F&W Pro

Communal Table Podcast: Mental Health Webinars for the Industry

After the loss of an employee to addiction, restaurateur Ellen Yin and PR specialist Gia Vecchio took action to save an industry in pain.

By

Kat Kinsman

Updated on April 22, 2020

Chefs and restaurant workers take great care of everyone else, but often they need a little help themselves. Each week, Food & Wine senior editor Kat Kinsman talks with hospitality pros about they manage their business, brain, and body for the long haul. Is there a topic you'd like to know more about or a guest you'd love to hear from? Tell us at fwpro@foodandwine.com or tweet to Kat @kittenwithawhip, and subscribe to the weekly Food & Wine Pro newsletter. Subscribe to the new Communal Table YouTube page and never miss an episode. Catch up on previous episodes here.

Episode 67: Ellen Yin and Gia Vecchio Talk About a New Mental Health Resource for the Industry

Even before COVID-19 laid waste to the industry, mental health and addiction were issues that disproportionately affected hospitality workers. Now with a staggering segment of the population laid off and most people isolated from the routine and people they relied on, things are more dire than ever before. After the overdose of one of her employees soon after the pandemic struck, Ellen Yin of the High Street Hospitality Group joined forces with Gia Vecchio of Foxglove Communications and A Better Life Therapy to offer free Mental Health Series for the Hospitality Industry webinars geared toward the particular needs of people who work in service. Food & Wine Senior Editor Kat Kinsman spoke with Yin and Vecchio about the decision to do this, and how they're taking care of themselves and others during this difficult time.

You can register for the complimentary webinars at the link below. They will be held on Mondays at 12 ET through May 18. Please follow @forkrestaurant and @abetterlifetherapy on Instagram for continued information on the series. Contact Gia Vecchio at gia@foxglovecommunications.com with any questions.

Note: Because the podcast had to be recorded in a less than ideal setup, the sound quality may not be as crisp as usual. We're all doing our best.