We Recover Loudly – Personal Recovery and Mental Health Stories

In this week's episode we speak to the absolute legend Mickey Bakst, co founder of the national organisation Ben's Friends in the US.  After losing a friend to addiction, Ben's Friends was born with a simple mission: to help struggling industry professionals break free from addiction. With almost 60 years of combined sobriety, Mickey and his partner Steve Palmer have proven that you...

In this week's episode, I sat down with the hilarious and incredibily intellectual Laura Louise Green, the founder of Healthy Pour.  Healthy Pour is an organisation based in Chicago who focus on improving the mental health and well being of individuals in the workplace.  Laura is a trained psychotherapist, and organizational consultant.  It was shortly after receiving her license to practice...

In this new episode, recorded late 2023, Shell talks to the wonderful Karl Considine back when he was still at the beginning of his journey with the now wildy successful Love From bar in Manchester.   Throughout this heartfelt conversation, Karl peels back the layers of his experiences, discussing the stark realities of his former identity as the 'party boy' and the shift to a life where...

In this new episode, Ben Gibbs, founder of the Sober Boozers Club, shares his journey with us in his signature candid, and humourous manner. He discusses his struggle with alcoholism and the pivotal moment that led him towards sobriety. Ben's story not only highlights his personal triumph but also sheds light on the growing market for non-alcoholic beer, emphasizing the inclusivity and happin...

This week on We Recover Loudly, we pull back the curtain with Shannon Michelle, whose journey from pizza counter to cocktail shaker has taken a turn towards sobriety and a quest for inclusivity in the bar industry. Her candid stories serve as a beacon for those navigating the rewarding yet tumultuous waves of hospitality. From the personal cost of burnout to her transformation into a charity-minde...

On this week's episode, we are joined by Acme Fire Cult Leader, chef Andrew Clarke. Andrew Clarke shares about his childhood upbringing being around flames to mastering the art of live fire cooking. His journey has been one of transformation, both in the kitchen and in his personal life. As we discuss the timeline of his career, Andrew shares anecdotes from his early days as a musician to the...

This week’s episode is a total riot.  Shell is joined by one of the brains behind the incredible brewery Mash Gang.  Jordan talks about the journey from a hobbyist homebrewer during lockdown to launching a successful non-alcoholic beverage company. He discusses how their initial experimentation with fermentation led to creating some rather unique products before getting to the beers we know and lo...

On this week’s episode, we are joined by Raj Markandoo, an openly queer sober legend who currently works as Operations Manager at London based Bubala.  Raj shares his personal journey of overcoming challenges growing up feeling disconnected from his community and how he finally found a sense of belonging when he started working in hospitality in Cumbria.  We connected on how we both previously use...

On this week’s episode, we have marketing legend and one of the incredible minds behind ‘Hospitality Rising’, Mark McCulloch.  The campaign, which has created more excitement and drive towards getting people to consider a career in hospitality than any previous attempt, is coming up to 18 months old and has industry awards such as Casual Dining Awards ‘Special Award’ and Otolo’s Opra’s award for ‘...

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 indu...

On this week’s episode of We Recover Loudly, we were joined by Denise Hamilton-Mace , who is the owner and Editor in Chief of Low No Drinker magazine, the UK's No 1 magazine for sober curious drinkers. Denise is a hospitality veteran, having worked her way up to management in fast paced, high volume restaurants and bars from an early age.  Finding herself continually getting burnt out from th...

On this week’s episode of We Recover Loudly, we were beyond delighted to be joined by former chef and actor, now writer, producer AND film director, Phil Barantini .  Phil is one of the creative minds behind the incredible films, and now BBC tv series, Boiling Point .  Having previously worked as a chef, and personally experienced the stress, poor mental health and addiction that is all to common...

Welcome to this week’s episode of We Recover Loudly, with guest Devan Rajkumar, otherwise known as Chef Dev. Chef Dev has worked in the industry from a young man, climbing the ranks from dish pit to world renowned chef, writer and tv personality on shows such as Fire Masters. Having started in the industry with a desire to eventually be a food critic, it was working with Food Dudes that cemented h...

