<p>A Charleston chef, a startup founder, a recovery story, and a whole lot of truth. Ben Ellsworth pulls up a chair and gets real about food, addiction, work, and what it costs to build a city people love.This episode of Snackin&#39; &amp; Yakkin&#39; with BIG Ben Kennedy goes way past small talk. Ben Ellsworth shares how he went from working the line and living hard to getting sober, rethinking his life, and helping reshape the hospitality industry through GigPro. Along the way, he talks about Charleston restaurant culture, burnout, recovery, fatherhood, and why the people who make a city run often get pushed furthest out of it.Also, yes, there are snacks. M&amp;M&#39;s get color-sorted. San Pellegrino Aranciata gets the respect it deserves. Two Bens sit down, and the conversation goes everywhere it should.If you&#39;re into chef stories, Charleston food culture, sobriety journeys, restaurant life, or honest long-form conversations, this one&#39;s got a lot to chew on.Ben talks about: * 22 years in the culinary world * Moving to Charleston to attend Johnson &amp; Wales * Getting sober after years in hospitality * Building GigPro from one dish pit problem into a real app * Why restaurant work can break people, and why it still gets in your blood * The cost of living crisis hitting hospitality workers * His writing on Substack * A documentary project focused on the industry * Family, purpose, and figuring out who you are after survival mode endsThere&#39;s funny stuff, heavy stuff, and a lot of moments that hit harder than expected. In short, this is one of those episodes that starts with candy and ends with something bigger.----------Want more show and behind-the-scenes perks? Join the Snackin’ &amp; Yakkin’ Patreon at patreon.com/snackinyakkin. Your support helps keep the snacks flowing and the mics on!</p>