Chef Greg Baker on Mental Health: "It's Okay to Not Be Okay"

Over his career, Greg Baker worked his way up from teenage dishwasher to a six-time James Beard Award nominated chef. Greg is perhaps best known as the chef behind The Refinery, a popular farm-to-table restaurant in Tampa’s Seminole Heights neighborhood that he owned from 2010 to 2019 with his wife, Michelle Baker. He loves how a plate of food can make someone happy. 

But for Greg and countless others in the restaurant industry, the work often has the opposite effect. Greg says it’s no coincidence that his industry is a breeding ground for serious issues, like mental health struggles, substance abuse and even suicide. In our conversation, Greg opens up about his own struggles and suggests ways to make things a little better, whether you’re a restaurant worker or customer. 

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