Welcome to this week's episode of We Recover Loudly where Shell has the pleasure of chatting to beverage industry titan Alex Jump.  Alex is an award-winning bartender who began her career behind the stick in her hometown of Tennessee after spending time studying aboard in Florence, Italy, including a stint interning at the largest wine shop in the Italian city.   Her first management role cam...

Welcome to this week's episode of We Recover Loudly where Shell is joined by the brilliant Neil Rankin.  Neil, a physics graduate, began his career in French fine dining but is best known for his talent in BBQ and fire-based cooking. He has worked with acclaimed US BBQ chef Adam Perry Lang, and has made significant contributions to the BBQ and meat cookery world as a published author, columni...

This weeks special bonus episode is released especially for Transgender Awareness week.   I had the pleasure of being joined by my friends Phoebe and Rachel, hosts of The Joy Tuck Podcast, to discuss the challenges of being transgender, including the social expectations and the importance of the transitioning journey.  I met Phoebe in the rooms of recovery and was blown away with how much I relate...

This is the second bonus episode, released as part of Addiction Awareness Week 2023. On this episode I chat to fellow Burnt Chef ambassador Patrick Lingle. Patrick's journey began in restaurants during his youth, and he was immediately drawn to the energy and social aspect of the industry. We talked about the high demands and long hours of working in the restaurant business, along with the cu...

This week's bonus episode, is released as part of Addiction Awareness Week 2023. It is a conversation with the lovely Liz Bennett, who works in a pub for Hyde's Brewery. One of the things we want the podcast to do is offer a platform for people currently working in the industry, while being sober, to share how they do it! Liz approached us wanting to do exactly that, and this is a brilli...

Enjoy this bonus episode in honour of Sober October, a delightful conversation with myself and award winning NA wine maker Amanda Thomson. An entrepreneurial powerhouse, this is a fascinating story about how she came to be the owner of such a successful brand. We discuss : The growing no & low alcohol market. The methods used to create these special wines. The return to enjoying flavour rather...

This is the final episode of Season One, and it was a pleasure to have Gizzi Erskine, a renowned chef as a guest.  Gizzi's passion for food and cooking started at a young age and she credits her mother for instilling this love in her. She began her culinary journey at Leith's School of Food and Wine in her early twenties and had the opportunity to work in some of the top Michelin-starred...

This week I am joined by my latest NA girl crush Laura Silverman. She is a trailblazer of the whole commercial alcohol-free movement. Sober herself since the age of 24, she recently celebrated 16 years of sobriety. She is the founder of Zero Proof Nation and Booze Free in DC , two platforms focused on highlighting non-alcoholic beverages and the culture driving their growth.   Laura is frequently...

This week I am joined by classically trained executive chef Dom Robinson. Currently working at Claude Bosi, Dom started his career at a restaurant called Fischers Baslow Hall. He moved to London aged 20 and has worked for the likes of Anthony Demetre, Adam Byatt and Tom Aikens. In 2017 he opened his own restaurant & won a Michelin star. However, a lifetime of being a heavy drinker & drug u...

This week I am joined by the vibrant, raucous, and hilarious Justin and Nariba, themselves podcast hosts of the brilliant Terms of Service. Nariba is a seasoned professional chef, working in every station from Dish to Chef de Partie which gives her an incredible understanding of the entirety of kitchens. Currently bartending, her passion for social justice means she brings her knowledge and awaren...

In this episode, I chat with Colette Safhill. Colette, the mastermind behind multi award winning Myth Drinks, talks about how she created her non-alcoholic rum alternatives that taste just like the real deal. She wanted to ensure people have choices beyond booze so they can still enjoy social events without compromising their sobriety. Colette mentions how her drinks tap into nostalgia and taste l...

In this week’s new episode, I am joined by Andres Cabrera. Andres is the Beverage Director of Fat Tiger, NYC's first Dry Speakeasy. I connected with Andres after reading about Fat Tiger in Tasting Table, an online food and beverage newspaper. I was really struck by his mission to elevate the sober experience, by focusing on what Andres describes as ‘dry cocktails that are well-balanced, look...