Sam Talbot, the former head chef at the Soho Hotel and Montauk Surf Lodge in New York City, was a fan favorite when he won 2nd place on the second season of Bravo TV’s “Top Chef.
Sam is 34 and has type 1 diabetes. In his cookbook, “The Sweet Life,” published last year, he shares his personal philosophy on health and wellness and some of his favorite recipes for people with diabetes. And in this book, he talks more about his experiences on how to stay healthy.
What are your favorite foods?
I really like to eat well known and loved foods and am passionate about making them trendier and healthier. My favorite foods are simply farm-fresh vegetables and deep-sea fish foods that are seasonal and heart-healthy.
How has diabetes impacted your diet research?
At age 12, I was diagnosed with diabetes. Then I worked as a chef, a job that taught me about the connection between food and how my body feels.
I would eat a bowl of oatmeal or make a little mashed potato for dinner and test my blood sugar 3 hours later. Sometimes the blood sugar would spike really high, but that was part of learning what particular foods did to the body.
What do you usually eat for dinner?
I’ll go to the farmer’s market and the grocery store and see what the freshest and freshest leafy greens are. I’ll make a big vegetable stir-fry with vermicelli and gravy. Usually I eat those.
What other foods do you choose?
Almond milk and chili sauce. I don’t usually eat dairy because it’s high in fat and calories, and almond milk is a good substitute.
Drinking almond milk gives you all the heart-healthy antioxidants and nutrients that your body needs. Chili sauce can add color to a dish. I’ll put a little bit of chili sauce in my dressing or use it to flavor my broth.
What’s your fav healthy snack?
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I’ve always loved granola with coconut and acai, which is in my cookbook. I’ve also always loved kale chips.
I spend a lot of time in my car, but don’t like to stop for fast food or gas station food, so I always take these little treats with me when I go out.
What do you consider to be your healthiest eating habits? What about the least healthy?
I think my healthiest diet is to eat a serving of wheatgrass every day. First of all, it’s a funky food, it’s a little bit grassy, but once you like it, you think it’s wonderful. You get a lot of nutrients from 1 30ml serving of wheatgrass. Worst habit? I especially love french fries.
How do you usually cope in a restaurant kitchen where you have to deal with a variety of foods that are not good for managing diabetes?
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To restrain myself. My pastry chef loves sugar, and he makes really great pastries and desserts. As head chef, I have to taste these sweets, but I only try a little bit at a time.
How tempting would it be to walk past a bowl of french fries? I had to fight my teeth and fingers to keep my hands off them. All day long, the smell of french fries is wafting around, and all you have to do is convince yourself to ignore them.
Needing to work in both New York City and Montauk, how do you exercise to get healthy?
I generally do fitness exercises every day.
When I’m at home, I do a lot of pull-ups and sit-ups, and sometimes yoga. I also go to the gym and work out on weight machines. In addition, I walk 3.2 miles a day on the treadmill. When I’m in Montauk, I go surfing.
What’s the hardest part of your fitness exercise program?
The ocean was very scary to me. But I’ll force myself to get in the water. I like this motto: “Do one thing that scares you every day and you’ll feel fuller and brighter in life.” I’m always terrified for a split second before I get in the water, but I come out of it to surf, to swim, to do all the exercises I need to do to stay healthy.
When there is mental stress, what do you do to relieve it?
I’ll walk outside, look at my feet on the ground, and take deep breaths. At the same time I would meditate for a while and realize that I’m not curing cancer, I’m not curing diabetes, I’m just doing the dishes. Take 5 or 10 deep breaths and then return and attack my to-do list piece by piece.
The exercise habit also helps, and the days I don’t do exercise, I start to feel lost.
When you’re out and about, how do you take care of yourself while you’re on the road?
I do a lot of planning, and I don’t want to put myself in the predicament of having to eat French fries or gas station hot dogs.
If I’m traveling by plane, then the night before I travel, I make granola and other foods that are easy to take on the plane.
How do you cope with holiday parties?
Before I go to the party, I’ll try to eat something at home. I’ll make some guacamole, or something that will fill me up. I’ll eat a little bit more so that I can eat less at the party.
Sometimes, I’ll drink wine, but only with dinner. I usually drink vodka with soda and fresh lemon slices so that I consume fewer calories and carbohydrates. After each drink, I drink a glass of water.
What will you be cooking for the holidays?
I love turkey stew. I’ll cut a whole turkey into parts and brown them in a pan. Then I put them in a stew with tomatoes, garlic, and ginger. The stewed turkey meat is served over brown rice mixed with flax seeds and chia seeds. This dish is delicious and also good for your health, which means everyone loves it.