We Recover Loudly - Serving Essential Hospitality Conversations
Welcome to We Recover Loudly the podcast.
In season one, the mission was to spark conversations about addiction, recovery, and drinking cultures within hospitality. What we found was that these topics are closely linked to much bigger issues that we face in the industry, which truly deserve our attention and a space to be discussed. The podcast has evolved to delve into important matters surrounding addiction and recovery, as well as significant themes like burnout, sexual harassment, gender imbalance, mental health, chronic illness, stress, and eating disorders—the list goes on! This podcast isn’t just for individuals in recovery from drugs and alcohol working in hospitality; it’s for anyone who has dealt with challenges, tough working conditions, or health issues related to their experiences in this industry, who want to hear inspiring stories of strength and recovery.
Each episode features a mix of personal stories from myself and other incredible individuals who are currently in the industry or connected to the industry via a mental health space. We engage in conversations with hospitality leaders who are paving the way in providing training and resources to cultivate healthy workplace environments for their teams. This podcast aims to be a welcoming platform for everyone to share the challenges they've faced while working in hospitality and how they’ve overcome them... loudly!
So, let's turn it up and get loud, because when we recover loudly we stop others dying quietly.
We Recover Loudly - Serving Essential Hospitality Conversations
S1 Episode 013 - Adam Simmonds - From Michelin Stars to Burnt Chef
This week's episode I chat with Chef Adam Simmonds. Adam has worked in some incredible kitchens such as Le Gavroche, The Ritz, The Conservatory at The Lanesborough, Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons … to mention just a few! Adam’s first Michelin star came in 2006 in Wales at Ynyshir Hall and then again in 2010 for three consecutive years at Danesfield House, near Marlow under his restaurant Adam Simmonds at Danesfield House. However, while his career was reaching great heights, he was struggling with addiction and poor mental health. Now sober, Adam became a Chief Ambassador for The Burnt Chef Project with a vision to use his own experiences to help others and promote a healthier and more conscious environment in the hospitality industry.
We discussed:
- How his early experiences in school home economics planted the seed and that it is such a shame we no longer have these classes in schools.
- The pressure he put on himself to succeed and once gaining the accolades, the pressure to keep them.
- The openness with which he was able to use cocaine within some of the kitchens he worked in and how he was not challenged about his behaviour.
- His experiences finding a 12-step program and how that was what turned his life around.
- The power of paying it forward - His work with the Burnt Chef, and his personal project Home Kitchen which is building a space for people to come through homelessness and be trained to work in the hospitality industry.
Check out more at www.adamsimmonds.com and follow @chefasimmonds on socials.
If you are struggling with alcohol or drug addiction and want to explore a 12 step program like Adam, head to www.alcoholics-anonymous.org.uk or www.aa.org
Make sure you are following 'We Recover Loudly' on your favourite podcast platforms to get the notifications as soon as it is available – Spotify, Google, Amazon, Apple etc.
@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 byThe Burnt Chef Project.
@theburntchefproject www.theburntchefproject.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
This episode is brought to you by our proud sponsors:
Low No Drinker Magazine @lownodrinkermagazine
www.lownodrinkermagazine.com