Lidia Bastianich’s plate (Christian Johnston)
Bill Telepan’s plate (Christian Johnston)
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At the beginning of the month, Michelle Obama and the USDA announced that our national symbol for healthy eating habits — the nearly 20-year-old food pyramid — had gone the way of, well, the pyramids. Since then, the country has sizzled with reactions to the new, easy, nearly DayGlo graphic replacing it: MyPlate.
Divided into four sections, MyPlate simply illustrates that 50 percent of one’s meal should be devoted to fruits and vegetables. The remaining space is split between whole grains and protein, while a small glass nearby reminds eaters to consider a dollop of dairy. Done.
Dieticians praised it. Colbert lampooned it. Mommy bloggers uploaded proud pictures of their perfect portions to Twitter (#MyPlate). But what, we wondered, does the new food icon mean to those who make a living working in a kitchen?
“As a chef cooking for the restaurant, I never consider these types of government guidelines,” French culinary artist Eric Ripert told The Post at his three-Michelin star NYC dining room, Le Bernardin. “But it is a great thing. People were very confused by the Food Pyramid. This new model makes it clear for people to understand how big their portions should be. When I cook at home, I definitely [consider that]. It’s then that I think about the need for starch, protein, fiber, calcium, fruits and vegetables.”
We asked Ripert and fellow chefs TV host Lidia Bastianich and Bill Telepan to create a vision of their ideal MyPlate entrée.
Eric Ripert’s Plate
* Salmon, ratatouille, instant black wild rice and strawberries with honey for dipping in a side of Greek yogurt
“Salmon is a fish that, if you’re not wealthy, isn’t expensive,” says Ripert, chef of Le Bernadin. “And, in my experience, it’s a fish that children like. I would pair it with some ratatouille — tomato, zucchini, onions, garlic — so everything is easy to find. I also chose American black wild rice. I recently found a great instant version, and it cooks up in minutes. For fruit, because they’re in season, I would have strawberries drizzled with honey, which could be mixed with a little bit of Greek yogurt on the side.”
ERIC RIPERT’S SALMON AND RATATOUILLE RECIPE
Lidia Bastianich’s Plate
* Whole-wheat shells with spinach, bacon, and cecci
(chickpeas), sprinkled with Grana Padano
“If you were to [eat out] in the Mediterranean, you would not find two-thirds of your plate filled with meat,” says Bastianich. “It is only here, where there is such an abundance, that this exists. So the new guide is wonderful.
“People like pasta because it’s flavorful and it’s economical,” adds the famed chef, TV host and cookbook author. “So I would pair whole-grain shells with spinach and chickpeas, topped with a little bacon and sprinkled with Grana Padano cheese. A very diversified, aromatic meal with a little fat and a lot of color gratifies you mentally, so you don’t need as much quantity.”
This dish ($25) will be available off-the-menu at Felidia
(243 E. 58th St; 212-758-1479) for the next two weeks.
Bill Telepan’s Plate
* Pork with peas, carrots and a side of bulgur-wheat “We eat a lot of fruits and vegetables in my family,” says Telepan, chef of the eponymously named Telepan on the Upper West Side. “So this dish is perfect because it has a little bit of meat surrounded by mashed peas and carrots, which are in season right now. On the side, you could have a bulgur-wheat salad to satisfy your whole grains. I don’t think you need to have dairy in every single meal, so I’d leave it out.”
This dish ($31, plus $8 extra for the bulgur wheat side) will be available off-the-menu at Telepan (72 W. 69th St.; 212-580-4300) for the next two weeks.