At Outta Sight Pizza in San Francisco, owner Eric Ehler is a one-man assembly line, cranking out hundreds of pies a day. Hot ovens, long hours, always on his feet.

"It's incredibly hard work, it's very physical," he said. 

Like many in the industry, his go-to way to unwind was at the bars. Now, he lets loose at the park.

"This is how we blow off steam and relieve our stress. Because we know that after this we're gonna have to go back to that grind," he told CBS News Bay Area. 

Ehler is part of a growing number of hospitality workers finding balance on four wheels.

Garrett Marks is the beverage director at a Michelin-starred restaurant, all buttoned up by night. But out here, he's a self-described "badass."

"Just something that's always made me happy as a kid," he said. 

San Francisco has long been a skateboarding mecca, with its hills, iconic spots, and endless concrete. For restaurant workers stuck in one place all day, it's the perfect outlet.

What's emerged is a kind of subculture: chefs, bartenders, cooks, all finding freedom on a board.

Science shows there's something to it. A 2020 study from the University of Southern California found skateboarding boosts mental health and community.

Thomas Kemp, an economist who tracks the rise of skate parks, said it's a growing trend among people in stressful jobs.

 "Skate parks are a great place where they can go and move around, get some exercise and blow off some steam," he said.

For Ehler, the board has bonded his staff closer, 17 of his 50 employees now skate.

"Hit the group text, 'Hey, you wanna meet up?' You know, it's like the best feeling in the world," he said.