MEET: CATARINA BILL, Southern Smoke Foundation
I first met Catarina Bill at the 2024 Bar Convent Brooklyn conference where she moderated a session on "Mixing in Mental Health as a Bartender." It resonated as I was formulating the framework for The Dishing with a focus on wellness for people working in the hospitality industry. As Chief Mission Officer for the Southern Smoke Foundation, Catarina supervises its two foundational pillars: the Emergency Relief Fund and the mental health program, Behind You, and she was kind enough to take time out of her travel schedule to talk with The Dishing. Catarina travels extensively to raise awareness of the health needs of F+B workers and SSF’s efforts to provide support.
— SDP
Southern Smoke Foundation
The Southern Smoke Foundation (SSF) is a non-profit organization founded by James Beard Award-winning chef Chris Shepherd that provides emergency financial relief and mental health support to people working in the food and beverage industry.
As its Chief Mission Officer, Catarina Bill is charged with spreading the word about the supports and tele-health counseling the foundation offers at no cost to F+B industry workers through clinical partnerships —and in New York that’s not only New York City, but throughout all of New York State. As TheDishing.com took shape, we added SSF materials to our Raise The Bar program for hospitality professionals to amplify the efforts of the foundation, and other national players, to address the health, mental health and overall wellness of F+B staff.
1. Catarina, thank you for talking with The Dishing. First, could you explain what these two key initiatives are?
Absolutely. At Southern Smoke Foundation, everything we do is about taking care of the people who take care of us every day. Our Emergency Relief Fund provides direct financial assistance to food and beverage workers experiencing crisis—whether that’s a medical emergency, household instability, a car breakdown that threatens their ability to work and earn income, or anything that puts their health and stability at risk. Emergency Relief Grants are processed year-round and are anonymous. Every eligible applicant is paired with an industry-experienced case manager who helps collect the information needed to build their case before it’s reviewed by a committee that determines the level of support granted.
Behind You is our mental health program designed specifically for food and beverage professionals. We offer no-cost, one-on-one counseling with mental health clinicians who understand the industry. These services are confidential, accessible, and tailored to the unique pressures and culture of industry work. Our services are provided through university partnerships, and the model has been developed for scalability and consistency of care across all programs so that individuals receive evidence-based support:
● Partners include accredited graduate programs in psychology, social work, clinical mental health, or counseling.
● Students (under licensed supervision) deliver care as part of their clinical training.
● Universities provide a dedicated clinical liaison, handle intake, assess acuity and program fit, and match clients with student clinicians.
● Telehealth and in-person options ensure flexibility and access.
Together, these two pillars create a safety net for the industry. We encourage all food and beverage workers in New York to visit our website at southernsmoke.org to learn more about our programs or to apply.
2. Who do you partner with, and how can industry professionals throughout New York State access the services?
We’re proud to partner with a growing network of university clinical training teams across the nation who are providing evidence-based care for food and beverage workers. Our supervised counseling services are available via telehealth, so anyone working in restaurants, bars, bakeries, coffee shops, as well as our distributors and agriculturalists—any part of the food and beverage industry—can access care from anywhere. Our New York Behind You partners are: New York University, Roberts Wesleyan University, and Yeshiva University.
The easiest way to get started is to go to southernsmoke.org/behindyou and fill out a short intake form. From there, our amazing program manager, Sarah, connects applicants with one of our university partners who will work with the individual to get started with Behind You as soon as possible. It’s simple, private, and completely no-cost for the individual.
3. How have you seen awareness and dialogue around mental health in hospitality evolve since 2020?
The shift has been massive. In 2020, we were still fighting the stigma around simply acknowledging mental health struggles in this industry. People were exhausted, overwhelmed, grieving, and often suffering in silence. Now, conversations about burnout, trauma, and the toll of industry work are happening out loud—and at every level. More employers are acknowledging workplace strain, more workers are asking for help, and national organizations are collaborating instead of siloing. The industry is still under immense pressure, but the dialogue has grown healthier, more honest, and more solutions-focused. That gives us a lot of hope!
4. What is your biggest goal in spreading the word about the Emergency Fund and Behind You?
Our main goal is simple: We want everyone working in the food and beverage industry to know these resources are available before they face a crisis. No one should feel alone when life-changing events occur. If you’re struggling—financially, emotionally, or both—we want Southern Smoke to be the first place you think of for help. Awareness can save lives, especially in a profession where people often focus on caring for others before themselves.
5. How can employers actively support their teams and promote workplace wellness?
I’m not an expert in workplace and culture operations, but I believe it begins with communication. When leaders demonstrate transparency, empathy, and healthy boundaries, it encourages others to do the same. Leaders should also practice boundaries themselves. It’s okay to say, “I am not able or equipped to help with what you’re experiencing, but I know an organization that can,” and share Southern Smoke’s information. And for employers (owner/operators), don’t forget we’re here for you, too! On a practical level: You can share information about our services like Behind You and the Emergency Relief Fund with your employees either digitally or by printing out and posting the one-pagers in your establishments.
6. Is there anything else you’d like people to know about the Southern Smoke Foundation?
We’re always evolving to meet the needs of the industry. Whether that’s expanding our Behind You mental health program into new states, increasing awareness and staff to support emergency relief grants, or collaborating with partners who share our commitment to industry wellbeing—we’re here for the long haul.
Our team creates events that not only raise the funds needed to support these programs but also give industry members and anyone who loves this beautiful community unique opportunities to celebrate it from our perspective. Southern Smoke Festival takes place every October, and Decanted, our wine and spirits event, happens every spring. Throughout the year, our ambassadors also host events across multiple states. There are so many ways to get involved, and we’d love for anyone interested in supporting us to join an event in their area. Our website is always up to date with everything happening to support our mission: southernsmoke.org/events/
If you’re a numbers person and want to see how our services are impacting your state, check out our impact map—it’s our executive director and co-founder, Lindsey Brown’s, favorite part of the website: southernsmoke.org/our-impact/
And honestly, the more people who know about Southern Smoke, the more people we can help. If you work in food and beverage or love someone who does, keep us on your radar. We’re here for everyone!
Catarina, thanks so much for talking with us. At The Dishing we’re also committed to supporting restaurants, bars and the whole community who work in F+B. We’ll continue partnering to amplify and share Southern Smoke’s resources.