Steve Palmer
Co-Founder, Ben’s Friends
Sobriety Date: 11/05/2001
Steve Palmer, a James Beard Foundation Outstanding Restaurateur Award nominee and semifinalist for three consecutive years (’18,’19, & ’20),is the managing partner of The Indigo Road Hospitality Group, a hospitality and consulting company based in Charleston, SC. Founded in 2009, the company now owns and operates more than 24 restaurants throughout the Southeastern U.S., with several upcoming projects in the works.In 2016, Steve and fellow restaurateur Mickey Bakst founded Ben’s Friends, a support group for members of the food and beverage industry battling substance abuse and addiction. The organization is named in honor of Ben Murray, a chef who took his own life in 2016 after struggling with alcoholism. The mission of Ben’s Friends is to offer hope, fellowship, and a path forward to anyone who struggles with substance abuse and addiction.Steve, who is 18 years sober, hopes the organization can provide a unique and effective support system for those struggling with an addiction in an industry with devastatingly high rates of substance abuse.Steve’s passion for and commitment to the hospitality industry began at the age of 13, when he took his first restaurant job as a dishwasher. His unassuming beginnings granted him a comprehensive understanding of the restaurant industry that would contribute to his success for years to come.Steve worked on the opening team at Magnolias, one of Charleston’s most celebrated restaurants, in 1990 and oversaw the opening of its sister restaurant, Blossom, shortly thereafter. He spent time in Atlanta, where he worked as wine director and service manager at Canoe, as well as at the Ritz-Carlton in St. Louis, where he co-created the chain’s largest private dining wine cellar. Steve returned to Charleston to become managing partner at the esteemed Peninsula Grill, then joined The Indigo Road Hospitality Group in 2009.In January 2017, theCharlestonPost & Courier recognized Steve not only for his growing leadership role within the hospitality industry, but also for his charitable and community efforts. He is a longtime supporter of Share Our Strength’s No Kid Hungry and Charleston’s Feed the Need coalitions. Steve has also been recognized for his work by The New York Times, NPR, Food & Wine, Southern Living, Atlanta Magazine and Charleston Magazine, and has presented at TedX Charleston, the American Express Trade Talks at the Food & Wine Classic in Aspen, and the Charleston Wine + Food Festival.