Elevate & Wellness Podcast: A Conversation About Wellness, Food, and Balance
- Chef Jamie Daskalis
- 13 hours ago
- 5 min read
Every once in a while you have a conversation that makes you pause and reflect on how far you’ve come, not just professionally, but personally.
Recently, I had the opportunity to sit down with Nicole Huckabee on the Elevate & Wellness Podcast: Community Connector Spotlight for a conversation about something that has become incredibly important in my life: overall wellness.
But my connection with Nicole actually goes back many years, to one of the earliest and most nerve-wracking moments of my career at Johnny D’s.
A Memory from the Early Days
When Johnny D’s first opened, I was invited by a local news station to come on and cook one of our dishes live on air with the morning show host, Nicole Boone (as she was known at the time).
I had never been on television before.
I was new to the area, trying to establish myself and the restaurant, and the idea of cooking on live TV was terrifying. I remember driving to the station with all of my ingredients thinking I might actually throw up from the nerves. There was no room for mistakes, it was live.
When I arrived at the studio, Nicole greeted me right away. She was incredibly kind, calm, and welcoming, and within minutes she helped ease my nerves.
That morning we walked viewers through making one of our dishes, a Grecian omelette, and I even nailed my omelet flip on live television.
It’s a moment I’ll never forget.
Nicole’s kindness and professionalism that day stayed with me, and it remains one of those early memories that helped shape my confidence as Johnny D’s was just beginning to grow.
Reconnecting Years Later
So when Nicole invited me to join her on the Elevate & Wellness Podcast, it felt like a full-circle moment.
Our conversation centered around something that has become a major focus in my life over the past several years: overall wellness.
We talked about my journey with food, exercise, and the way I’ve learned to care for my own physical and mental health while working in an industry that can be incredibly demanding and caring for a son with Autism.
Running restaurants can be intense, and over time I discovered that exercise became one of the most important ways for me to manage stress and stay grounded. Movement allows me to reset, clear my mind, and maintain balance in the middle of a busy life.
Rethinking the Food We Eat
Another part of our conversation centered around the way our relationship with food has changed over time.
Working in restaurants for most of my life has given me a unique perspective on what people eat every day and how dramatically our food system has evolved. One topic that came up several times during the interview was sugar, specifically how much of it quietly finds its way into the foods we consume without even realizing it.
From sauces and dressings to packaged foods and beverages, sugar has become such a common ingredient that it’s easy to lose track of how much we’re taking in throughout the day.
We also talked about the idea of occasionally giving your body a reset, stepping away from excess sugars for a few days and allowing your system to recalibrate. One interesting thing that often happens during that process is how your taste buds begin to change.
At first, healthier options might not taste as satisfying because our brains and bodies have become so accustomed to the intensity of sugar. But after removing those foods for a short time and replacing them with more natural ingredients, something shifts. When you go back and try those same sugary foods again, they often don’t taste the same, sometimes they even taste overwhelmingly sweet. At least, that is how it felt for me.
It’s a powerful reminder of how adaptable our bodies really are.
For me, that awareness has influenced the way I cook, the way I eat, and the way I think about balance in everyday life. Wellness isn’t about perfection or restriction, it’s about becoming more mindful of what we’re putting into our bodies and making small changes that help us feel better over time.
Finding Balance Through Movement
Another important part of our conversation focused on the role that movement and hobbies play in overall wellness.
For me, exercise didn’t begin in a gym. It started very simply, on a yoga mat at home.
Over time that small habit grew into a deeper curiosity about the body and how movement can help us feel stronger, more balanced, and more connected to ourselves.
Nicole and I talked about how our bodies hold onto stress and trauma in ways we don’t always recognize, and how movement can become a powerful way to release some of that tension.
One thing I’ve learned through this journey is that wellness doesn’t have to look the same for everyone. My routine doesn’t involve daily gym visits or rigid schedules. Instead, I’ve found a rhythm that works for me, a few dedicated workouts each week combined with shorter mobility and maintenance routines that help me stay consistent.
Those small practices make a big difference. They allow me to keep moving, keep learning about my body, and avoid falling into the all-or-nothing mindset that often causes people to give up on their wellness goals altogether.
Just like with food, the key has been finding balance and sustainability, creating habits that support both my physical health and my ability to show up fully in the work and life I care about.
Watch the Full Conversation
A Final Thought
Toward the end of our conversation, Nicole asked if there was one piece of advice I would leave viewers with. My answer was simple: it’s never too late to start taking care of yourself. Sometimes the first step is just doing something small.
“Get off your phone, stop scrolling, and do 10 pushups.” - and you can quote me on that
Grateful for the Conversation
I’m incredibly grateful to Nicole for inviting me onto the Elevate & Wellness Podcast and for creating a space where conversations like this can happen.
It was especially meaningful to reconnect with someone who played such a supportive role during one of the early moments in my career.
Looking back on that first live television appearance and then sitting down years later for this conversation was a powerful reminder that our journeys often come full circle in the most unexpected ways.
And sometimes the people who encourage us early on are the same ones who help us reflect on how far we’ve come. I have much respect for Nicole and I will never forget the way she made me feel that first day walking into the news station.
Thank you for taking the time - Chef Jamie
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