Clean Plates NYC is the only nutritionist and food critic approved lifestyle book and guide featuring the healthiest, tastiest and most sustainable restaurants in NYC for both vegetarians and carnivores. With plans to expand to other cities and focusing on restaurants using local, organic and sustainably raised plant and/or animal products, this informative and easy to use book will change the way Americans dine out.
Jared Koch is the creator and co-author of this guide designed for busy people on the go. It introduces its readers to the concept of bioindividuality as well as the pros and cons of different dietary theories and types of foods encountered at restaurants. The book provides practical tips and information on how to implement healthier and more sustainable eating into any budget, diet and lifestyle without sacrificing taste for nutrition.
“Jared’s nutritional advice in Clean Plates has the power to transform your individual health and our collective well-being.” Deepak Chopra, M.D., chairman and co-founder of The Chopra Centers for Wellbeing.
Jared graduated premed from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, and is a nutritional consultant and wellness counselor certified by the Teachers College of Columbia University, the Global Institute for Alternative Medicine and the Institute for Integrative Nutrition. He offers one on one nutritional coaching over the phone or in person in the tri-state area.
Jared and I spoke about the concept behind Clean Plates and about how he is helping to change the way American’s eat, one city at a time.
What guidelines are used in choosing whether or not a restaurant makes it into your books?
“We try to be as comprehensive as possible and look at a wide variety of criteria based on the healthfulness and sustainability of the food the restaurant is serving. Everything from local and/or organic produce, quality of oils, salts and sweeteners, to cooking methods and amount of vegetable options on the menu. We even looked into water filtration and the quality of beverages. If a restaurant is serving animal foods, at a minimum, all of it must be hormone and antibiotic free and preferably locally raised and pasture/grass fed. And then of course there is taste. The food had to be really good.”
This book is not only a restaurant guide book, but readers also get an enlightening amount of usable nutritional information, right?
“Yes. While it is easy to look at the book as simply a NYC restaurant guide it is much more than that. The first half of the book is dedicated to exploring a very current philosophy (bioindividuality) on nutrition that I think is very refreshing because it clears up a lot of confusion that exists. In addition, I lay out my 5 precepts for eating healthier which will give anyone (whether you are in NY or not or whether you are eating in or out) a very solid foundational education on all the different foods we encounter. It is a really great overview that is very practical and easy to implement, with a lot of depth and useful tips.”
What are the next lucky cities to be getting reviewed and when can we expect to see them?
“We’re not sure which city will be next, but I will say that the plans for Clean Plates is to be a national brand and my intention is for that to happen pretty quickly. We are providing a resource that will make it easier for people to eat healthier and more sustainably, without sacrificing the pleasures of food. Because of all of our environmental and health problems there is no time to waste.”
There’s an interactive component to the book, how can people who are planning a trip to NYC, or already live here get involved and where can people purchase the NYC edition?
“The book can be purchased at www.cleanplatesnyc.com, Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Borders, Whole Foods and many other stores. Inside all the books is a code, which grants you free access to a database of the restaurants online, which we keep updated. There is also a community area we are starting to develop where everyone can interact with each other and with me, to discuss the restaurants or any topics relating to health and sustainability. In addition, only available at cleanplatesnyc.com is a mobile phone app with a database of all the restaurants. Overall there are 200 restaurants to choose from and we will keep adding to it as we expand.”
