Some chefs might look for an outlet that takes them far from the world of the kitchen, while for others, just the opposite is true.
Anthony Martin, 33, executive chef at Tru in Chicago, has followed a disciplined regimen for about seven years that he never fails to miss: he wakes up, checks email, and launches into an hour’s intense workout at home, to the tune of 25 push-ups a minute and 1,000 push-ups per session.
It’s not just a physical workout, though. It’s during this crucial hour that his creativity comes out, so he keeps a menu close by to make notes.
On some days, he ends up with about 30 new dishes sketched out.
“My whole day revolves around what I get done in that hour. The rest of the day revolves around making those ideas come to light,” he said.
