A Safe Place to Land: Ben’s Friends Comes to Global Café

Every Monday morning, when several Memphis restaurants are closed and the industry finally gets a moment to breathe, a group gathers at Global Café inside Crosstown Concourse. They’re there for each other, showing up to stay sober, stay connected, and be understood by people who truly get it.

This is the newest chapter of Ben’s Friends, a national support group built specifically for people in the food and beverage industry. The restaurant world is fast-paced, high-pressure, and historically underserved when it comes to mental health and sobriety resources. Ben’s Friends exists to change that, giving industry workers a space to support one another in their sobriety journeys and simply be around people who understand the life.

A Host Who Saw the Need

Global Café founder Sabine Langer stepped up to host and sponsor the Memphis chapter after seeing firsthand how few resources existed for restaurant staff navigating sobriety and mental health.

“We do an excellent job of taking care of our customers, not so much taking care of ourselves and our staff,” Langer said. “I’m really excited to have a resource… for our staff.”

Restaurants like hers are often closed on Monday mornings, making it the perfect time for industry workers to actually show up for themselves.

A Growing National Network

Ben’s Friends was founded a decade ago by restaurateur Steve Palmer and Mickey Bakst, two advocates who understood that the food and beverage industry had a sobriety problem that nobody was talking about loudly enough. The organization has since grown to 23 cities across 17 states, with Memphis joining the network about four months ago.

Palmer, a restaurateur, James Beard Award semifinalist, and mental health advocate with more than 40 years in the industry, visited Memphis in September to share the group’s mission with local professionals. His message was simple and direct.

“I always say asking for help is a sign of intelligence, not a sign of weakness,” Palmer said.

Local Leadership

Leading the Memphis chapter is Richard Williams, a sous chef at Rhodes College who found the group meaningful in his own sobriety journey.

“I started joining the meetings, and as I got out of my awkward shell and got to know everybody, I don’t know, it really became something I want to be part of,” Williams said. “It helps me be the best version of me.”

A Community Ready to Show Up

Around 20 people came out to meet Palmer at the September event, including professionals from Felicia Suzanne’s, Bar Limina, JEM Dining, and Amelia Gene’s — a strong sign that Memphis’ restaurant community is ready to build something meaningful together around sobriety and mutual support.

“If you’re anything like me or any of the people in Ben’s Friends, the support group just turns into your friends,” Williams said.

Thanks to Sabine Langer opening Global Café’s doors, alongside Palmer, Bakst, and Williams’ leadership, Memphis’ restaurant and hospitality workers now have a welcoming place to get sober, stay sober, and show up for one another, right here at Crosstown Concourse.