Let’s talk about food, fancy food — and how it links to your fitness journey.
Growing up, all I wanted to be was a chef, until I started working in the kitchens and realised I’m more of a front of house bloke.
Hitting 50 last year, I wanted to do something I have never done before but always thought was out of my league and wasn’t for me, but like with most of the things I do in my life, I roll the fuck it dice and see what happens.
Recently, I found myself sitting at the chef’s counter in Plates, a Michelin-starred, plant-based restaurant run by Kirk Haworth (yep, the lad that won the Great British Menu in 2024 with one of the best desserts I have ever seen). Not something I thought I’d be doing growing up on a council estate in Essex, where culinary options were more Pot Noodle than Barbecued lemon Ice Cream & herbaceous cappuccino.
But there I was. Course after course of beautifully plated food — dishes that looked like art and somehow still packed a punch of flavour. No meat. No dairy. Just absolute culinary sorcery, all made from plants. And it was one of the best meals I’ve ever had (It’s almost a week later, and I still can’t stop thinking about the food).
Now, you might be wondering what a Michelin tasting menu has to do with your health, fitness, and why you’ve just googled “how to stop quitting on your gym plan.”
Stick with me.
Grace on the Surface, Graft Underneath
I was sitting right there at the counter, watching the kitchen run like clockwork. No shouting. No chaos. Just slick, seamless flow — like a perfectly choreographed ballet with spatulas.
But here’s the kicker: you know it wasn’t actually calm. You know those chefs were like swans — smooth and serene on the surface, legs kicking like hell underneath. Because to pull off a service like that takes graft, prep, teamwork, and years of practice.
And that right there?
That’s your fitness journey.
The Fitness Illusion
You look at people smashing their workouts, posting gym selfies, and meal prepping like it’s a competitive sport, and it all seems effortless.
But just like those chefs, there’s always something paddling underneath. Discipline. Sacrifice. Preparation. Sometimes tears. Definitely sweat.
No one just wakes up strong, consistent, and in control of their health. It’s earned. Quietly. Repeatedly. Through routine and resilience.
From Council Flat to Chef’s Counter
I grew up not really visiting restaurants unless it was a special occasion, like your birthday and thinking fine dining was a trip to the Bernie Inn or Carvery. So sitting in a Michelin-starred restaurant wasn’t just surreal — it was a reminder that you can change your story. That where you start doesn’t dictate where you end up.
And if that applies to sitting at the chef’s counter, it sure as hell applies to squatting 60kg when you once struggled with bodyweight lunges, or tracking your food for a week when you used to eat whatever was closest and easiest.
Transformation isn’t a switch you flick — it’s a build. And just like the tasting menu, it’s a collection of courses — moments — stacked one after the other.
Taste, Don’t Rush
Here’s another thing about Plates — the menu was slow. Purposeful. Each course was plated with care, and you savoured it. We never felt like we were being rushed through any of it, sitting there for nearly 3 hours savouring every minute of it and not realising we had been there that long.
In your fitness journey? You need to do the same. Stop trying to skip to the results. Stop rushing the process.
Want to build strength? Eat better? Feel like yourself again?
Take your time. Get the reps in. Learn the skills. Taste every win, no matter how small.
Behind the Scenes: What It Takes
Now, that kitchen wasn’t calm because they “got lucky” with an easy service. It was calm because:
- They prepped everything ahead of time
- Everyone knew their role
- They’d practised that service a hundred times
- They trusted the process
Sound familiar?
The same goes for your journey:
- Planning your week
- Knowing your workouts
- Meal prepping (even just a couple of things)
- Repeating the basics
- Trusting the process
You’re like a Swan, smooth on the surface. But underneath, paddling like hell — and getting it done.
Final Course: Own Your Seat at the Table
Sitting at that chef’s counter didn’t feel like an accident. It felt like something I’d earned by pushing boundaries, setting my target and doing what I needed to do to get there. In the same way, your workouts, your food choices, your mindset shifts aren’t “lucky breaks” — they’re effort, showing up, choosing growth even when it’s messy.
So, whether you’re in week one of your journey or you’ve fallen off the wagon (again), remember: you’re allowed to sit at the table. You’re allowed to want more. You’re allowed to evolve from microwave meals to Michelin moments — in the gym, in the kitchen, in life.
Let yourself.
