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Building Healthier Kitchens: A Conversation with CHOW

By Business of Baking Blog posted 9 days ago

  

Building Healthier Kitchens: A Conversation with CHOW

By Chef Kimberly Houston
Events & Engagement Manager, Retail Bakers of America

Why This Conversation Matters

In the baking and hospitality world, we’re taught to serve others first. But what happens when the people doing the serving are running on empty?

That’s the question behind CHOW — Culinary Hospitality Outreach and Wellness, a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting mental health and wellness within the hospitality industry. CHOW believes that creating healthier kitchens starts with honest conversations — the kind that remind us we’re all human beneath the chef coats and aprons.

In a recent episode of The Perfect Rise podcast, I sat down with Jasmin Vitolo Parks-Papadopoulos, CHOW’s Chief Growth Officer, to talk about the organization’s mission, its impact, and how bakers and business owners can take small, practical steps toward creating more sustainable workplaces.

The Story Behind CHOW

CHOW’s roots trace back to 2018, when Denver pie maker John Hinman, owner of Hinman Pies, returned to the industry after his own recovery journey. He quickly realized that while kitchens often power through physical injuries, they rarely make space for the pain we can’t see — the emotional exhaustion and mental health struggles that come with long hours, high expectations, and little rest.

Hinman gathered a few food and beverage professionals at his bakery to talk about it. What began as a small meeting turned into a room full of chefs, bakers, and servers who were ready — finally — to speak openly about what they were experiencing. Just days earlier, the industry had lost Anthony Bourdain, and the need for connection had never been more urgent.

Those early meetings became the foundation of CHOW: a safe, judgment-free space where hospitality workers could share, listen, and heal together.

From the Kitchen to Advocacy

For Jasmin, CHOW’s mission is deeply personal. A third-generation chef, she spent years building her career while quietly battling high-functioning anxiety. Like many in the industry, she didn’t realize how much of her identity was wrapped up in her work — until the Great Resignation gave her the space to stop and reflect.

“When I left the industry, I realized I didn’t have hobbies or friendships that weren’t built on shared burnout,” Jasmin shared. “I thought exhaustion was proof of passion.”

That realization led her to CHOW as an attendee. Within a few meetings, she found herself in tears — not out of sadness, but out of relief. For the first time, she felt seen. Today, as CHOW’s Chief Growth Officer, she helps create that same environment for others, leading outreach, education, and partnerships across the food and hospitality community.

How CHOW Supports the Industry

CHOW offers a range of free tools designed by hospitality professionals, for hospitality professionals. Their most notable programs include:

1. Weekly Discussion Meetings

Open to everyone — from bakers to baristas, servers to owners — CHOW’s peer-led meetings are hybrid (in-person and online) and provide a safe, supportive space to talk openly about challenges and triumphs.

The meetings use a clever tool called the “Temperature Take”, where participants check in on a scale from rare to well-done. It’s a lighthearted but powerful way to help people describe how they’re really feeling using the language they know best — food.

2. The Amuse’ Mental Health Course

CHOW’s four-hour training, Amuse’, provides tangible, evidence-based tools for recognizing and addressing mental health challenges in the workplace.

The course teaches how to spot warning signs, offer support without crossing professional boundaries, and model wellness as a leader. It also explores the “Eight Ingredients of Wellness” — a holistic framework for maintaining balance across all areas of life.


After my interview with Jasmin, I had the opportunity to take the 4-hour Amuse course, and it is a phenomenal resource.  This course is for front of house, back of house, chefs, bakers, cooks, managers, and all the people who keep our industry moving forward.  After taking the course, I can confidently say I know the signs of substance abuse, I'm familiar with the warning signs of suicidal ideation, depression, and addiction.  This session will fundamentally help reframe how we look at mental health, how we value our employees, and expedite how we bring light to many of the issues lurking in the shadows of our industry.  

3. Workplace Wellness Toolkit

To help managers navigate difficult conversations, CHOW developed its Scripts for Challenging Conversations — a free, legally vetted guide with step-by-step language for checking in with staff, addressing burnout, or expressing concern without fear of overstepping.

“It’s about creating psychological safety,” Jasmin explained. “People want to talk, but they’re afraid of the consequences. These scripts give both sides a safe way to start.”

The Power of Shared Humanity

One of the most profound takeaways from our conversation was how quickly vulnerability builds trust.

“When we share a little bit of our story,” Jasmin said, “we give others permission to share theirs. That’s how real change begins.”

Her advice for bakery and café owners is simple but transformative: try one act of wellness for yourself this week, then talk about it openly with your team. Whether it’s attending a CHOW meeting, taking a short walk during your break, or using your smoke break as a moment to breathe, modeling self-care creates ripple effects across the workplace.

A Future Focused on People

When asked about her vision for the future, Jasmin shared a personal reason behind her commitment:

“I have an 11-year-old daughter who wants to be a chef. I tell people I have seven years to fix this industry before she enters it.”

Her dream? A hospitality industry where caring for people is valued as much as perfecting recipes. One where mental health is not a liability but a leadership skill.

How to Get Involved

All CHOW resources — including meetings, toolkits, and training — are free and accessible at chowco.org.

You can:
• Join a weekly meeting (camera optional, hybrid access)
• Enroll in the Amuse’ Mental Health Course
• Download the Workplace Wellness Toolkit
• Invite CHOW to host a Pre-Shift Conversation with your team

Final Thoughts

Conversations about mental health can feel uncomfortable, but silence has never been a solution. As Jasmin said, “Wellness isn’t a trend — it’s a necessity.”

At RBA, we believe that strong businesses start with strong people. Together with partners like CHOW, we’re working to ensure every bakery, café, and pastry shop is not just a place of creativity, but a place of care.

Learn More

Visit chowco.org to explore CHOW’s programs, meetings, and free resources.