BEN’S FRIENDS LAUNCHES MEETINGS IN BUCKHEAD.
Ben’s Friends is a support organization for food and beverage industry workers struggling with addiction and substance abuse. Founded in Charleston in 2016 by Mickey Bakst and Steve Palmer, the group serves 23 cities across the country. Atlanta is its most recent addition for in-person support meetings. Jessica Gamble, chef de cuisine at KR SteakBar, is one of four Atlanta chapter leaders. “After COVID, I decided to get sober. Through some online research, I found Ben’s Friends, and it turns out there are a lot of people in the industry that [choose to be] sober, from bartenders to winemakers and chefs,” she says. Three years later, Gamble is guiding others seeking their sober path.
She describes the meetings as laid back with a strong sense of camaraderie. “It’s not always super deep. Sometimes it does get deep, but it’s also just good to be around like-minded people who share both the desire to not use any substances but also have the same restaurant industry experience and the stressors that come along with that,” she says.
The group emphasizes that all are welcome. “When someone mentions going to a meeting, whether it is AA or Smart Recovery or Ben’s Friends, it is intimidating because you don’t know who’s going to be on the other side of that door. To walk into a meeting is a really big step because you’re admitting that you would like some help with something, and that is a really hard thing to do,” she says.
Meetings are held every Monday at 11 a.m. at Pricci in Buckhead. Lasting about an hour, the gatherings begin with a preamble then shift to a discussion topic. Attendees are invited to share or simply observe. “We give people a safe place to say what they need to say and to process what they need to process,” she says. For those not yet ready for in-person gatherings, Ben’s Friends holds meetings via Zoom daily at 1 p.m.
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