Health Coach Chef Matt – It’s Important To Be As Healthy As You Can Be

By: Tom Leyden

As we sit around a fantastic kitchen island where Matthew LaSpisa shoots his popular YouTube videos, he and I chat about what got him started in the world of nutrition and why he’s so dedicated to helping other people live healthier lives.

“The specific knowledge I have is something I think a lot of people need to have,” Matt said. “It’s not like learning German. It’s very easy when you get to it, and it’s something you can hold on to forever.”

Matt puts his knowledge to work in a number of ways, most notably working with clients as a nutrition coach, helping them plan and shop more effectively and efficiently for foods that fuel the body in a positive way. He also works with clients to prep meals for the week, assuring the right decisions are easy to make when things are busy and life is buzzing all around you.

Finally, he puts his talents to work as a personal chef for private events. Imagine a small group gathered around your table, and all you need to do is sit back and relax, because Matt’s in the kitchen preparing and serving a menu you’ve discussed and planned beforehand. It’s a perfect touch for a special night with friends – cooked to perfection.

“I have a phone call with you and I jot down everything I need to know as far as likes, dislikes, allergies, things of that nature,” he said. “I build a menu for the party. I send it to you. You okay it, or we keep tweaking it back and forth. I’ll be there a couple of hours before your guests arrive, and you don’t worry about a thing. I set everything up. I cook everything, and we talk about plate ware and all of that stuff when I get there.”

While that sounds decadent and delightful, where Matt can truly make a difference is by sharing what he’s learned over a lifetime of making healthy choices. In most cases, those habits trickle down from generation to generation.

“I think the best gift you can give your children is being as healthy as possible and giving them the habits that you have,” he said. “I strive in my life, in general, besides my business, to show my kids that dad works out, dad eats as healthy as he can, and dad tries to make us do both things. Obviously, there are other things in life, but that’s what I can contribute right now for my children. That’s what I want them to see. Good choices trickle down.”

Matt’s father grew up in Brooklyn, and when Matt would visit his grandparents, amidst the concrete jungle of the city was a 20×20 foot patch of land in their backyard dedicated to growing vegetables. His early memories of the garden – how it smelled, how delicious the produce was – influenced his path, which led him to a vocational high school and culinary school after graduation. He’s worked at high-end restaurants and has also worked closely with bodybuilders, a skill that sets him apart as an expert in his field.

“After I went to vocational school, my brother started competing as a bodybuilder, and I cooked for him a little bit,” said Matt. “I learned a little bit about nutrition and the whole way the body works. If anyone tells you they’re a health coach and they’ve worked with bodybuilders, in my opinion, those are the best kind of health coaches because they understand the body – specifically how to break down fats, how to put on muscle, how to bulk, how to lean. All the science of your body is working through bodybuilding. I think that’s what made me who I am with nutrition and being a personal chef in general.”

In the end, the message is simple but important.

“It’s important to be as healthy as you can, to be as smart about nutrition as you can be,” he said. “People are forgetting that right now, especially in this area. People love to make money and forget about their own health.”