The Lakehouse offers a Wellness Program for their staff to promote holistic well-being
In Part IV of my guide to restaurants with inclusive bar programs in the Seattle area, my girlfriend and I visited The Lakehouse in downtown Bellevue. Owned by James Beard award-winning Chef, Jason Wilson, and his wife Deborah Friend Wilson, The Lakehouse is located in the expanded Lincoln Square towers and offers a seasonally-driven, locally-sourced menu in a sophisticated yet comfortable setting.
What brought me to the restaurant was buzz around the "Wellness Program" that they offer their employees. One of the first of its kind in the region, the program was designed in conjunction with mental health professionals and provides resources to promote emotional balance and holistic well-being within their staff. Offerings include daily meditation, a quiet wellness room to de-stress, one-on-one coaching, and more. The program is entirely optional and free to their employees, who they recognize are under an enormous amount of stress with increasingly demanding customers and labor shortages.
I wish something like this existed when I was slingin' drinks and dinners. It's been more than 10 years since my waitressing days, and I still have nightmares about forgetting to put in my table's order. If that's not the perfect example of the strain hospitality workers are under, I'm not sure what else is. And this workplace stress can often lead to unhealthy habits... like drinking too much. It's wonderful to see an establishment trying to change the narrative around the restaurant environment, and I will happily spend my dollars at a business that supports their team members with programs like this.
The majority of the staff is sober, so I knew they would put together an excellent zero-proof cocktail menu. Our server, Garrett, who was also one of the bartenders, walked me through their zero proof program and made me a killer Phony Negroni, which was well-balanced and actually tasted like I was drinking a cocktail. My friend had the Apple & Earthen which was refreshing, though a little heavy on the apple cider vinegar. I also had the Boochy Collins, made with Wilderton Lustre and Kombucha they serve on draft. It was delicious with a complex flavor of earthy and sweet. I could drink one of these every day.
We were there for appetizers and enjoyed the heirloom carrots, fried Maitake mushrooms and Spanish octopus. Those fried mushrooms were killer, and did I mention that most of their small plates are featured on their happy hour menu? Offered daily from 3pm-5pm, happy hour is a great way to go and check out some of their offerings. They also validate parking in the Lincoln Towers garage.
I highly recommend checking this spot out and supporting a restaurant that is leading the way in caring for their staff and promoting a healthy workplace environment. Cheers!
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