Our History

Switch Kitchen, founded by Lex Ruthless, is a subcultural group of current and former service industry individuals who perform in live performances, BDSM/Kink Educational Seminars, and Adult Film Production.

Our Origins


Every kink group has an origin. BDSM Leather Culture was born from the post-WWII biker culture; Switch Kitchen originally was formed from those who currently or previously worked within the hospitality and service industry. 

The ‘Kitchen’ 


Switch Kitchen’s early films had crew members and performers who are former Red Seal Chefs, line cooks, pastry chefs, dishwashers & service staff. These films were often shot within kitchens and bars after hours and sometimes contained cooking equipment and food within the scene. 

The ‘Switch’ 

 

The term “Switch” comes from BDSM and means the ability of a single individual to serve in both roles of a “Dominant” as well as a “Submissive”. It also indicates someone who can “Top” as well as “Bottom”. ‘Switches’ can sometimes serve as “Middles” who assist a Dominant with their Submissive. 

 

Additional Switch Kitchen performers were hoteliers & concierges, bartenders, maids, clerks, luxury retailers, and personal and executive assistants to CEOs and Religious leaders in North America. This ability to ‘switch’ is second nature to hospitality individuals as they may simultaneously serve guests or those above them yet command their own service staff underneath them. 


Switch Kitchen performers often are able to translate this same ‘Switching’ experience to film and live BDSM play. You may see one performer in a scene as the dominant, yet in a subsequent scene they take on the role of a submissive. 

A Refined Taste

 

Switch Kitchen members generally have refined palate and taste and enjoy fine dining and excellent service. We appreciate handcrafted goods, high quality coffee, medal winning distilleries, fine wines, cigars, and other service industry masters impressing us with their work. 

 

Switch Kitchen organizes restaurant or bar takeovers as well as private cocktail and dinner play parties where both hospitality and adult industry professionals interconnect. The inner core also hosts “Fiesta Fridays”, a potluck style dinner where each former chef creates a dish to share. Various offshoots have also started including Wine Touring and a High Protocol Scotch / Whiskey Club.

The Coat of Arms

 

The Switch Kitchen logo comprises a riding crop and a wooden spoon representing the two cross sections of subcultures. 

 

The wooden spoon represents both a common kitchen cooking utensil but also a means of punishment historically used by Generation X (Boomers) for disciplinary spankings. This has led to many millennials and Gen Z who faced early childhood trauma to reclaiming the wooden spoon for consensual spankings only.  

 

The riding crop historically was used in equestrianism as a neutral tool to encourage performance. The same desire of performance exists today among members and the crop is used in BDSM scenes as means of encouragement or punishment. 

Clothing & Outfits

 

You will often see Switch Kitchen members service industry clothing. Often wearing black dress clothes or latex with a black apron to represent the history of service. You may also see bright clothing, pastels like candy store clerks or in ice cream parlors. Others may wear retro pinup or historic service industry attire.

 

One can earn custom Switch Kitchen aprons, badges, and clothing within the group. Generally, Switch Kitchen will not accept new people within its core unless they have a history of hospitality or professional service of others. Switch Kitchen strives for the highest standards of etiquette, kindness, politeness, and service.


You can find merch for sale at: https://switchkitchen.threadless.com/

Scene Style & Flow

 

The flow of Switch Kitchen’s scenes is intense yet graceful, similar to the speed of a server bustling their section, the intensity of a cook crushing chits, and the flair of a bartender. You may often hear “may I” or see gestures that have translated from the kitchen into kink. Switch Kitchen performers have excellent spatial awareness and this comes from working in small kitchens & service spaces. 

 

Switch Kitchen members are generally Masters of ‘Impact Play’ which comes from years of chopping vegetables & tenderizing meat. Attention to detail, precision, and timing are qualities which are admired and acts of service and etiquette are praised. Switch Kitchen staff have been known to do live shows and back-to-back scenes for 6+ hours non-stop, consensually pushing through personal discomfort for the pleasure (and pain) of guests and patrons. Very similar to kitchen staff and waiters pushing through dinner service until feet are sore and arms are heavy. Members strive for the highest standards in their daily profession but also within kink & BDSM and consent culture.

Adult Film

 

Switch Kitchen started its filming studio in 2018. However in January 2020, when Covid19 hit the West Coast, within 3 months most of the service industry was forced to shut down. Bars were closed, hotel staff were laid off and people were out of work. Many turned to adult film, seeking online sexwork to make ends meet. This solidified the filming/studio section of Switch Kitchen and thrust it into full time existence. Switch Kitchen has hundreds of films available for sale and hundreds more in post-production. “Welcome to Switch Kitchen” is a two season series in which performers travel from all over the world to visit Switch Kitchen’s space and experience their brand of BDSM. 

