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Perfect dishes are balanced from every angle and can even have a Zen-like effect on the senses. But what about the chefs who create these dishes? Are they as balanced as the paragons that they create? Dalton Schmitz and Andy Husbands have taken measures to find their balance in and out of the kitchen, and may have possibly found the key to dining nirvana.
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Andy Husbands of Tremont 647 has been practicing yoga for about a year,
and first began this now ritual due to curiosity and a desire to stay
fit and active. "It was offered at my gym and I thought it would be fun
to try it out. I've been cooking for twenty-four years, and one of the
things I wake up with is soreness. Cooking is very physical, and I get
tightness in my legs and hands. Once I started doing this, I thought,
‘Wow!' since it totally went away," he said. Husbands attributes these
results to the vigorous stretching and body positioning that yoga
entails. But, what began as merely a fun way to stay fit soon evolved
into an all out love affair that reaped mental, physical, and spiritual
benefits. "Right now I'm in a 6-days a week, forty day program at the
Baptist Studio in Brookline. For me, there's rarely a time that I'm
alone, and even though I'm in a room full of people, it's just a nice
time for me to just relax and focus on myself. It's just so rewarding.
You know, in the hospitality industry, we're in the business of taking
care of others. So, it's a really nice way for me to take care of
myself," Husbands remarked.
Husbands proves that he can withstand the heat of the kitchen by
practicing ‘hot yoga'; a rigorous type of yoga where room temperatures
soar to more than 100 degrees.
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Husbands notes that being a chef involves muscling through the motions
of arduous tasks such as working long hours, or creating something
delicious when forced to put your own issues aside. Yoga has taught him to pace his life rhythmically and calmly. "With yoga, it's not about muscling through it. It's about working on my own poses, or learning to take a knee and say, ‘Hey, it's okay not to do this pose, I can modify it and make it easier.' I guess I'm just learning how to take care of myself and to do things more exactly," he proudly admitted. Yoga's philosophy of equanimity has taught him to take life with a grain of salt, and not focus on minor problems, but instead live life gracefully. "I'd recommend yoga to all chefs, or anybody for that matter. For me, it's life affirming," he continued.
Similarly to Husbands, Dalton Schmitz of Ristorante Euno first began
Brazilian martial arts as a way to stay fit. However, the hobby has
evolved into a lifelong passion. "This has definitely become something
I plan on doing for the rest of my life, and I don't ever intend to
stop," he stated. Originally from Brazil, Schmitz ironically began
performing Brazilian martial arts when he came to America at age 17.
Strangely, Schmitz did not know of many people who practiced this skill
in his home country. Nonetheless, he has has been practicing this art
form at Boston's Capoeira Brasil for more than a year, and sees a
distinct connection between facing an opponent and working in a
kitchen. "When you're fighting, you're under pressure the same way as
you are in the kitchen. You have to achieve something. Martial arts
also teaches how to respect the people that you are fighting against,
and this is very important," he said.
Brazilian martial arts differ from other forms of martial arts since it
incorporates music into the fight. Schmitz explained that it was first
created centuries ago by Brazilian slaves who wanted a means to escape
from their masters. "They pretended they were dancing and having a good
time, when really they were learning how to fight. A lot of the
acrobatic movements that we do, like back flips and handstands, come from what looked like a dance," he noted.
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This unique art
form, which is both physical and beautiful, is a way for Schmitz to
stay fit and balanced, as well as in touch with his Brazilian roots. Schmitz recommends Brazilian martial arts to any chef who can take the time out of their busy schedule, and also those who seek mental and physical challenges. Although most of his coworkers are surprised to hear about his unusual pastime, he has taken a few of his cooking colleagues to Brazilian martial arts events, and they too have become captivated.
Satisfying the needs of the mind and body may or may not be the secret to satisfying the appetite, but even so, these chefs have found a great way to stay cool in the heat of the kitchen. By preparing themselves mentally, physically, and spiritually for a life on the chopping block, they are one step ahead of the game in delivering thoughtful, well-balanced meals.
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