The Next Round: What happens after you change your drinking?
Alasdair Gill has a passion for cooking and an abundance of creativity. However, years of working in hospitality and drinking heavily left him facing a difficult decision—one he took reluctantly, despite a dire prognosis.
His advice is valuable for everyone, no matter where you are in your relationship with alcohol.
Welcome to the next round, where I talk to people who have inspired me—not just with the changes they’ve made to their drinking habits, but with what they’ve gone on to achieve next. From reigniting old passions with renewed vigour to making bold life and career changes, there’s no template. What you do next is entirely up to you!
Alasdair Gill is now a private chef. Since rehab, he has rediscovered the skills and passion for cheffing that he developed early in his career, building a new way of working that aligns with who he is today. His story is a powerful reminder that the things you loved before life fell apart can still be part of your future.
Alasdair Gill’s journey from battling addiction to becoming a successful private chef is a powerful testament to resilience and reinvention. His story highlights the challenges of working in hospitality while struggling with alcohol and drug dependency and how recovery transformed not only his outlook on life but also his career.
For Alasdair, the hospitality industry was both a lifeline and a trap. He describes the kitchens and bars he worked in as a “pressure cooker,” a space that both attracted and enabled his struggles with alcohol.
“Hospitality is accepting of what you are—it will take us in.”
While kitchens initially provided a way to earn money, Alasdair admits they didn’t spark joy or passion.
“For a long time, it was just about making money. There wasn’t much love there,”
The tipping point came when Alasdair faced severe health issues, including cirrhosis of the liver, and was told he wouldn’t survive to see Christmas. Even then, his decision to enter rehab was reluctant.
“I didn’t want to live, but I didn’t want to die either. I was in between—a numbness of fine.”
Rehab became the space where Alasdair could pause, reflect, and start to piece his life back together.
“It gave me a sober mind for the first time since I was 15. Suddenly, I started questioning whether what I’d been doing was normal.”
Post-recovery, Alasdair returned to the one industry where he had experience -hospitality. But this time, he approached it differently. Together with a friend who was also in recovery, Alasdair launched a private catering business.
“Every gig is a completely different adventure, and I love that,”
Sobriety has not only allowed Alasdair to rebuild his life but also to rediscover creativity and care in his craft.
“I give much more of a shit about the product than the paycheck,”
Navigating events where alcohol and even drugs are prevalent is still part of the job, but Alasdair has developed a strong foundation for handling these pressures.
“Alcohol is always going to be around, but I’ve done the work to get to a place where it no longer has power over me.”
He emphasises the importance of community in maintaining sobriety.
“Having people around you – whether in online communities, AA, or friends – is everything.”
Alasdair’s life today is far from perfect, but it’s fulfilling in ways he never imagined.
“My life, in many ways, is really hard, but it’s amazing now. Before, it was easy, and I was done with it.”
He also challenges the notion that alcohol fuels creativity.
“People give alcohol credit for creativity, but it just created a whole lot of shite for me.”
As for advice to others in hospitality struggling with addiction, Alasdair’s message is clear:
While private chefing keeps Alasdair busy, he’s also exploring his passion for writing and journalism, balancing the demands of hospitality with creative outlets.
Alasdair Gill’s story is a reminder that recovery isn’t just about quitting drinking—it’s about rediscovering life, passion, and purpose.
This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We\'ll assume you\'re ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. Read More
Name | Domain | Purpose | Expiry | Type |
---|---|---|---|---|
wpl_user_preference | joinclubsoda.com | WP GDPR Cookie Consent Preferences. | 1 year | HTTP |
PHPSESSID | www.tickettailor.com | PHP generic session cookie. | 55 years | HTTP |
AWSALB | www.tickettailor.com | Amazon Web Services Load Balancer cookie. | 7 days | HTTP |
YSC | youtube.com | YouTube session cookie. | 55 years | HTTP |
Name | Domain | Purpose | Expiry | Type |
---|---|---|---|---|
VISITOR_INFO1_LIVE | youtube.com | YouTube cookie. | 6 months | HTTP |
Name | Domain | Purpose | Expiry | Type |
---|---|---|---|---|
_ga | joinclubsoda.com | Google Universal Analytics long-time unique user tracking identifier. | 2 years | HTTP |
sbjs_migrations | joinclubsoda.com | Sourcebuster tracking cookie | 55 years | HTTP |
sbjs_current_add | joinclubsoda.com | Sourcebuster tracking cookie | 55 years | HTTP |
sbjs_first_add | joinclubsoda.com | Sourcebuster tracking cookie | 55 years | HTTP |
sbjs_current | joinclubsoda.com | Sourcebuster tracking cookie | 55 years | HTTP |
sbjs_first | joinclubsoda.com | Sourcebuster tracking cookie | 55 years | HTTP |
sbjs_udata | joinclubsoda.com | Sourcebuster tracking cookie | 55 years | HTTP |
sbjs_session | joinclubsoda.com | SourceBuster Tracking session | Session | HTTP |
Name | Domain | Purpose | Expiry | Type |
---|---|---|---|---|
mailchimp_landing_site | joinclubsoda.com | Mailchimp functional cookie | 28 days | HTTP |
__cf_bm | tickettailor.com | Generic CloudFlare functional cookie. | Session | HTTP |
NID | google.com | Google unique id for preferences. | 6 months | HTTP |
Name | Domain | Purpose | Expiry | Type |
---|---|---|---|---|
_ga_10XZMT03ZM | joinclubsoda.com | --- | 2 years | --- |
AWSALBCORS | www.tickettailor.com | --- | 7 days | --- |
cf_clearance | tickettailor.com | --- | 1 year | --- |
VISITOR_PRIVACY_METADATA | youtube.com | --- | 6 months | --- |