These workouts fuel their culinary performance.
Chefing is a sport unto itself, and top culinary talents don’t just move to burn off what they’re tasting in the kitchen. They’re often on their feet from sun-up to sun-down handling heavy pans, carrying big boxes of fresh ingredients, and rushing around as they whip up top-notch dishes. For them, being fit is a prerequisite for the job.
Here, how some of the country’s premier chefs stay in shape for the kitchen.
Running
"I run at least seven miles a day, taking one day off a week. If I don’t run, it affects my mood. I run all over the place and I feel like the king of the world in my neighborhood in Boston. Then I go to NYC and run along the West Side Highway and I feel so out of shape. I love running around cities and exploring—it’s the best way to get to know the city." —Steve DeFillippo, chef to the New England Patriots
Cycling
"I ride my bicycle every single day. It’s an old school, steel Bridgestone bike, which is so dope.” —Daniel Holzman, chef and co-owner of The Meatball Shop in NYC and co-creator of the virtual cookbook app Project Foodie
Kite Surfing
"Kite surfing is really a total-body workout, obviously a great strain on your upper body, but also your core and legs for balance. After a long session in that salty water, I typically feel three things: exhilarated, exhausted, and really dehydrated.” —Eduard Frauneder, co-chef and owner of Edi & the Wolf and The Third Man in New York City
Diving
“My workouts are part cardio, part endurance, and part practical movements like deadlifts and farmer's carries. Diving helps me focus on being present. I don't worry about life when I'm in that totally different world.” —Erik Sun, chef-owner of Assuwa, Assuwa Noodle, and The Hunted in San Francisco
Body-Part Specific Work
“I normally choose one body part and go from there: shoulders on Monday, chest on Tuesday, and so on. I really get obsessed with working specific parts of my body and seeing results.” —Franco Noriega, chef-owner of Baby Brasa in New York City