Ben’s Friends, a non-profit providing support to those battling addiction in the restaurant industry, has expanded to Charlotte. Photo: bensfriendshope.com

The restaurant and hospitality industry has earned a reputation of negligence with substance abuse and addiction. Talented chefs and restaurateurs build culinary empires, often just to see them quickly crumble from coping mechanisms and lack of resources associated with the emotional and physical consequences of working in such a demanding industry.

In the past few years, there has been an increase of industry members speaking publicly about their addictions and the struggles they have encountered while regaining themselves and reclaiming their careers in healthier, well-balanced environments. This has led to more restaurant professionals seeking a similar change, but many are uncertain of how to get there. How do those still in the trenches of addiction and an unhealthy work environment get out?

As of this month, Charlotte has a new resource for any industry professional struggling with substance abuse and addiction. Ben’s Friends is a food and beverage industry support group lead by co-founder Steve Palmer and local chefs. Palmer is owner of The Indigo Road Hospitality Group ( Oak Steakhouse, O-Ku, and Sukoshi). Founded in 2016 in honor of Ben Murray, a friend and peer chef of Palmer who took his own life after struggling with alcoholism, the organization was created to provide a judgement-free forum for restaurant and hospitality industry workers to come together in a safe environment.

Ben’s Friends hopes to be a bridge to sobriety, providing a space for dialogue and recognizing that isolation or willpower alone cannot overcome substance abuse. There are seven chapters across the nation; Charlotte is the newest chapter and meets weekly every Monday at 11 a.m at Oak Steakhouse in SouthPark.  —Justin Burke-Samson