Stress and strain on hospitality staff, made worse by Covid, a focus of Hong Kong’s first Mental Health Restaurant Week

The campaign, which runs from October 15 to 30, is based on evidence that shows dining out with family and friends improves emotional well-being

Some of the city’s top restaurants are taking part, including Italian fine-dining restaurant Estro, led by chef Antimo Maria Merone

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Hong Kong’s first Restaurant Mental Health Week is focused on mental wellness, social eating and raising awareness of the stresses faced by restaurant staff. Fine-dining Italian restaurant Estro (above) is one of the outlets taking part.

Published: 12:15pm, 13 Oct 2022Updated: 10:42am, 14 Oct 2022

As the world continues to open up in the wake of the pandemic, we are starting to see the fallout from social distancing measures and other Covid-19 strategies.

This includes delayed learning in children, increased isolation of the elderly and a negative impact on mental health.

A survey conducted in March by Hong Kong mental health charity Mind HK found that about one in five people in the city is experiencing a mental health problem, while more than half of respondents said they are dealing with poor mental well-being.

What’s really shocking, though, is that over 48 per cent of respondents who had been diagnosed with a mental health problem answered that they have kept the diagnosis to themselves.

A seafood platter from Salisterra at The Upper House, which is taking part in the mental-wellness campaign. Photo: The Upper House

Part of Mind HK’s mission is to make sure no one in Hong Kong has to face mental health challenges alone. In conjunction with its fifth anniversary, the charity is launching its first Mental Health Restaurant Week, which in fact runs from October 15 to 30.

Support from the industry has been strong. Over 50 restaurants are represented, covering Chinese, European, Korean and Japanese cuisines, as well as bars and cafes from all over town.