"Led by a chef-owner who admits to a temper in the past, the restaurant served as the launching point for a peer-support model designed with the Innovation Learning Network: staff designate a trained peer counselor called the “purple hand,” use anonymous mood cards on clock-in, and discuss staffing needs during a daily lineup so teams can support members who report being ‘in the weeds’ or troubled. The pilot stabilized communication and behavior, helped a combative employee seek help instead of being immediately disciplined, and expanded to a 12-restaurant Sacramento pilot that attracted attention from the James Beard Foundation and regional health systems as it moves toward national scaling." - Carolyn Alburger