When Steve Palmer and Mickey Bakst started Ben's Friends, they had no idea that it would be the force that it is today. What began as an industry-specific recovery meeting in Charleston, SC has since transformed into a national lifeline for chefs, servers, bartenders, and other hospitality workers trying to achieve and maintain sobriety in an industry that often celebrates and enables excess and masochism. Though the meetings until now have been held weekly and face-to-face in the cities that host chapters, they're now available via Zoom on a local level, and—for the first time—nationally. Palmer spoke with Food & Wine senior editor Kat Kinsman about the particular struggles that restaurant workers are facing in isolation, and why human connection is vital for sobriety and mental health.

Ben's Friends

https://www.bensfriendshope.com/

Say Grace

https://aboutstevepalmer.com/book/

The F&W Pro Guide to Coronavirus: What Restaurants Should Know

https://www.foodandwine.com/news/coronavirus-restaurant-guide-fwpro

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