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b'When Michael Chernow got his first restaurant job at the ripe age of 13 he felt like he arrived. Now, with many successful restaurants under his belt plus two kids, the founder of the NYC sustainable seafood restaurant Seamore\\u2019s, co-owner of The Meatball Shop, and Executive Culture Officer of WellWell, a functional beverage brand offering sports and wellness drinks is taking his love of fitness and nutrition to every endeavor. \\nIt was that first gig that led to him becoming a dishwasher, then bartender, and eventually landed him a job as a bartender and server at Frank Prisinzano\\u2019s restaurant Frank. It was then that he got into alcohol and drugs, which wasn\\u2019t uncommon in the restaurant lifestyle.\\nOne day Frank took him aside and said \\u201cI love you, but I can\\u2019t watch you do this,\\u201d and said if he committed to getting sober, he could have his job back. This was a big enough incentive for Michael to get to the restaurant at eight in the morning sober and work.\\nSince then fitness and wellness have become paramount in both his personal and professional life. When he opened his first restaurant at 28, he didn\\u2019t have much time to go to the gym so instead would run to work and do pushups in the bathroom. Now he\\u2019s waking up early in the morning, sometimes at 4:30 am to get to the gym so he can spend time with his family later on\\u2013whether it\\u2019s morning or night he doesn\\u2019t miss a day. Michael is also a big fan of functional nutrition and follows a mostly plant-based diet incorporating some protein and a little carbohydrates into his meals.\\nMichael is so passionate about how fitness and wellness can impact our mental health that he\\u2019s extended his philosophy beyond his personal life. When he opened Seamore\\u2019s, he wanted to put an end to the idea that \\u201cthe restaurant industry is all sex, drugs, rock, and roll, and smoking cigarettes.\\u201d For the employee orientation, Michael brought in yoga and mindfulness teachers and did a two-day self-development program.\\nFrom that orientation, \\u201cfit squad\\u201d was created where once a quarter Seamore\\u2019s employees in all locations can come together to take a fitness class or bring a trainer into one of the restaurants. Michael credits the fact that 90 percent of the staff is original to this orientation where people got to know each other on a deeper level and participate in something that improved their health.\\nThis restauranteur is working to change the industry from the inside out through an emphasis on health and wellness. He\\u2019s seen how transformative it\\u2019s been in his own life and can\\u2019t wait to continue to share it in his restaurants and businesses. Michael\\u2019s inspiring story will encourage you to think about how wellness has already and could continue to propel your life forward in a positive direction. You\\u2019ll be left with tangible ways to incorporate more healthy eating and accessible movement into your life and will be excited to share with your community.\\nTo contact Colleen or Jason with comments, questions, or speaker ideas, please email podcast@mindbodygreen.com. For all sponsorship inquiries, please email sales@mindbodygreen.com. Want to join our podcast email newsletter? Sign up here!\\nLearn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices'