Rocco DiSpirito was one of the first celebrity chefs. His 2003–2004 television show,The Restaurant,presaged a wave of reality food programs and launched him into the pantheon of one-name chefs, à la Mario, Emeril, and Nigella. But DiSpirito has serious chops behind his movie-star looks. He graduated with honors from the Culinary Institute of America and worked under the direction of some of the most renowned chefs in America, including Gray Kunz, David Bouley, Charlie Palmer, and Gilbert Le Coze. DiSpirito's interest in maintaining a healthy diet inspired him to publishNow Eat This: 150 of America's Favorite Comfort Foods, All Under 350 Caloriesin 2010. The book was so successful that he's now come out with a sequel,Now Eat This! Diet: Lose Up to 10 Pounds in Just 2 Weeks Eating 6 Meals a Day. DiSpirito took a break from his book tour and TV shoots to explain the genesis of his latest volume and reveal his next project for Bravo.
Epicurious:Your mother, Nicolina DiSpirito, has always been an enormous influence in your life, personally and professionally. Was it her recent heart attack that propelled you into getting fit and healthy?
Rocco DiSpirito:Yes, it definitely had something to do with it. During the same 18-month period, I also received some bad news about my own health from the doctor, I participated inThe Biggest Loser,我做饭为我自己越来越多的在家里, as I wasn't working in the restaurant business. Everything pointed in the direction of getting fit and healthy.
Epi:How hard is it, as a chef, to maintain a healthy diet?
RD:Difficult. You eat for a living, and you eat a lot. Your chef friends always want to "take care" of you, and you are constantly faced with bad choices. If a chef can get healthy, anyone can!
Epi:Your philosophy inNow Eat This! Dietis to watch your calories, learn to cook, and exercise. That seems deceptively simple. Is it?
RD:It's as simple as it sounds, although sometimes simpler on paper than in real life, because of all the processed foods available to us. It's important for people to cook for themselves, and I've made watching calories easy by color-coding each recipe in the book by the specific calorie count. You select your meals by combining colors that add up to a certain calorie intake for each day.
Epi:To us, 1,200 calories for women and 1,400 for men seems like a small amount of food. What are some good tricks to keep yourself satiated with less food in your stomach than you might be used to?
RD:I recommend eating high fiber/high volume/high protein foods, which will make you feel full longer and are also nutritious and good for you.
Epi:If you had to choose your favorite lunch, snack, and dinner recipes from your new book, which three would those be?
RD:MyIndividual Crispy "Loaded" Pizzafor lunch, Double Chocolate-Chip Cookie as a snack, and No-Boil Mushroom Lasagna for dinner. I also love theRoasted Pork Tenderloin with Butternut Squash Mash and Tarragon Gravyand theRed Velvet Chocolate Squares.
Epi:What do you hope to achieve with this book?
RD:I hope the book will serve as an inspiration for people to take control of their health, and serve as a tipping point for helping people achieve a healthier weight. Sixty-seven percent of Americans are overweight or obese!
Epi:Many people first learned of you when you launched one of the first reality food shows,The Restaurant.What did that experience teach you?
RD:Where do I begin…
Epi:You are currently finishing a show for Bravo. Tell us about it.
RD:The show is calledRocco's Dinner Party. On each episode, three chefs at two separate dinner parties compete for a $20,000 check. Six celebrity chefs help choose the winner, and I serve as the host and sole judge. It showcases the lost art of the dinner party.
Epi:Do you regret appearing onDancing with the Stars,or was it ultimately a good experience?
RD:It was a wonderful experience.
Epi:You were raised in Queens, New York, in an Italian family. As a boy, did you ever imagine you would become a household name across America?
RD:Am I a household name? I got my first job cooking at a pizzeria in Queens because I wanted to earn enough money to buyLove Gun,by Kiss. Little did I know that my shortage of cash that day would change the direction of my life. I learned that I love to cook for people. I have been cooking ever since.
Photo: Jonathan Pushnik
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