“Nobody ever has a meltdown at 3 in the afternoon.”
For Trish Gavin, the beverage director at Lat 14, the drinks were already often batched, but they used to come with extravagant garnishes. Those are gone, too. Gavin is particularly suited to helping structure safety protocols thanks to her postsecondary education: She holds a degree in microbiology. Her focus has shifted from primary guest care, to the safety and health, both mental and physical, of her staff.
In addition to measures intended to reduce the risk of contracting COVID-19, Gavin reached out to an organization called Serving Those Serving to support the well-being of the bar’s staff. Through a nominal fee, Lat 14 was able to add an Employee Assistance Program with 24-hour counseling services, because, she said, “nobody ever has a meltdown at 3 in the afternoon.” Gavin is serious about the PTSD burn that’s encroaching upon everyone in the service industry right now. “I can live and breathe the sanitization, but taking care of the mental health needs to be a priority,” she said.
