FITNESS & FOOD A HAPPY MARRIAGE

You are what you eat, so choose healthy!

A chef who works out? Meet Chef Amit Kumar who is a fitness buff, even as he indulges his love for food and cooking in his chosen profession

Every morning at 6.30am, you’ll find the 31-year-old in the gym, religiously going through his cardio routine. Less than three hours later, showered and refreshed, he is earning his bread and butter — in the kitchen.

This chef straddles two passions: food and fitness, with ease. Growing up in Bihar, Amit was always fond of cooking from as far back as he can remember. So, it was a natural transition for him to get into the profession.

Amit’s fitness routine doesn’t end at the gym. It extends to his platter. He is especially happy to find himself in an environment which marries his interests. And at FreshMenu he gets to work with food, healthy food. “I like to eat right. I don’t consume much sugar; and I like to munch on a mix of seeds — flax and pumpkin, mostly. My day ends at home with my wife. Dinner is likely to be grilled chicken breast and quinoa with avocado and veggies; or sometimes, we eat fish.”

The wise cook knows that mere work-outs don’t make a fit person. One is what one eats. “Fitness, I would say, depends 70% on food and 30% on workouts. If you don’t eat right you are not going to achieve your goals for sure. For your muscle building, for instance, you need protein; healthy carbs too are a must for a balanced diet.”

The fitness enthusiast has a word of advice for those seeking to eat right: “It’s good to take suggestions from a nutritionist rather than follow things blindly; you may not get the

right information on the net.” This chef believes enjoying food is about taste, but also about presentation and aroma. What keeps him going otherwise? “I love collecting perfumes!”

Chef Amit Kumar specialises in Mediterranean and loves to cook a mean Tagine