Gail Watson is a veritable culinary powerhouse. Not only does she blog at the Saveur recommended website A Stack of Dishes, she’s also recently started A Healthy Hunger, a meal planning service aimed at taking the taking the work out of creating delicious, creative and healthy meals.
Gail Watson – Photographer, Writer, Chef & this week, our Feature Food Innovator!
Hi Gail! Can you briefly tell us how you came to do what you do?
I come from a long line of food folks. I had an Aunt (now passed) who was an amazing cook and hostess. My parents also owned a restaurant when I was growing up in my teens. So I had a lot of food background and a deep passion. I guess my Latina big mouth makes me want to talk about it.
What’s the main focus of your site?
I love to entertain and love to cook for others. I also love to expand the concept of everyday cooking. My goal was to inspire and motivate people to see how easy it is to create good food- and then invite people over (and pull down a stack of dishes).
That certainly conjures up images of communal dining! You also just started a new business, A Healthy Hunger. Can you tell us a bit about it, how you came to it & why it’s innovative?
For almost 25 years I had a business making custom wedding cakes in NYC. It was a great business and I was very successful at it, but I always wanted to do something to help people. So at 43 I went back to school and got my Masters in Nutrition and Exercise Physiology at Columbia. A Healthy Hunger (AHH) is combining my love of cooking and sharing with good health. I focus mainly on diabetics and heart patients, largely because most of those people love food!
AHH offers weekly menus in two categories: Clean Eating and Diabetic Friendly. The food is creative and fun, but not overbearing and complicated. I also do not use any pre-made foods or alternative foods. Just good, clean, healthy food that you can make at home. The idea is to provide you with the menus, recipes and shopping list to take the work and worry out of cooking healthy meals.
The site also has a companion blog which offers education, insights, inspiration, recipes etc. Living a healthy life is more than just kale. So many people dread the thought of eating “healthy” because it usually means boring and having to be militant. At A Healthy Hunger the vibe is real, not preachy- and it’s accessible to everyone.
I’m so glad you said that about kale! It’s time to move on, isn’t it? ha! So if not kale, what inspires you about food?
There are a lot of things that inspire me, but what gives me the greatest joy is when I turn someone on to something new- especially when they make it themselves. Since launching AHH a few people have come to me excited about how were able to make and enjoy healthy delicious food. To see that excitement in their faces is far more rewarding than anything I know.
What’s one thing you just can’t live without in the kitchen?
I cannot live without my espresso machine. I have a Saeco machine that grinds the beans and makes my daily latte. I cannot imagine life without it.
What’s the one thing you CAN live without in the kitchen?
Believe it or not, it’s the dishwasher. I sort of like the zen time of washing up, and the whole process of rinsing before loading the machine baffles me. I also like the look of clean stacks of cups and plates next to the sink. It gives me a sense of accomplishment and satisfaction.
I’m the exact same way! So glad I’m not alone! Do you have any food or ingredient obsessions?
Well, For years I’ve joked that the sun has not set on a day without chocolate crossing my lips at one point or another. For the most part that is pretty true. On the savory side – I LOVE saffron and hot spices of all kinds. The hotter the better. I died and went to heaven when I visited Thailand. Fortunately my wife loves spice too.
Is there anything you refuse to cook with or eat?
I refuse to cook with fake foods. I can’t say that I’m religious about it, but if it wasn’t Mother Nature made, I pass. Non fat cheese? Soy chicken nuggets? Sugar free/fat free ice cream? You get the idea.
What’s your most memorable food experience?
When I first moved to NYC I had a small catering company. One of my first gigs was for the artist Redd Grooms. His wife is French, and for this one party she has smuggled a huge lobe of fois gras in her suitcase. She unwrapped this orb from it’s tin foil and placed a thiiiiin slice on a piece of baguette. I swear to you I heard the angels sing!! I had had pate, but this was so unexpectedly delicious! Heaven!
What’s the most interesting or important thing in your food world right now?
To get people to embrace cooking and gain control of their health. I really love that people are really starting to “get” that. I also love that people are taking action about supporting local/organic/non-GMO. For so long we all just went along assuming that the best was being done for us. So it’s wonderful to see people care and take care with their food sources.
Have you ever had a “WOW!” moment with food or in the kitchen?
I would say my moment was when I realized that not everyone is a good cook right out of the box. Because I was surrounded by so many excellent cooks I thought it was just a given. So learning that failure is a process and nothing to be ashamed of was a big thing. The other side of that story is I also learned to connect with the food. Recipes are not scientific formulas, but guidelines. Cooking is a relationship with the food, not strictly following orders.
We totally agree! What’s been the hardest (and most valuable) lessons you’ve ever learned?
Good question. I think for me it was that good is not good enough. There is a small percentage of people who are great- and great isn’t something granted, but rather something earned. It may look easy when others do it- but dedication, diligence, passion, etc- That’s what separates the men from the boys.
How do you define success in the kitchen?
That feeling when cooking and entertaining feels like an unspoken ballet. It’s smooth, rhythmic and elegant- and it satisfies the soul. It can be big- it can be small.
We have a series where people tell us about the last meal they’ll ever eat (if given the option, of course). What would be your last meal ever? Why?
We used to talk about this all the time in my family. I used to say something like: Oysters in Paris, then Tortilla Soup in Mexico, then Sushi in Japan- the idea being that you would draw out your last hours not only eating the best foods of the world, but in the best place too. Btw- it would end with chocolate.
Of course. Heck! It should START with chocolate! Speaking of which, in your opinion is there such thing as food aphrodisiacs?
If you were to ask my wife she would say YES!
Nice. What’s the one thing you would tell someone who is inspiring to follow in your footsteps?
Ask for advice, and listen to no one, not even me. When I started the cake business I had a passion and a clear idea of what I wanted to do. Everyone told me I was crazy, or to do it all differently. I listened and gleaned what made sense and applied those things to my situation. The rest I just winged. I’ve had my ups and downs, but without a doubt, it was all mine.
When it comes to blogging- My word of caution is it takes more time than most people realize, AND you have to be talented at many skills- cooking, writing, recipe development, social media, photography etc etc. So focus on your strengths, farm out your weaker areas when you can, and love it with all the gusto you can muster.
Well said, Gail. Sometimes we just have to run with our ideas and see where we end up. You’re a true & successful example of that. We should all take note.
Find Gail on: A Stack of Dishes | A Healthy Hunger | Facebook | Twitter | Google+ | Pinterest
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