EVE PERSAK
Resident Dietician and Global Nutrition Advisor, COMO Shambhala
As the go-to expert on nutrition at COMO Shambhala, EveE Persak launched The Home Kitchen Edit, a consultation serviceserv that changes the way you eat by replacing any unsuitable ingredients in your fridge with others more appropriate to the “unique physiology” of your body. Originally a sports medicine student, Persak made the switch after realising she was more interested in how nutrition shaped the body.
What’s a common misconception about nutrition?
That it requires a complete overhaul, or a divorce from your current relationship with food. It’s quite the opposite, really. In my experience, the most effective and sustainable nutritional gains are made by looking at the client’s circumstances as they are. Strategic micro-tweaks that honour the entire person, including social, professional, and emotional circumstances, provide results that are real, noticeable, and surprisingly doable.
What do you think about food and health fads?
I find fads fascinating. It’s interesting to see how individuals interpret new nutrition research and then repackage it into programmes for the general public. When certain concepts resonate with different people, I’m able to better understand what concerns or motivations guide food choices. Regrettably, for a variety of reasons, most fads have short lifespans.
What’s comfort food for you?
I consider warm “bowl food” like hot soup or stew as comfort food! Growing up, these were what my mother prepared when the season changed to winter, or when I was feeling unwell.
What makes up your best dinner outfit?
While I’m a firm believer that your body is your best outfit, and that glowing skin, thick hair and bright eyes are the memorable “accessories”, I do often rely on Chloé ballerina flats, and shift or flowy dresses that zip up in a breeze.
What would your last meal be?
My last meal would include a steak (beef from the Polmard boucherie in Paris) prepared by my father. No one puts as much love into the preparation and gets as much enjoyment from cooking steak as him. It’s special because we consume red meat very occasionally. We also get excited over a plate of colourful, seasonal fresh veggies, so my mother would prepare a salad with ingredients from the small farmers’ market near home. I can’t imagine a better way to make an exit.