One of the best things about being a chef is that it's such a multifaceted, multi-sensory job. It's like.. trades-work but with a visual arts edge. It also sustains life! Everyone has to eat but I'm not sure if anyone was prepared for how much indulgence was going to happen on the course.
We're all kinda feeling this slump in energy.. we have visions of whipping cream in our minds and the smells of butter on our skin. Sounds sexy but, well, the question is - is all this food taking a toll? Mind you, the consensus seems to be that we are here and we are learning - so - we must EAT! be merry! EAT!
Meanwhile, the dictates of an unhealthy body image our society poisoned us with whilst growing up is unconsciously seeping in. By no means is this a black and white issue, though. There's much to say about my 6 months of eating paleo - whole foods which are grain, dairy and refined sugar-free - and how incredible I felt. Yet, there's something humbling and grounding (and sleep inducing) as a mashed potato doused in butter. There's something exciting about giving my fellow gluten-intolerant students a fresh-baked brioche I've experimented on creating.
Food fads based on national health suggestions and the supplement industry are based on facts that aren't usually holistic.. Well-intentioned health practitioners have a tendency to push products on society as a whole as if they have the same body chemistry.. as if they have the same health needs.. as if they live in the same climate.
Fortunately, anti-rules to the health industry are starting to become mainstream. I can't speak for my classmates but these facts I've heard spouted by my fellow farm-to-tablers for years now have really run true for me here.
1. Eat Local and Organic - Produce and meat tastes better the freshest it is, you seem like a better cook when you've really only used quality products!
2. Eat seasonal - It's usually cheaper and treated with fewer chemicals and fertilizers so it's maintained all its nutrients by growing naturally and stored for a shorter amount of time.
3. Don't eat 'fat free' - Of all the essential vitamins, only two are water soluble! No wonder we feel nice when we've had a little bacon.
4. Live a balanced life - Ultimately, we're not only what we eat but how we treat our bodies holistically. It's one thing to say, eat this, eat that.. but what you do with the machine you are feeding impacts how you feel greatly.
Trust me, I'm a scientist.
So, how do YOU escape the clutches of a society that shames food indulgence?