Service Culture

 

You will often find Switch Kitchen and its crew volunteering for local events within the community. Whether it is event coordinating, set-up or tear down, or giving free demos, Switch Kitchen has a heart of service and giving back to the BDSM community. 

Education & Facilitation

 

Switch Kitchen teaches classes and seminars on topics such as negotiation and consent, switching / middling, and impact. You can hire them for live shows, demos, or teaching courses. Contact: switchkitchenxxx@gmail.com

Spin of Sin


Switch Kitchen hosts the “Spin of Sin” monthly as Vancouver’s Sin City Fetish Night. It is a Carnival Style Wheel that patrons can ‘Spin to Win’ punishments or pleasure. This is done free of charge at Sin City Events but “tipping” is highly recommended. You can find out more at www.spinofsin.com  

The History of the Spin of Sin.

 

Isaac Terpstra (DJ Pandemonium), the owner of Restricted Entertainment commissioned the wheel to be built after being inspired by Dallas Fetish Ball (Courtney Crave) and their wheel of pain. The Spin of Sin was made into a smaller compact wheel that could fold and travel easily. He asked Mistress Mercedez and Lex Ruthless to come up with 16 punishments to match the corresponding numbers on the wheel.

 

The Spin of Sin made its debut in 2019 as it was introduced to the Sin City Fetish Night and the Restricted Entertainment Event Circuit.

Lex Ruthless saw this as an opportunity to take this beyond simply a “prize wheel” where a dominatrix hands out sessions. Lex wanted it to be engaging and visually appealing to audience members and saw this as a chance to merge interactive art, performance, and audience experience. 

 

Lex has a Masters in Intercultural studies with a focus on subcultures and a double Bachelors in both Education and Theatre/Literature in which a portion of his studies revolved around “Cruel Theatre” (by Dr. Leanne Groeneveld) which studied the plays of Marquis De Sade as well as the history of public cruelty as performance. For example: the Roman Colosseum Games or the public executions and spectacles during medieval times. It was theorized that humanity has a history of desiring bloodsports or cruel spectacle. This still exists today and has developed into newer forms such as the Superbowl Cup in a stadium or competitive fighting in the octagon on Pay-Per-View. Using his academia knowledge as a basis, Lex was able to make the Spin of Sin successfully draw together the elements of cruel theater, classic carnival sideshows, and interactive performance art.

The Spin of Sin is best viewed In-the-round theater style where spectators have all access to all sides for viewing. The audience is drawn into the space by their curiosity, or emphatic compassion, or sadistic pleasure, or in some way by watching others suffer; they often feel better about their own situation and better cope with their own hardships. 

 

The wheel is free spinning and winning is based on chance or probability. All winnings are designed to be a stimulating experience for both participant and viewer. We often hear audience members saying under their breath “I could do that” and then sign up to try the wheel and spin to win. Thus the interactive art takes place where the patron moves from Voyeur to Performer.  

It is truly the only space where an individual can experience the excitement of voyeurism, the anticipation of a probability game, and then the thrill of exhibitionism in performance melded with the adrenaline and endorphin rush of masochism. It has been compared for example) to be similar to deciding to get a tattoo in a public tattoo parlor (the choosing of the tattoo, enduring the pain of the tattoo procedure, and then the pleasure and rush during and after by showing off the tattoo). The Spin of Sin is a similar feeling.

 

The Spin of Sin is hosted exclusively by Switch Kitchen. Switch Kitchen facilitators are professionals who either are professional BDSM providers or have received training and mentorship in the skill. All of the Spin of SIn punishments & pleasures are safe and consent is discussed beforehand with each patron who spins with the establishment of safe words that can be used to end the session at any time. There is no actual permanent harm, maiming, or life changing injuries. There is the use of theatrics, props, and special effects to maximize the performance while keeping all participants safe. However, patrons are to understand Risk Aware Consensual Kink and by entering 1) the dungeon and 2) the Spin of Sin performance space they are aware of their own decision and are choosing to participate under their own volition and therefore accept the risks that inherently come with kink and impact play. They understand that impact does cause discomfort and pain and that pleasure does cause pleasure and sometimes arousal. All props, toys, and tools are sanitized and workstations are sanitized after contact with any fluids or bare skin. This helps keep people safe and healthy within the performance space.

 

The Spin of Sin has given birth to other derivative sideshows of “Probability-Punishment” or chance-based BDSM. This includes SwitchKitchen's use of various other machines or chance-games. This combined with Switch Kitchen’s showmanship and flair makes this performance distinct from other prize-wheel shows.

 

If you are interested in participating in the Spin of Sin at an upcoming event please follow us on social media or visit our calendar to see our upcoming shows.