Sat Bains had worked out since being a teenager, always maintained a reasonable weight and considered himself fit and healthy. So it was a huge shock when, in March 2021, he suffered a massive heart attack and underwent a triple bypass. While in hospital, Sat was visited by Dr Neil Williams, a nutritionist who had advised him before he went to Everest base camp. Over the next few weeks, with help from Neil, Sat devised a diet designed to aid his recovery from surgery and rebuild his strength.
Sat's obsession over the last 35 years of being a chef has been flavour and that's not something he's prepared to sacrifice just because the food he now eats is heart-healthy. He also doesn't want to write a preachy, unattainable 'diet' book that ends up gathering dust on a shelf. He still enjoys the odd fish and chips, a juicy steak, red wine and the odd cigar, since we all need, on occasion, to indulge, but always in moderation - the key word he has learned since his operation. The majority of the time, his diet consists of lean protein and a mix of legumes, good fats, such as avocado, nuts, olive oil, vegetables and fruits, plus seasonings that help elevate any dish. It is these foods that will feature in the book. The recipes will be designed for everyday and will include supermarket ingredients such as canned lentils. They will also be accompanied by nutritional information, explaining, for example, that lentils are heart healthy because they are rich in fibre, folate and potassium so help manage blood pressure and cholesterol. And although they won't be specifically weight-loss recipes, Sat Bains has lost 17kg following this regime.
