What a Michelin-star chef puts on her own plate each day

Clare Smyth is a chef. Here, the 46-year-old shares her day on a plate.

Credit: Art by Eliza Iredale

6am My day begins with a glass of water and by 7am I am at the gym for strength training, hydrating with electrolyte water.

8am An hour-long walk followed by a flat white coffee.

9am Breakfast of Greek yoghurt and kefir with nuts, seeds and berries.

9.30am English breakfast tea.

11am Another flat white after arriving at Oncore, ready for a full day of work.

Noon While hosting a special lunch event, I savour two blinis with salmon rillette from the oven.

4.30pm A team meeting includes tasting our Classic and Seasonal menus with wine pairings.

5.30pm Between now and 11pm I am immersed in the dinner service, staying refreshed with sparkling water.

Jaime Rose Chambers says

Top marks for … A nutritious breakfast which covers protein, calcium and probiotics in the yoghurt and kefir, as well as fibre, antioxidants and vitamin C in the berries and healthy fats and minerals such as magnesium and selenium in the nuts and seeds.

If you keep eating like this you’ll … Run the risk of disrupting your digestion by not meeting daily fibre needs. As a foodie, I’m completely envious of your lunch and dinner, however it lacks the bulk from vegetables, pulses and wholegrains we need to meet our fibre needs.

Why don’t you try … Adding a mixed salad with some grains and pulses to your lunch, and snacking on vegie sticks and hummus during dinner service.

Clare Smyth is the head chef at Oncore in Sydney and a member of HexClad Culinary Council.

Jaime Rose Chambers is a guest dietitian and nutritionist while Dr Joanna McMillan is on leave. Chambers’ latest book, The Peri Diet (Macmillan Australia) is out now.

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