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The Chew’s Daphne Oz sat down at Centrico restaurant in Tribeca for the November cover shoot for (201) Magazine, where she reflected on her potential impact on viewers’ health. The Cliffside Park native, who debuts on ABC’s newest daytime talk show on Sept. 26, will be joined by Mario Batali, Clinton Kelly, Carla Hall and Michael Symon in a daily celebration of food and entertaining.
Oz, who is passionate about health and wellness like her father, Dr. Mehmet Oz, is excited about the national platform to promote healthy eating and the enjoyment of good food.
“My goal is to help viewers enjoy life and food is a big part of the experience,” Oz said. “It’s all about finding the balance and having the freedom to indulge when you want to.”
The budding television personality knows of what she speaks. In 2006, Oz wrote her national bestseller The Dorm Room Diet, sharing the healthy lifestyle plan she developed at school that helped her permanently shed thirty pounds. The book brought her to the forefront of the discussion of practical and healthy choices for college students.
Oz firmly believes that too many restrictions or deprivation prevents people from having a healthy relationship with food. Her goal is to demonstrate ways to enjoy meals – healthy meals that satisfy the taste buds and the waistline. At the core of her approach is portion control and real ingredients – even butter. In other words, make the mashed potatoes and use real butter for better flavor. It’s a simple, straightforward message. Enjoy the foods you love but enjoy them in moderation.
And here’s an “ah hah” moment from Oz that really makes a lot of sense.
“Every bite tastes the same after the first. So have that spoonful of ice cream or a couple of those French fries if you’re craving them. You can taste but you don’t have to eat the whole thing.”
Is Oz nervous about the show’s debut? Not really. The cast has been in rehearsals – getting acquainted and developing camaraderie.
“It’s fun to come to the table for great food and conversation,” Oz said. “We have a chance to get to know one another and to find ways to connect. I will bring some of my ideas about food to my cast mates and we’ll see what they do with them. It’s innovative and exciting.”
To catch The Chew, tune into WABC-TV Channel 7 weekdays at 1 p.m. Look for the cover story on Daphne Oz in November’s annual Food Issue of (201) Magazine, on newsstands Nov. 1. Oz is a Dwight-Englewood School graduate.
Photos by Anne Marie Caruso
