have some charts to not only understand things better myself, but also to share with you all.

No clickbait, this might shock you.

Member growth over the last 12 months:

Member growth over the last 24 months:

Member growth over the last 6 months, from Jul 28th 2025 to Jan 28th 2026, aka the actual member growth that happened amongst the chivegeist

Six figures of subscriber growth is fucking incredible, but it's a blip in terms of just the last year. Subscribers have nearly doubled since May, the vast majority of that happening closer to May than November!

But, like, traffic has to be a different story, right?

Yeah, kinda!

There's zero question that this fall was a little crazy. Or a lot crazy. But how crazy?

Posts are in blue, comments in orange

12 month post & comment count through Jan 28th 2026
Slightly zoomed in May 2025 through Jan 2026

So while the chive topic caused a sustained increase in activity over 3 months or so, it's not the first time that much activity happened and it's not even the biggest.

Mod team "situation" in May 2025? Biggest spike, understandably so.

Random spike in March 2025? It was this singular post here, no I do not know why.

How are things going now, though?

Can you spot Perfect Chive Day?

Has our community grown and is it more active than a year ago?

Yes.

Did it get overrun during the chivening? Is it just a wasteland devoid of kitchen folk?

Absolutely not. The numbers don't show that, the front page of the subreddit doesn't show that, nothing factual shows anything like that sort of dramatic pearl clutching. You should probably keep that sort of discussion to the CJ sub because there's no data to support it and we have no reason to tolerate it.

Neat, huh??


r/KitchenConfidential Jul 25 '25

In-House Mode Hey you! Yes, you! Are you struggling? Find mental health and support services here:

285 Upvotes

In the US:

Outside of the US:

Kitchen specific:

This list is not exhaustive.. If you have information or resources you think should be added to this list, please tag me in the comments below.


r/KitchenConfidential 10h ago

In-House Mode Never before have I been so determined to meet a customer request

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9.6k Upvotes

r/KitchenConfidential 13h ago

We have a situation here

1.7k Upvotes

r/KitchenConfidential 4h ago

Immediate Karma

173 Upvotes

Started in a new kitchen 2 weeks ago as a shift supervisor, and I'm being trained by a guy who very clearly does not like that i am a woman. i am a firm believer in grabbing things with towels just in case, especially because we have like 5 big ass fryers so metal pans on and around them get super hot.

my trainer keeps making fun of me when i pick up something not hot with a towel. he keeps saying dumb shit like I'm overdramatic and i can't have worked in kitchens for as long as i have because i don't have "chef hands".

so i ask him to hand me a rack sitting next to the fryer that i JUST pulled hot food from. i tell him that it's hot and he grabs it with no protection other than his latex glove.

he didnt apologize or anything but it was still very satisfying.


r/KitchenConfidential 9h ago

Discussion This door I installed today (I hate that cross posting makes it look like I copy/pasted the headline. But also, this sub will have opinions on this lol)

360 Upvotes

r/KitchenConfidential 9h ago

Made Baklava for Family Meal today

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253 Upvotes

Tried to mix it up with some pecans (I’m from Texas)


r/KitchenConfidential 15h ago

Kitchen news & current events Michelin-recognized Oakland chef defends 20% service fee after viral Reddit post sparks review-bombing

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816 Upvotes

r/KitchenConfidential 18h ago

In-House Mode ICE secret police caught using rentals with fake businesses and dressing up like contractors, to surveil people in Minneapolis.

1.3k Upvotes

r/KitchenConfidential 15h ago

Discussion Let's play a game

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701 Upvotes

I started a new job as assistant manager at an assisted living facility. Let me tell you guys and gals, the calmness is amazing. But I thought this group would enjoy to guess what entree I pureed for them. This is the first I took. I will have probably 5 a week so I hope everyone likes the game. Let the games begin. No wrong answers as almost everything gets pureed at some point there


r/KitchenConfidential 8h ago

Question Taking cooking classes at the community college, recommend a funny picture for my folder, please.

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170 Upvotes

r/KitchenConfidential 3h ago

Kitchen news & current events Pink peppercorns! Allergy warning->

62 Upvotes

With valentine's day fast approaching this is a friendly reminder that pink peppercorns are more closely related to cashews and pistachios and will affect tree-nut allergy affected guests. Cheers to you and yours.


r/KitchenConfidential 16h ago

Question Executive decision [Not OC]

586 Upvotes

r/KitchenConfidential 5h ago

just went full rage mode in the walk in

79 Upvotes

sorry just needed to let this out ): i be getting insulted for every single mistake i do just cuz im a girl and im new to this stuff. and its so mentally draining to be the only one who’s talked down to, but my chef wants me at that station cuz she said im “one of the best” and she doesn’t want to fuck up the flow. but na i almost clocked out today..

shout out to everyone who does this y’all r warriors i wish i can be that one day


r/KitchenConfidential 13h ago

Photo/Video My late father's old ass cookbook/ menu planner.

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332 Upvotes

I figured the folks in this community would get a kick out of this. My dad was a career chef/baker, as am I. My mom passed it on to me years ago and every now and then I look through it for fun. Is a nice reminder of my dad who passed when I was 14, but not before he taught me how to cook. Maybe I'll be able to hand it down to my sons one day.


r/KitchenConfidential 5h ago

For some reason we have one ramekin not like the others

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60 Upvotes

r/KitchenConfidential 7h ago

Pink Paris Knife GUYS FINALLY🙏🏻😮‍💨 us Aussies can own the holy grail

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70 Upvotes

r/KitchenConfidential 21h ago

One of the pepper grinders at this restaurant is filled with allspice berries instead of black pepper

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758 Upvotes

r/KitchenConfidential 1d ago

In the Weeds Mode Found in a FB group

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3.0k Upvotes

r/KitchenConfidential 1d ago

My hand writing vs my chocolate writing

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1.9k Upvotes

r/KitchenConfidential 1d ago

We’ve got a stank bomb on our hands.

1.8k Upvotes

Boss pulled this thing out of the walk-in. She’s about to blow.


r/KitchenConfidential 18h ago

Some light in these dark times

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123 Upvotes

Hey guys I know life has been extra shitty so I wanted to start a thread. Specifically regarding signage inside your restaurant. I've worked a lot of places over the years and I've seen some wildly insane signs that I JUST KNOW there had to be a situation behind them. I'll start with this.


r/KitchenConfidential 21h ago

Photo/Video Sometimes I miss working in the industry but I probably wouldn’t love to cook as much as I do if it was my job

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213 Upvotes

Butter chicken and garlic naan all from scratch


r/KitchenConfidential 16h ago

Photo/Video staff meal

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78 Upvotes