We Recover Loudly – Personal Recovery and Mental Health Stories
We Recover Loudly is a podcast for anyone reclaiming their identity after life’s toughest challenges. Whether that’s addiction, mental health struggles, chronic illness, burnout, or something else entirely. Hosted by Shell, each episode brings raw vulnerability, humour, and real-life stories that show recovery comes in many forms, and that you are never the only one to go through something challenging. From guests who have triumphed over addiction to those reclaiming themselves from burnout, anxiety, and more, we share candid conversations, personal insights, and practical tips to remind you that no matter what you’re recovering from, you’re not alone.
Because when we recover loudly ... we stop others dying quietly. So, let's turn it up and get loud!
We Recover Loudly – Personal Recovery and Mental Health Stories
S2 Episode 006- Greg Baker - From Chef on the Line to Life on the Line
Use Left/Right to seek, Home/End to jump to start or end. Hold shift to jump forward or backward.
On this week’s episode, we are joined by Greg Baker. Greg was a chef and restaurateur for 36 years, with six James Beard Award nominations behind him, before retiring in 2019, citing the physical and mental toll the work took on him as his reasons. In his last years as a chef, he became a vocal advocate for raising awareness of and dealing with systemic mental health issues in the hospitality industry. Since leaving restaurants, Greg has continued his advocacy work, and he now works as a freelance writer for such publications as Food & Wine magazine, Serious Eats, and Tasting Table.
We first became aware of the work Greg is associated with when watching a short video The Wall Street Journal put together in 2018 after the tragic death of Antony Bourdain. The video called ‘A Reckoning With the Dark Side of the Restaurant Industry’ features industry leaders at the time such as Greg Baker, Cat Cora and Patrick Mulveny. Talking to Greg all these years later was really moving, especially as he shares how difficult his mental health became over the years and how his shame to share about it nearly cost him his life.
We discussed -
- Toxic masculinity and whether it is self imposed at times
- How he gravitated towards the chaos of the kitchen and that high adrenaline lifestyle from a young man
- The failure of the industry to rebuild itself after the pandemic better than it was before
- How if we want to create lasting change, it has to start at the top
This is a raw, no holds barred and very moving conversation with a talented chef who we could have lost, and who is now making positive changes with his story. Inspiring stuff.
@greg_baker
@werecoverloudly www.werecoverloudly.com
Want us to come into your business and talk to your teams about addiction in the workplace?? Send us an email at hello@werecoverloudly.com and we will be in touch!
This episode is sponsored by
The Burnt Chef Project.
@theburntchefproject www.theburntchefproject.com
AND
Low No Drinker Magazine
@lownodrinkermagazine www.lownodrinkermagazine.com
For more information on We Recover Loudly and to reach out for speaking engagements or support email hello@werecoverloudly.com
@werecoverloudly
www.werecoverloudly.com