A sober bar manager in Ann Arbor is redefining what zero‑proof cocktails can be.

In this episode, my colleague April Baer talks with Max Schikora of Echelon Kitchen and Bar about his path to sobriety, the pressures of bar culture, and how he’s crafting some of Michigan’s most thoughtful spirit‑free drinks.

Max’s story is also a window into a broader shift. More people in the service industry are choosing sobriety, and more restaurants are making space for them. At Echelon, Max helps lead a weekly Ben’s Friends meeting, part of a national support network for hospitality workers navigating addiction and recovery.

He also walked April through one of his favorite creations: a roasted beet cocktail that’s earthy, bright, and built from kitchen scraps that would otherwise be tossed. It’s a drink that captures his philosophy: nothing wasted, everything intentional.

If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or use Lifeline Chat to connect with a trained counselor.

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We spent some time with Yumna Jawad, better known as Feel Good Foodie, in her Grand Rapids home. She shared her must-have holiday dish and some super practical tips to help us all survive the holiday season in the kitchen.

• Find Yumna's stuffed grape leaves recipe here
• Find the landing page for Yumna's episode here
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British-born and Michelin-starred chef Kieron Hales has cooked for presidents and royalty across 27 countries.

He's Executive Chef at Zingerman's Cornman Farms in Dexter, Michigan, a farmhouse and event space with a restored red barn on the property. He works with couples to create custom menus—crafting farm-to-table meals or recreating family favorites—and provides them with the recipes to keep.

Today he talks with me about his favorite food memory, his mother's crepe cannelloni. It’s a labor-intensive lasagna-like creation of crepes stuffed with bolognese and baked in bechamel sauce. Plus what he takes away from cooking at the highest levels of the culinary world, and what it means to create meals that become memories.

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Music in this episode by Blue Dot Sessions.

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