Mickey Bakst: Ben's Friends and Recovery in the Restaurant Industry

Rise Recover Live

#72: This week on the podcast we welcome Mickey Bakst, the Co-Founder of Ben's Friends and a 48-year veteran of the restaurant world. When Mickey bought his first restaurant in 1973, people told him he would never be able to get sober in the food & beverage industry. Fast-forward to today, Mickey has 40 years of sobriety and continues to work in the industry he loves while actively changing the conversation and stigma surrounding substance use disorder. As told by Mickey, the restaurant industry is magic, but it is also being decimated by addiction. So in 2016, Mickey and his friend Steve Palmer decided to do something about it. They started the Ben's Friends, an organization that supports those in the food & beverage industry struggling with active addiction. Check out the episode to hear more of Mickey's story, including:
- The pervasiveness of drinking culture in the restaurant and hospitality world, and how the industry needs to start listening and talking openly about addiction.
- How restaurant professionals face different stressors and circumstances that are separate from the 9-5 world. This uniqueness means it's imperative to create spaces for them to connect, especially around substance use disorder.
- The advent of 'sober contracts' to support workers experiencing active addiction.
- Why Mickey sends new Ben's Friends members Van Halen's "Jump".
- How the industry is evolving towards inclusion, with more non-alcoholic beverages, sober spaces at music festivals, and open conversations with management.
- Why Mickey fell in love with the restaurant industry, and how he will never forget the feeling of making people laugh and feel good.
- His message to folks: there is a world in restaurants greater than anything you've ever imagined with sobriety. All you have to do is reach out to another sober person and they will help you.
Check out Ben's Friends, an organization offering community, hope and a path forward for food and beverage professionals who struggle with substance use disorder.
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If you or a loved one is experiencing a mental health or substance use related crisis, the following resources can provide immediate help.*
If you are experiencing a medical/mental health emergency, dial 911.

• Dial 988 for the SAMSHA Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. Available 24/7
• Text “HOME” to 741-741 for the NAMI Crisis Text Line. Available 24/7
• Dial 1-800-622-2255 to connect with a nearby treatment center & community resources through NCADD Hope Line. Available 24/7
• Call/text 1-844-326-5400 for The GSCA CARES Warm Line. Answered by Certified Addiction Recovery Empowerment Specialists with lived experience of SUD. Available any day of the year, 8:30am-11pm EST

*Note: The resources listed are provided for informational purposes only. This list is not comprehensive and does not constitute an endorsement by The Phoenix or the Rise Recover Live Podcast.

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