Northshore magazine showcases the best that the North Shore of Boston, MA has to offer.
Issue link: http://read.uberflip.com/i/1182004
NORTHSHOREMAG.COM 42 NOVEMBER 2019 L I V E + P L AY CONTACT stages-dining.com; paddleinnsurf.com; bostonchops.com "You see 50-year-old chefs who look about 80, and I don't want to look like that." Sixty hours a week and more is nothing unusual—leaving her little time for sleep or eat well, much less exercise. King has taken to Instagram to share her endeavors toward positive change, mixing self-care moments like face masks and a visit to the beach with photos of her gorgeously plated dishes, such as passion fruit donuts and Korean-style bao buns filled with gochujang- glazed pork belly. "Just going outside is a huge goal for me," King says, noting that her proximity to the Newburyport Rail Trail and the waterfront makes taking walks more enticing. "I can make the time if I'm willing," she adds, noting that she's planning small steps every month. Squeezing self-care into daily life can be tricky, admits Matt Louis, James Beard– recognized chef/owner of Moxy and The Franklin in Portsmouth. Nevertheless, he runs seven days a week, noting that it's easier to fit in than other forms of exercise. "I'm a pretty intense runner," Louis says. "You just have to step outside the door." Louis recently added climbing with Hennessey into his routine. "Evan had been waiting for the right moment to lure me in," he says with a laugh, referring to an ongoing conversation the two chefs have been having about positive choices. The pair tries to fit in hiking, climbing together, or other outdoor activities whenever they can. "We find the holes and we just make it happen," Hennessey says. "It perpetuates this great conversation about healthy choices." Boston chef Chris Coombs says putting fitness first has been critical to his success as proprietor of Boston Urban Hospitality, which owns dbar, Deuxave, and Boston Chops. "Restaurants can be such a high- stress environment," says Coombs, who grew up in Peabody. "I have to get that excess energy out of my system or it could come out in other ways." Coombs's routine is hardcore. He has very strict rules about diet, eschews alcohol beyond the very occasional glass of wine, and has found a unique way to fit in his morning workout—he spends about three hours every morning at a gym that allows him to use an office for making calls and answering emails during his circuit. "It's about mental clarity," Coombs says. "It helps me to be a better boss and a better person. It leads to better mental focus. The muscles are just a byproduct." Indeed, Hennessey credits his win in the high-pressure environment of Food Network's "Chopped" with his lifestyle changes. "There is no way I would have done any of that with my previous mental focus," he says. "It's also improved my creativity in the kitchen. My cooking has gotten a lot more thoughtful." Louis agrees. "It's not just physical; it keeps the brain sharp," he says. "I'm 39 years old. I've spent time in bars. I don't miss it at all." Louis invites his teams at Moxy and The Franklin to join his outdoor activities. "Even getting out a couple times a month is great," he says. "It gives them a positive social activity"— rather than gathering at a bar late at night. This is the very message that Hennessy hopes to convey. "We want to start a positive trend," he says. "It doesn't matter the activity. You're replacing a negative activity with a positive one. It radiates. Perhaps on social media, instead of posting a picture of a beer in a bar, you're posting a path up a mountain." Chris Coombs of Boston Chopps spends three hours in the gym each day. He works out with trainer Janelle Monteiro—owner of Body Ambition in Middleton.