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pon first meeting Chef Fernando Darin, you may be sur-
prised to hear that he has a dedicated and active yoga prac-
tice. As Executive Chef of Ray’s & Stark Bar at the Los
Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA), Chef Darin is
in constant motion. This is the case whether he is prepar-
ing the perfect pizza, plating dishes for one of the many events hosted on
the LACMA campus, or developing innovative recipes and programs such
as launching exclusive recipes for the restaurant’s patio-located weekend
Barky Brunch (which includes menu dishes for people and pups).
The handcrafted pizzas and dog-friendly menu aren’t the only distin-
guishing features of Ray’s and Stark Bar. Chef Darin has a commitment
to farm-to-table cuisine. There are even raised garden beds located behind
the kitchen where Chef Darin grows such delights as herbs and edible
flowers that are used in the restaurant on a daily basis.
Originally from Brazil, Chef Darin hails from an Italian family (hence,
his love of pizza and pasta). Before making
a professional commitment to the culinary
world, he was a musician who traveled the
world. LA was always a favorite city and
it was where he landed for culinary school
at Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary
Arts. That was more than 10 years ago
and now the City of Angels is his home. It
may be unsurprising that Chef Darin ex-
perienced his first yoga class here. He took
some time amidst his busy schedule to talk
to us about how his yoga practice has af-
fected his work in a busy kitchen and his
approach to food.
LA YOGA: How did you discover yoga
and begin your own practice?
I started about a year ago. I was skeptical
about it at first; I never thought it would
work. My workouts at the time consisted
basically of lifting weights and playing
other sports. And the perceptions that I had about yoga were completely
wrong.
Then I went in to class and got my ass kicked. I remember think-
ing, “I’m never coming back to this.” Three days later I was back and I
haven’t stopped.
Has your yoga practice affected what you eat at home?
I consider myself a flexitarian, and I have always liked to have a clean,
more plant-based diet. Yoga goes hand-in-hand with what I believe about
eating: Your diet must be balanced. It doesn’t matter if you’re vegan or if
your choice of protein comes from animals.
Every single bite of food that goes into our mouths is based on choices
that we make. That is the most important thing for me. With people’s busy
schedules in the modern world, sometimes we forget to think about what
we’re putting in our body, or to question where that food comes from.
How has your yoga practice had an impact on your daily life?
Chefs work in a very stressful environment. We stand 98% of the time,
sometimes for 14 or 15 hours each day. I find that the yoga postures are
amazing to fix any back or leg pains. A big part of my job is to create bal-
anced flavors and textures in the food; yoga fits in with this since a lot of
the focus of yoga is about balance.
Being a chef is a profession where you are on your feet, working as part of a
team, and dealing with time sensitive tasks as well as a number of person-
alities. How has yoga influenced your approach to your professional life?
My yoga practice reaches a very deep level of self-awareness and well-
being. If I’m feeling complete and mentally strong, it’s easier to solve
problems, to be creative, and to be more approachable to guests.What kind of personal touches have you brought to being the Executive
Chef at Ray’s and Stark Bar at LACMA?
When I took over Ray’s and Stark Bar, I like to think I brought a deeper
sense of care about the food and a bigger focus on teamwork. Sometimes
with our busy jobs and crazy lives, we forget to look around. We start tak-
ing things for granted. Most of the cooks that were in the kitchen had this
same issue. Primarily, I taught the cooks and chefs that, yes it’s possible to
work while being happy.How do you incorporate the bounty from the garden in menu items?
It depends on the season. When the garden is full of edible flowers, we use
those in dishes.How does your experience and background
as a musician connect to your yoga practice?
I feel that yoga helps my creativity and that
reflects in the way I play music. The men-
tal clarity and enhanced breathing definitely
have an impact on how my brain channels
creativity.What are some places in LA where you en-
joy spending time if you have time off?
I love Los Angeles; it’s my favorite city in the
world. Just by being able to live and work
here, I feel grateful. Chefs don’t really have
a lot of time off, but when I do, I like going
to the beach, dining out and of course, yoga.Do you have go-to yoga classes, studios, or
practices in LA?
I practice at Modo Yoga, on La Brea.What are some of the favorite dishes you like to create for yourself and
your family and/or friends?
It absolutely doesn’t matter what I am cooking or for whom I am cook-
ing. All food needs to be treated with the same respect, from a lettuce to
a steak. And it has to be cooked with love and care. Call me crazy, but I
notice when someone made a plate of food when they are angry.How about some of your favorite recipes?
In the past year, I’ve gone deep on making pizzas, and I have truly found
passion in every single thing about pizza, from making the perfect dough
that takes 48 hours to be ready, to baking it in a just-right 800 degree oven.Growing up in Brazil in an Italian family, are there any secrets you
learned about having a healthy home kitchen that you can pass on to
our readers?
Yes absolutely! First, NO processed food. Everyone should know the
basics of how to prepare food. It doesn’t have to be complicated, and it’s
a skill that comes fairly easily with very little practice. Processed food is
terrible for your body, and it is extremely addictive. Buy local, buy
organic, and buy sustainable.Learn more about Ray’s and Stark Bar at LACMA at: raysandstarkbar.com or:
lacma.org/food-drink. Museum admission is not required to eat at the restaurant,
which features indoor and outdoor seating. Barky Brunch is held Saturday and
Sunday 10am-3pm.
Follow @raysandstarkbar on IG for more news and updates.
http://www.instagram.com/raysandstarkbar/