Nearly three months, our chefs are staying motivated and building good habits. From left to right, in their cycling kits sponsored by Virginia Tourism Corporation, Virginia Wine and Visit Richmond: Cassi Niemann, David Martin, Jason Alley, Hunter Rhoades, Michael Birch-Pierce, Beth Dixon, Sarah Gaskin, Jason Tesauro. (Photo by Jason Tesauro)
We’re nearly three months in, and these cats are still at it. Have you noticed? Because other chefs, sommeliers and bartenders following the #chefsinshape hashtag on Instagram and Facebook are taking note and jumping in. “People outside the industry are seeing the progress and getting motivated,” says Jay Bayer, owner of Saison and Flora. Put another way, if 70-hour-workweek restaurant people can make the time to get fit, regular 9-to-5ers have no excuse.
Aside from locking yourself indoors with some quinoa, a head of kale and a treadmill, how can you navigate happy-hour temptations, entree specials and your own cravings in order to maintain proper balance?
For restaurateur Jason Alley, the best bet for eating healthy at restaurants is to do a little research. For instance, gluten-free choices are typically lower-carb, too. “Know that pork tenderloin is low in fat and high in protein," he says. "Know that just because something is vegetarian, [it] doesn't mean it's not loaded with fat and carbs. And the dressing on your salad can make all of those vegetables less than healthy. For pesky workout soreness, I go for grilled proteins with quick sauteed vegetables or salad.”
WHAT TO EAT
Brenner Pass
- Oysters
- Shrimp cocktail
- Fall vegetable salad
Secco Wine Bar
- Roasted squash tostada
- Local mushroom potstickers
- Frito misto
Flora
- Grasshoppers
- Ceviche
- Jicama with chili, lime and salt
Says Brittanny Anderson, chef/owner of Metzger Bar & Butchery and Brenner Pass, “Unfortunately, Alpine food is meant to be highly caloric and fattening so you don't die when you get trapped by an avalanche. But we have some options at Brenner that are healthy-ish! Raw oysters and shrimp cocktail are protein bombs that pack a lot of punch, and our shaved fall vegetable salad with ricotta and hazelnuts is flavor-packed, with lots of crunchy, colorful fuel for your workouts.”
Asked how she takes care of herself, Anderson’s response may shift your tippling paradigm forever. “I've been trying to eliminate juices and sodas in my cocktails and to drink less beer.” Sensible, sure, but here’s her kicker: “A gin martini with a twist is still my diet drink of choice.” Amen.
When she’s not in her chef's whites, Anderson says, “I make big batches of soup that last the week: broth-y, chicken-y, comforting things like posole using fresh corn instead of hominy that fill you up but are low in carbs and full of vegetables. Big salads from Ellwood Thompson's and spicy lamb meatball bowls from Cava Grill are figuring heavily into my eating routine, too. Apples are delicious and in season and are a great, filling snack before working out. And all the La Croix [flavored seltzer water].”
WHAT TO DRINK
Pasture
- Vermouth and soda
- Alpha cocktail
Secco Wine Bar
- Txakoli
- Riesling
Saison
- Bamboo cocktail
- Old Fashioned
Beth Dixon, beverage director for Pasture and Comfort, uses the Lose It! app. “Counting calories forces you to eat healthy if you want to use any calories for booze,” she says. There are only about 80 calories in 2 ounces of sweet vermouth, “so it's really nice to have a vermouth and soda with a few dashes of bitters and an orange peel.” Secco Wine Bar’s Julia Battaglini recommends any of her menu’s vegan options, which are cooked in olive oil, not butter. As for her wine suggestions, above: “Low alcohol, low sugar!”
Ask restaurateur Jay Bayer for his food and drink recommendations, and he’ll throw a question back at you: “Is there anything more beach-friendly than ceviche and tequila? Flora has a rotating ceviche that begs some for a less peppery, more fruity, highlands tequila. As a bar snack, dry toasted grasshoppers are really just protein crunch. Any Oaxacan bar worth its gusano salt will have them available with mezcal.” Sip it neat, of course, to skip the extra calories of sweetened mixers.
Bayer’s first restaurant, Saison, serves most small plates and some entrees without a starch component. “One can easily build a tasty meal and share without ever having to feel like you're putting waitstaff out with questions and restrictions,” he says. Saison’s Bamboo cocktail of equal parts dry vermouth and amontillado sherry is a classically elegant, low-alcohol option that most bars can whip up. “Don't overlook the Old Fashioned model, either,” Bayer adds. “A barspoon of sweetener and choice of bitters transforms a base spirit — whiskey, rum, tequila — into boozy, low-ish calorie enjoyment.”
Stronger booze means fewer drinks. (Unless it doesn’t.) “But hey,” says Bayer, “everyone deserves a cheat day now and again.”
