by TM Petaccia

At the second installment of the Unpretentious Palate Industry Breakfast series, the focus turned to a pressing issue in restaurants and bars: mental, physical, and emotional wellness.

Hosted at Napa on Providence, with support from presenting partner Vulcan Equipment, as well as Spot On POS Systems, Kitchen Guard of Charlotte, and Bulleit Frontier Whiskey, the event drew dozens of industry professionals for a candid conversation on how to improve physical, mental, and emotional wellbeing in hospitality workplaces.

“This is a conversation that happens frequently in our industry,” Wile said in her introduction. “It seems to be one of those problems that is tough to solve. Hospitality is just a notoriously difficult place to work.”

The panel included Dr. Melissa Jones, a Charlotte-based family physician who runs a direct primary care practice, Priority Care, PC; Juliet Kuehnle, a board-certified counselor and founder of Sun Counseling and Wellness; and Sam Diminich, owner of Your Farm, Your Table and Restaurant Constance, who has been open about his recovery from addiction and now leads the Charlotte chapter of Ben’s Friends, a support group for hospitality workers.

Diminich described his decision to build his restaurants differently after entering sobriety. “Everybody told me you cannot do restaurants sober. But I learned if I took care of myself, I could do anything. I feel like we’ve done a lot of things wrong and we’ve done a couple things right. We’re constantly learning,” he said. He has implemented a four-and-a-half-day work week, above-average pay, and daily family meals that focus as much on teamwork and honesty as on service notes. “Our labor force is our greatest expense,” he said. “It should be viewed as an investment, not an expense line.”

Jones underscored the importance of basic access to care. “A lot of people don’t have access to a regular physician,” she said. “The system is not easy to navigate at all. What I do is maintenance. If you’re able to get somebody like me, you can follow up and know them, and you’re getting good quality care.” She explained that her subscription-based model avoids insurance bureaucracy and hidden costs.

Kuehnle spoke to the emotional toll of the work. “We so often approach these things reactively and they really need to be proactive. It needs to be a part of the system, a part of the culture — and it needs to be modeled from the top down. It is hella-lonely to be a business owner and entrepreneur,” she told the audience. “We see a ton of burnout, a loss of sense of self, and increased anxiety, depression, and substance use.” She suggested operators introduce small daily practices like breathing exercises or brief grounding rituals. “Even 60 seconds of mindfulness can help reset the nervous system,” she said.

The breakfast’s attendees engaged actively, pressing panelists on insurance costs, access to affordable medication, and how to push for broader cultural change in hospitality. One attendee asked Jones how her model compared to traditional insurance. “Insurance is good when you have something major happen,” she responded, “but I’m trying to do as much as possible without having someone abuse the insurance. I also advocate for patients when they do need to use it.” She noted that her membership costs about $100 a month, with deeply discounted lab tests and transparent pricing.

Another question focused on why kitchens feel so physically and mentally taxing. Kuehnle pointed to the environment itself. “The heat alone can mimic anxiety in your body,” she explained. “Add in constant pressure from customers, tickets, timing — it keeps your nervous system in fight-or-flight.”

Several audience members nodded along as Diminich described his efforts to “flip the script” on labor costs. “I take less and pay more,” he said, noting that his business model prioritizes retention and morale. “It feels good to do the right thing,” he said.

Click here for information of our final Industry Breakfast.

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