Twelve years ago, I wrote a cookbook. It was bold, irreverent, and unapologetically practical—designed for people who love food but don’t want to be ruled by it. I called it Food for T.W.A.T.s—a cheeky acronym for Totally Wholesome and Tasty—because, let’s face it, eating well shouldn’t feel like a punishment. It should be fun, flavorful, and, most importantly, doable.
The spark for this book? A former World Champion bodybuilder with 9% body fat. When I met Antonio Balsamo, he had retired from professional sport but was still living by an athlete’s extreme definition of “healthy.” His idea of a well-balanced diet? Boiled wholegrain rice, boiled chicken, and boiled broccoli—every. single. night.
That was about as far from my idea of living well as you could possibly get.
At the time, my journey with food had taken me from Michelin-starred kitchens to a deep dive into nutrition, sparked by a collaboration with an endocrinologist. I had learned that health and indulgence weren’t enemies, but rather dance partners—if you knew how to balance them. I had spent years learning how to blend my background as a chef with sound nutritional science—so when I joined Training With Antonio Today (yes, that’s where the acronym originally came from) and Antonio and I started training together, the debates about food were endless. Could food be both truly nutritious and deeply enjoyable? Could you eat well and love what you ate?
The result was a collection of 15-30 minute recipes that strip away the nonsense and give you real food, real fast, without sacrificing taste or nutrition.
Antonio may have been the spark, but Food for T.W.A.T.s became something much bigger. It was about balance, about understanding food beyond calories and macros, about making meals that fueled the body and the soul. And now, more than a decade later, it’s time to bring that philosophy to From The Frying Pan.
Over the coming months, I’ll be sharing these recipes—along with the stories behind them, the science that makes them work, and the little tricks that can turn anyone into a confident home cook.
So whether you’re here for the no-BS approach to healthy eating, the quick and delicious meals, or just a bit of food-fueled wisdom, welcome. The Food for T.W.A.T.s series is finally making its way out of the vault and onto your plate.
Stay tuned—because the best meals are the ones that nourish more than just your body.