Beyond the Job Title: Career Pivots, Workforce Development, and Creating Opportunities for Others with Dina Altieri

What if building a successful career in hospitality isn't about climbing the ladder, but finding where your experience, passion, and purpose can make the greatest impact?

In this episode of 86 the Stigma, Colleen Silk sits down with Dina Altieri, chef educator and hospitality workforce development leader, to explore career evolution, mentorship, and why staying in the industry doesn't have to mean staying in the same role.

From starting in a bakery at 16 to building a career spanning nearly four decades in restaurant kitchens, catering, culinary education, and nonprofit leadership, Dina shares how unexpected opportunities, meaningful mentorship, and a willingness to learn helped shape her professional journey.

But growing in hospitality doesn't always mean moving up.

Dina opens up about navigating career transitions, separating personal identity from professional titles, and recognizing that sometimes moving sideways or changing direction can lead to greater fulfillment.

Together, Colleen and Dina explore the importance of mentorship, being open to feedback, and creating workplaces where people feel valued for more than their job descriptions. They also discuss why strong culinary skills don't automatically translate into strong leadership and why management training, flexibility, and compassion matter.

They also get into Dina's work with Catalyst Kitchens, a network supporting more than 100 nonprofit organizations using culinary training, social enterprise, and hunger relief to create employment opportunities for people facing barriers to the workforce.

At its heart, this conversation is about recognizing that hospitality careers don't have to follow one path. Our experiences, skills, and perspectives can continue opening doors for ourselves and others throughout our careers.

Because sometimes the most meaningful career move isn't about earning a bigger title. It's about finding where you belong and helping others find their place, too.

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 (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.

Beyond the Kitchen Culture: Recovery, Leadership, and Creating Healthier Workplaces in Hospitality with Chef Mathew Reeves

What happens when the behaviors we've accepted as part of our hospitality culture start taking a toll on the very people who keep our kitchens running?

In this episode of 86 the Stigma, Colleen Silk sits down with Chef Mathew Reeves, Executive Chef at UC Davis, to explore sobriety, burnout, kitchen culture, and what it takes to create healthier, more supportive workplaces in the food, beverage, and hospitality industry.

From starting in kitchens as a teenager to building a career across catering, hotels, restaurants, and university dining, Mathew shares how hospitality gave him a sense of belonging, even as long hours, demanding expectations, and drinking culture became part of everyday life.

But the culture that brought him into the industry also presented challenges.

Mathew opens up about his relationship with alcohol, his journey to sobriety, and how returning to culinary school with a new perspective helped reshape both his career and approach to leadership.

Together, Colleen and Mathew explore the normalization of shift drinks, the pressure to push through exhaustion, and why creating psychologically safe kitchens requires more than simply changing policies. They discuss how recovery, boundaries, and open communication can help build environments where employees feel supported both inside and outside of work.

They also get into Mathew's current role at UC Davis, where he oversees high-volume culinary operations serving thousands of students daily while prioritizing global cuisines, local sourcing, food waste reduction, and the wellbeing of his team.

At its heart, this conversation is about recognizing that sustainability in hospitality goes beyond what's on the plate. It includes the people preparing it, the culture they're working in, and their ability to build lasting careers without sacrificing their health.

Because a successful kitchen isn't just measured by the food it serves, but by how well it takes care of the people behind it.

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.

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.