May one work as a chef/cook in a non-kosher meat restaurant [i.e. McDonalds]?[1]

Working in a non-Kosher restaurant raises the question of the prohibition against doing business with non-Kosher foods[2], and the prohibition against cooking meat and milk and benefiting from it. Practically, it is disputed amongst Poskim as to whether getting paid for cooking the non-Kosher foods of a gentile is prohibited due to the business prohibition, and the final ruling is that in a time of need one may be lenient.[3] This, however, only applies to non-Kosher foods that do not involve meat and milk, however working in a restaurant that cooks Basar Bechalav raises the additional issues of cooking and benefiting from Basar Bechalav. Practically, if the restaurant also sells non-Basar Bechalav products, and the Basar Bechalav products is not their main item of sale, then it is permitted to get paid for working for them. If, however, the main product that is sold is Biblical Basar Bechalav [i.e. Burger King, McDonalds], then according to many Poskim[4] it is forbidden to work for them. We will now discuss the specific issue of working as a chef in a restaurant in which it is permitted to be employed in [i.e. carries Basar Bechalav as a minority of its menu items]:

Cooking the food: Regarding whether a person who is pressed for a job may work as a chef in a non-Kosher restaurant which carries a minority meat and milk menu, is dependent on the type of meat served at the restaurant. If meat of a Kosher animal species[5] is served in the restaurant, then one may not cook it with milk products, or in a vessel which had milk cooked in it within the past 24 hours. Even if the vessel is not Ben Yomo, one may not cook a Davar Charif together with meat or dairy in the non-Kosher pots. In all cases, it is a stringency to not cook anything, even Pareve, in the Treif pots of the restaurant, and he is hence to work as a waiter and the like rather than as a chef. [See previous Q&A for the full details of this matter!] In all cases, one must verify that the restaurant does not have a non-observant Jewish clientele in order not to stumble them in eating non-Kosher food. Likewise, the above allowance to work in a restaurant that sells Basar Bechalav only applies if the Basar Bechalav food is not the main item of sale, as explained above.

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[1] See Hakashrus 10:6

[2] See Michaber 117:1

[3] The reason it is not forbidden due to making business off non-Kosher foods: Although it is forbidden to do business with non-Kosher foods, working in a non-Kosher restaurant does not contain this prohibition of being that the cook does not own any of the food. [See Kaf Hachaim 117:43 and 72-73 and Yabia Omer for a dispute Poskim regarding working in a non-Kosher restaurant, and his conclusion that it is permitted.]

[4] See regarding Chametz: P”M 450 A”A 12; Shaareiy Efraim 66; Halef Lecha Shlomo 263; Doveiv Meisharim 1:40; Piskeiy Teshuvos 450:11; See however Shaar Efraim ibid who is lenient; See also Shearim Hametzuyanim 117:13 regarding receiving Behavlah, such as if he receives a monthly salary.

[5] See Halacha 5B that even Neveila and Treifa meat of a Kosher animal is Biblically forbidden to be cooked with milk; Although even meat of a non-Kosher species with milk should be forbidden due to Maaras Ayin, as rules Rama 87:4; Shach 87:7 in his first [and later negated] explanation and Taz 87:5 in his conclusion, seemingly in this case everyone knows that he is not cooking on behalf of himself but on behalf of the customers, as well as possibly that in a time of need we are lenient with Maaras Ayin.