The restaurant industry has lost two standout talents in less than two weeks: Solomon Choi, the founder of 16 Handles and an investor in other ventures, and James Kent, the gifted New York City fine-dining chef. Choi was 44, and Kent just 45. Both apparently died from heart issues.
Misfortune comes at random. But there’s no denying the industry is less than a leader in addressing the issue of health among its members. All of the concern has been focused on the well-being of restaurant customers, not the industry professionals who serve them.
But that’s not always been the case, as we discuss in this week’s episode of Restaurant Rewind. From time to time, there have been flashes of interest in promoting healthier lifestyles for those on the business side. But we still have a long way to go.
Meanwhile, the grind of the business has left us with losses that can still haunt, as the episode also attests. Give a listen to some departures that were particularly painful.
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