More than 41,000 Charleston residents are employed by the food and beverage industry, an industry that is often glamorized in magazine articles, Instagram stories, TV shows and tourism brochures. But behind every kitchen and every dining room lies an industry known for long hours and high stress. This makes for a perfect storm when combined with a culture oozing with alcohol availability. Addiction is more common than you’d think, but luckily two local industry legends, Mickey Bakst and Steve Palmer, founded an organization and a community designed to walk alongside anyone in the food and beverage industry seeking sobriety. And today, it is our privilege to share a real story, bravely written by Melissa Tranchida. For more than 30 years, food and beverage was woven into the fabric of my life. I started working in restaurants at 15, captivated by the pace, the pressure and the adrenaline of a packed dining room. I loved the camaraderie, the controlled chaos and the sense of purpose that came with taking care of people. Along with that cul53 WWW.CHARLESTONWOMENPODCAST.COM | WWW.READCW.COM | WWW.INSTAGRAM.COM/CHARLESTONWOMEN ture, however, came another reality—one where drinking after a shift was expected, stimulants kept you moving through doubles and exhaustion became a badge of honor. What began as fitting into the industry slowly evolved into depending on alcohol to keep up with it. By every outward measure, my life looked successful. I built a 20year career as an educator while continuing to bartend and serve because I genuinely loved hospitality. Over the years, I earned Teacher of the Year, raised three amazing children, rarely missed work and prided myself on being dependable, hardworking and always available to help. But behind the scenes, I was quietly struggling. I spent years convincing myself that because I was still performing, I couldn’t possibly have a problem. Like so many women, I became very skilled at hiding the fact that my life had become unmanageable and increasingly dependent on alcohol. The noise finally became impossible to ignore. I had three young children going to school online, while I was teaching first grade online, and my husband was also working from home. My ability to manage all things fell apart. In 2022, I underwent major surgery to remove a significant bone tumor from my femur. Although the tumor was benign, the recovery was long, painful and life-changing. I lost my mobility, my independence, a job I loved, my secondary income and eventually my sense of identity. These losses felt catastrophic. Always hyper independent, I had become a burden. My life became unrecognizable. I watched helplessly, like a sideline spectator as life moved on for my kids, friends and colleagues. Alcohol, which had once been a tonic for social anxiety, now felt like the only way to cope with the demands and disappointments of life. It became the primary means to cope and to make it through each day. Eventually, my husband looked at me and said, “You’re killing yourself. You need to stop.” Deep down, I knew he was right. I was a shell of my former self, and I hated my reflecHOPE BEHIND the Hospitality Building community and inspiring recovery BY KATIE FINCH WELLNESS + BEAUTY Melissa Tranchida and Mickey Bakst Steve Palmer and Mickey Bakst
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