[ad_1]
Jason Champagne grew up dreaming of being the best chef in the world.
He built a solid foundation for realizing his dreams, working in the construction industry after graduating from high school to save money. He attended Le Cordon Bleu culinary arts college at Brown College in Minnesota, and then went to work at Disney World as a chef.
But while he used his talents to feed hundreds or even thousands of people, Champagne lost its dynamism. And losing enthusiasm for a stressful job, working 100 hours a week, made him unsure of his future.
"I've come to the point in my life where I'm cooking to get volume – but am I really helping someone?" said Champagne, a native of Baldwin.
One evening, while preparing a steak and lobster dinner for 2,000 people, Champagne knew that he had lost sight of his original goals: cooking and connecting with people. He decided to return to school, attend the University of North Dakota and obtain his Masters degree in Public Health Nutrition.
As an American Indian and member of the Red Lake of Chippewa group, Champagne knew that he wanted to play a role allowing him to play the role of model in his community. He created a company, Jason The Native Chef, which offers cooking, nutrition and food security clbades.
Champagne wants to be a mentor for young people and teach health, nutrition and good cooking in Indian communities across America.
"I want them to know my story.I want them to know that I worked in the construction industry five years after high school because I had the best grades among all of them." the world, "he said. "People do not realize that I had a good family, but I did not excel at school because I thought I did not have it here." (He pointed his head.)
His success as a chef and then in obtaining his master's degree in public health will hopefully inspire young people in search of their dreams, said Champagne.
And cooking clbades will help improve the health of the reserves throughout the country.
Nutrition is an important topic for communities with health problems that are worse than most other racial or ethnic groups. Data collected by health rankings and county roadmaps show a significant disparity between poor or fair health problems, poor mental health and premature deaths.
In the statistics on premature deaths, for example, which indicate the number of potential years of life lost before the age of 75 per 100,000 population, Kansas whites lose 6,700 years and Hispanics, 5,000 years. But African Americans lose 10,600 years and Alaska Native Americans 11,800 years old.
Choice of health foods
The numbers are not surprising for family physician Dee Ann DeRoin, a member of the Iowa tribe in Kansas who is actively working to improve the health of American Indians. She is active in all four Kansas tribes, the Southern Plains Tribal Health Council and the Association of American Indian Affairs.
Working like Champagne is a pleasure for DeRoin, who knows the ravages of diabetes, heart disease and other health problems exacerbated by poor nutrition and lack of physical activity in Aboriginal communities. This is a big topic to address, she said.
"The first thing to do is to create healthier foods," said DeRoin. "You have to give people the opportunity to taste healthy foods, prepared in different ways because everyone does not like things the same way, and you have to make it economical and you have to help them. to learn how to prepare them themselves and to present them to their reluctant families ".
Many Indian reserves are facing food deserts, she said, or areas where residents do not have access to nearby grocery stores.
"I think if you look at the four bookings, the grocery store closest to one of them makes five miles," DeRoin said.
Working with the Association of American Indian Physicians a few years ago on a diabetes-related project, DeRoin explored the grocery store located near the Kansas Kickapoo tribe.
"I went to this grocery store, and you could not get whole grain bread, yogurt without sugar or corn syrup," she said. "Even though there is a grocery store, because communities do not demand it, they may not have the healthier choice on their shelves."
Through her work, Champagne knows that many people do not know how to prepare vegetables and other healthy foods. In addition, many believe that they will not taste, especially if they have no salt, he said.
But changing diets can change lives, he added.
"In my mind, food is a medicine," said Champagne. "I'm a perfect example." I was very unhealthy at one point in my life and I was losing almost all my diabetes medications because I ate regularly fresh vegetables, I was doing exercise and I was drinking a lot of water, and I did not drink alcohol, I know this food is healing. "
In two years, Champagne, who took many medications, does not take any.
In his presentations, he tends to focus on preparing vegetable dishes.
"I share how to cook it, how to present it, how to make it tasteful, how to incorporate colors, how to incorporate art into food," he said. "I strongly insist that people eat with the eyes.If you can get a plate that looks really beautiful – no matter how it tastes, you have a person who appreciates more than 60% of the way she will love it. "
The presentation on plate counts and it's something that many people do not consider.
"After my presentation, many people said," Thank you. I needed to see that. I did not know that I could use fresh basil and fresh oregano like that. I did not know that vegetables had tasted. "Very good without salt, with lime juice or fresh lemon juice," said Champagne. "Many people leave my presentations with the conviction and the certainty that they have found that it is done, that they can do it at home, and I show them that it is also profitable."
Champagne laughed.
"Another thing I always tell people in my presentations is that if your body could speak right away, if your digestive system could talk, it would say thank you," he said. "It's like an engine running out of oil, your body needs these nutrients, the more you give it, it's like a medicine."
Force of energy
Champagne, discreet but pbadionate, he becomes a force of energy during his culinary presentations.
"It's not just Jason's personality, nor the knowledge he conveys, nor the skills he uses to convey them," said DeRoin. "It is the pride of having this Aboriginal man bring these skills to our community.
And he enjoys working with young people, children and teenagers. "
Working with Native American children aged 5 to 13 in Boys and Girls Clubs in the summer of 2018, said Champagne, was a joy. He had the kids screaming in unison, answering questions such as "What's a garnish?" and "Why do we want the food to be beautiful?"
"I think it's very important to be an example, if I had a dream I would see more Indian chefs in America who have a culinary background and a background in public health or nutrition that do these community demonstrations as I do, "he said.
Although Indian communities in America are encouraged to return to a more traditional method of food preparation, Champagne explained that his presentations focused on healthier choices with what is available, accessible and even about how to be healthier with food distributed under the United States. support programs for low-income families. These foods, he says, are often high in carbohydrates.
"Yes, in a perfect world, we would have venison and bison, we would be hunters and gatherers, and we would have lots of berries and nuts to pick," he said. "I see it practically, the reality, how do we incorporate some of our indigenous foods, but instead use contemporary dishes, incorporating if possible partial traditional foods, but focusing more on the presentation of plates and control portions. "
Portion control, for example, is "huge," he said. Amerindian communities receive a lot of pasta as part of the commodity programs in the United States. Champagne teaches people how healthy a serving of dough is and how to extend that meal by adding zucchini, squash, fresh garlic and other vegetables.
Whenever Champagne talks about food or nutrition, her voice is full of energy and her enthusiasm is palpable. For someone who says that he really does not like talking in public, doing food presentations is almost a "body-less" experience, he said.
"I can be up there for 45 minutes to an hour and, literally, I do not remember much of the last one because I speak with heart.This other personality is energetic and enthusiastic, makes people laugh, tell stories while I cook, keep them excited, keep all the fun atmosphere, "he said.
Although pbadionate about cooking, Champagne is a little concerned about running her own business. He's not a buyer in the soul, and this quieter personality tends to badert itself. But he is building a reputation all over the country and is invited to speak and present more and more events.
He is motivated to help people change their eating habits and have an impact on Indian communities in America.
"I attend many of these conferences, people say we need to get together right now, we have to start doing it for our children, and next year it's the same. meet now, "he said. "We probably need more people doing what I'm doing, I'm here, I'm ready."
Source link
