Looking at the Crossover Between Food, Sustainability, and Health with Chef Andreas Niewerth
Chef Andreas Niewerth is a holistic nutritionist, trained chef, and chef instructor. He learned about the power of food early on while working his family's restaurants and hotels, and later established one of the first organic catering companies in Germany, where he created cooking classes for school kids, parents, athletes, and fitness centers. When his eldest son was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis, Andreas was driven to understand the healing power of food. This led him to receive his certification as a holistic nutritionist. He now lives in California with his family, where he grows his own food and offers his services as a private chef and teacher. Highly sought after by local wineries, breweries, and restaurants for private events and classes, Andreas also holds farm-to-table pop up events. As you’ll discover in this episode, Andreas’ varied expertise culminates at the crossover between food, sustainability, and health, which is not only the subject matter for our conversation today but the inspiration for the name of his business: Cross Over Kitchen. Tune in to learn about the benefits of holistic nutrition, the importance of food education, why Andreas refuses to compromise on food quality, and so much more!
Key Points From This Episode:
How Andreas discovered his passion for food through the family business.
What it takes to become a chef in Germany.
How a German chef thinks of tipping and restaurant pay in the States.
Insight into his background, education, and what it’s like to work as a chef in America.
Why Andreas takes regular breaks to refresh his inspiration for cooking.
What sparked his attraction to high-quality food and his fascination for nutrition.
The healing power of food and how industrialization has resulted in more allergies.
What Andreas learned about food while studying to become a holistic nutritionist.
A look at his journey to growing his own organic produce.
Food transparency, seasonal menus, fast food, and more in Germany versus America.
The importance of educating kids and parents about the benefits of healthy eating.
Reflecting on the nutritional benefits of steaming rather than boiling.
Why you should be regulating your portion sizes (and chewing more)!
Andreas’ focus on food quality and why he refuses to compromise.
How good-quality food directly influences your quality of life.
A sneak peek at Andreas’ completely organic and self-sustaining farm.
Andreas shares his views about meat production and the treatment of animals.
Why soil and compost are critical for the future of organic farming.
Why Andreas believes that it’s important to eat both seasonally and locally.
Tweetables:
“I saw really early how bad [conventional and commercial food] is, so I always liked to cook fresh for myself with high-quality ingredients.” — Chef Andreas Niewerth [0:14:55]
“Especially with nutrition coaching, it's also how you prepare the meals. You don't overheat. You lose so many vitamins by overcooking stuff. That's very important, to teach people to cook al dente, to do more steaming instead of boiling.” — Chef Andreas Niewerth [0:28:48]
“In my opinion, good [quality] food is also life quality—it makes your life better.” — Chef Andreas Niewerth [0:38:40]
“I always tell people: cut your steak a little bit smaller. Instead of 10 ounces, eat only six ounces and make sure those six ounces are high-quality, organic, grass-fed, from your farmer next door, and don't buy this commercial stuff.” — Chef Andreas Niewerth [0:49:14]
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
Chef Andreas Niewerth
Cross Over Kitchen
Spirit Oaks Farm
Carrots Love Tomatoes: Secrets of Companion Planting for Successful Gardening
PrimaFoodie Email