Chef brings healthy eating demonstrations and advice to Central Florida YMCAs
If you think the YMCA is just about working up a sweat, chef Gary Appelsies will tell you that it is also about working up an appetite.
As director of healthy eating for the YMCA of Central Florida since 2014, Appelsies is a familiar figure at the Y’s family centers, including the Titusville YMCA, doing cooking demos and classes, nutrition education programs and garden projects. He also writes recipes for the Y’s website and blog posts on healthy eating.
“I also work alongside with many of our community partners helping them teach their employees about better nutrition and cooking habits,” said the Winter Garden resident.
Question: What is your history, Chef?
Answer: I grew up in New York City, and I lived in Las Vegas and the San Francisco Bay areas prior to moving to Central Florida. I moved to Central Florida to begin my career with the YMCA of Central Florida.
Q: How did you get into the culinary field?
A: I began cooking when I was 12 years old. The first thing I ever learned how to make was an omelet. After that, I was hooked and I started to experiment with other dishes and the bug got me.
Q: What have been some of your previous jobs?
A: Most of my jobs have been in the food and beverage industry as a waiter, food and beverage director and a nutritionist.
Greek dishes, colorful banter star at Olympia
Q: What is your signature dish?
A: This is not an easy question to answer, as I love to cook so many different dishes, but over the years I have perfected my grandmother’s vegetarian split pea soup. It’s a dish that I can make in my sleep.
Q: What are some of the culinary options the Y offers to Brevard residents?
A: We offer cooking demos and nutrition education programs through some of our evidence-based programs. we also have an ever growing library of recipes on our website. We just introduced our virtual chef page where you can go to ask me questions about cooking, label reading, general nutrition, dining out healthy, and other topics.
Q: What can't you do without in the kitchen?
A: My chef’s knife.
Q: Family?
A: I am married to the most amazing wife, who is my biggest supporter and cheerleader. My brilliant, funny and passionate daughter keeps me smiling and laughing every day.
My parents have been married for over 50 years.
Also part of the family is our English bulldog, Emma, who is 12, and our little cute rescue, Ellie, who is 5.
Taste of India continues to thrive in Melbourne
Q: Hobbies?
A: Reading, studying history, hiking, basketball, boxing and traveling.
Q: Three words that describe you?
A: Husband, father, passionate.
Q: What is on your bucket list?
A: Write my life story and research my family history
Q: Famous person you'd love to feed?
A: A few come to mind: the Dalai Lama, Gore Vidal, Albert Einstein.
Titusville YMCA
Where: 2400 Harrison St, Titusville
Call: 321-267-8924
Web: ymcacf.org/y-locations/Titusville/
Hours: 5:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 5:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. Friday and 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday
Also: The Cocoa YMCA is at 1519 Clearlake Road, Building 18. Hours are 5:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 5:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. Friday and 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday.
Email toastofthecoastfloridatoday@gmail.com.