When Abe Zarate chose sobriety during the pandemic, he returned to his restaurant career with a new reality. Abe shares the logistics of working around alcohol without consuming it. This episode is a frank discussion about what it's like for wine professionals who decide to consume less alcohol. 

Is Dry January a threat to the industry? Does neo-prohibition truly loom? The two sommeliers discuss recent news around alcohol and health and how the industry has responded so far. (RT is not impressed.)

Rose Thomas opens up about the moment she considered walking away from wine and her wine career how a trip to Italy with temporary dietary restrictions helped her find a new path. (In case you meet in person, RT does drink and she does eat bread!)

Abe teaches RT a hilarious drinking term from his youth in Guadalajara, Mexico, and Laredo, Texas. He describes his volunteer work with his sister's non-profit, Corporate Pero Latinos, and how he helps hospitality workers gain access to career choice through language education. 

Abe shares his thoughts on the "rock  bottom" trope and the economics of restaurants providing accommodations for teetotalers. Abe's recent experience working in a restaurant that prioritized the disability community expanded his vision of inclusive hospitality.

Whatever your job sector or your stance on alcohol, you can follow Abe Zarate aka The Sober Somm for down-to-earth advice on finding clarity in your career and confidence in your own skin. 

Find Abe on Instagram @sober_somm

Check out his work with Corporate Pero Latinos and Wine on Wheels:

www.corporateperolatinos.org/

wineonwheels.org/



Note: a CBS news story on Dry January that featured interviews with both Abe and Rose Thomas was delayed to the morning of January 18. That means if you're listening to this episode at publication time, you haven't missed the segment yet! 

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Music composed by Ersilia Prosperi for the band Ou: www.oumusic.bandcamp.com

Buy their latest album at https://folderol.it/ou/

This episode was produced and recorded by Rose Thomas Bannister

Video and audio edited by Giulia Àlvarez-Katz

Audio assistance by Steve Silverstein