SUBMITTED REPORT.
After several years of revamping the Hays CISD cafeteria food menu to make it healthier for students, Chef Bryant Currie, 46, is now making a positive change for himself.
At 391 pounds, Currie noticed he’s not as mobile and energetic as he used to be. But with a demanding job where he stands on his feet most of the day, Currie knew he needed a serious approach to weight loss. As the head chef for Hays CISD, Currie’s role is to create recipes and menus for the district’s school cafeterias that align with state and federal nutritional standards.
So the classically trained chef submitted an application to be a contestant in the H-E-B Slimdown Showdown. The competition is a 14-week weight loss journey with a complete pantry makeover, according to a release from H-E-B.
If he wins, he could be the recipient of a $10,000 grand prize or a $5,000 health hero prize.
“My job is to create healthy meals that taste good. I spend a lot of my time leading cooking demonstrations and talking to students and teachers about eating healthy,” he said. “It’s time for me to practice what I preach.”
Currie, who said food has always been a passion, traveled the world in pursuit of furthering his career, working in restaurants, universities and culinary arts training programs. That passion came with a weight struggle that’s been hard to overcome.
“I tried fad diets before, and they worked for a while, but they weren’t long-term solutions,” Currie said. “The Slim Down Showdown is putting me in the starting box to help me run the long race. I want to look in the mirror and be proud of what I see.”
Currie wants to write a healthy cookbook to share with the students in his district after the competition.
“What I learn in the contest is going to help me jumpstart the way I teach nutrition,” he said. “I’ll be able to say I’ve lived through making a positive change for myself.”
Follow Bryant Currie and offer him support at http://sdsd.heb.com/2014/01/meet-bryant/
