A Personal Culinary Mission

Committed to advancing diabetic cuisine, a Sodexho-Marriott executive chef issues a heartfelt effort.

For 33-year-old Christopher Smith, working as the executive chef at the 700-bed Baptist Wake Forest University Hospital, Winston-Salem, N.C., is just one component of "the personal mission" upon which he has set out.

After falling ill during his Culinary Institute of America externship at New York City's Le Cirque, Smith was diagnosed with Type I (insulin-dependent) diabetes. Smith recalls being advised to "get out of the foodservice business or it's going to kill you." Instead, he regarded the challenge as an "opportunity to create my own destiny."

Inspired by a diabetic CIA instructor to "take the food of the diabetic cuisine to another plateau," Smith began applying the culinary fundamentals he learned to his teaching of nutritional management of the disease at his first job, which was at a Sodexho-Marriott healthcare account.

Initially, Smith was asked by a doctor to make inspirational and culinary presentations to patients. Now, at Baptist, he's developing a hospital discharge program that includes a cooking demonstration. The recipes Smith devised several years ago for the "Diabetes Forecast," a publication of the American Diabetes Association (ADA), led to the production of "Cooking with the Diabetic Chef," a cookbook due out this month from the association.

Smith instructs patients on "chefs' secrets" for adding low-fat and low-sodium flavor via stock reductions as well as cooking methods like braising, searing and smoking.

The book includes 150 recipes for patients and caregivers, and most are easily adaptable for foodservice. The Roasted Turkey recipe illustrates how fresh herbs can be used for seasoning. In addition, Yogurt with Peach Pur[acute{e}]e and Fresh Raspberries can be made with any variety of plain or aspartame-sweetened fruit yogurt and assorted fruit pur[acute{e}]es.

Believing his instruction is "a step in the right direction," Smith muses he is living proof that nutritional management of diabetes can be accomplished with delicious, well-prepared food. The diabetic diet for Smith, "is so personal. Diabetes patients are in such a state of yearning to eat again. They've been told for so long that they can't." He notes that the ADA has modified its nutritional guidelines for diabetes management in recent years, pointing out, for example, that baked goods, in controlled portions, now are allowed.

Smith is determined to deliver his message and teach his skills. "My honest belief is that I am helping," he confides. "I'm here to serve. I've been in that bed."

Method:

1. Rinse turkey cavity with water; pat dry. Rub cavity with salt, pepper and garlic; add rosemary, thyme and oregano. Rub outside of turkey with oil.

2. In a 400-degree oven, roast turkey for 15 minutes; lower temperature to 325 degrees. Continue roasting for two to two-and-a-half hours or until internal temperature reaches 165 degrees. Let rest 10 minutes before carving.

Nutritional analysis:

calories: 288; protein: 35 grams; fat: 16 grams; sodium: 225 milligrarns; cholesterol: 97 milligrams

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