Beyond the Shift Drink: Recovery, Restaurant Ownership, and Putting People First with Cara and Cliff Blauvelt

What happens when you rethink the drinking culture, long hours, and expectations that have become so normalized in hospitality, and build a business that does things differently?

In this episode of 86 the Stigma, Colleen Silk sits down with Cara and Cliff Blauvelt, husband-and-wife restaurateurs in Denver, Colorado, to explore sobriety, recovery, mental health, and how their personal experiences have shaped the way they operate their restaurants and support their teams.

With decades of combined hospitality experience, Cara and Cliff share how their individual journeys with alcohol, recovery, and restaurant culture led them to rethink what a successful hospitality business could look like.

But changing the culture means challenging some long-standing industry habits.

Cara opens up about stepping away from bartending, her decision to stop drinking in 2020, and eventually returning to hospitality with a different perspective. Cliff shares how his years working in kitchens, personal recovery journey, and background in psychology and peer support helped shape his approach to leadership.

Together, Colleen, Cara, and Cliff explore the normalization of shift drinks, the pressures of restaurant ownership, and why building healthier workplaces starts with the people behind the business.

They also discuss how the couple has incorporated shorter shifts, open communication, harm reduction education, and employee wellness initiatives into their restaurants, while creating more opportunities for their teams to have fulfilling lives outside of work.

At its heart, this conversation is about recognizing that sobriety, recovery, and wellbeing don't have to exist separately from hospitality. They can help shape stronger businesses, healthier teams, and a more supportive industry.

Because taking care of your people shouldn't be an exception to the way hospitality operates. It should be part of how we do business.

ABOUT 86 THE STIGMA

86 the Stigma is a CHOW podcast powered by Hospitality Bites Media, hosted by Colleen Silk. This season brings together voices from across food, beverage, and hospitality for honest conversations about mental health, burnout, recovery, leadership, workplace culture, and the human experiences behind the industry.

This season is made possible with support from Hoshizaki America and US Foods® — We Help You Make It®.

CHOW SUPPORT & RESOURCES

CHOW (Culinary Hospitality Outreach and Wellness) provides peer support, community, and mental health resources for people working in hospitality.

Visit https://www.chowco.org/ to learn more and access resources.

Hosted by: Colleen Silk
Produced by: Hospitality Bites Media

Disclaimer: The views and experiences shared by guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of CHOW, Hospitality Bites Media, our sponsors, or affiliated organizations. Conversations are intended for education and awareness and should not replace professional medical or mental health advice.

If you or someone you know is experiencing a mental health crisis in the U.S., call or text 988 for immediate support.