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"They whip up sumptuous meals from the most well-stocked kitchens in the world. Yet how do today's top chefs maintain a balanced lifestyle? This is the question many food-loving mortals often pose to celebrity chefs. Clearly they love food too, so how is it that they can enjoy the tantalizing dishes we see them create and still look fit, fabulous, and photo-shoot-ready? Their secrets lie right here in Smart Chefs Stay Thin. This book is full of real-world tips, delicious recipes, and an insider's access to behind-the-scenes healthy habits provided by such notable chefs as Eric Ripert, Tom Colicchio, Michelle Bernstein, Rick Bayless, and Cat Cora. Readers are given a prized glimpse inside the lives of these chefs, exploring how they eat, how their relationships with food have evolved, how they find balance between pleasure and health, and how they eat on and off the job. The masters share how a healthy diet is not about cutting out food, but being able to incorporate what you most love into your diet. Like so many Americans, celebrity chefs also face the strain of balancing a good diet with a busy lifestyle full of temptation. Now they share their own stories on how you can keep your love for food without sacrificing your health--all while indulging your appetite for life"--… (more)
User reviews
This book was a great reminder
Something that I learned from the book was Lesson #26 - Salt Your Food. I didn't realize the role salt plays in almost every food we eat. Not just salt, either, but pepper. Seasoning our food brings out the flavor and can make or break a dish. I have been more aware of this in my cooking and making sure that salt is not the forgotten ingredient.
I also appreciated that the topic of alcohol was mentioned. I am someone who likes to have a glass of wine while cooking and/or with our dinner...once in awhile. A tip that I have discovered when attending parties and was happy to also see mentioned in the book is drinking one glass of water for every drink of wine (or other beverage). It helps you stay hydrated and not feel sick or have a headache in the morning!
For most of the chefs, working out was a priority. Due to the numerous tastings they do each day, the amount of calories consumed is very high. Exercise has to be a priority in order to maintain their weight and yet enjoy regular meals with family. French chef, Eric Ripert, makes it a priority to walk EVERY DAY....no matter what. He walks to work, a distance of two miles, every day, no matter the weather.
As a parent, I have read numerous times the importance of eating with your children. Having family dinners around the table have been shown to improve health and self-esteem of children. So, it was no surprise that the chefs also make it a priority to eat together as a family. Even if the chef doesn't eat the meal because they had eaten at the restaurant, they still sit down together and enjoy the family conversation. Again, it is about making time for what is important and I was happy to hear that with their busy schedules, even they could find time to have meals together.
The book is also full of recipes right from the chefs, including dishes served in their restaurants and their homes. I am very anxious to try Karen Hatfield's Apple Galette. It sounds simple to create and yet, is special and delicious.
This is a great book if you want to learn more about chefs and how they handle the pressures of working around food all day. A lot of their tips were ones that we can all use in our own lives. Mario Batali said it best, "That's the beauty of life: eating a good meal, having a couple bottles of wine with friends, and laughing and being happy."