Smaller portions of chefs

We all know diners need to eat the RightSize. How about chefs? Do you trust a fat chef or an appropriate-weight chef?

The Boston Globe looked at chefs and how much they weigh, and what they do to watch their portions.

Most chefs joined the industry because they have a finely honed appreciation for food. And while many are in the 32 percent of overweight American adults, being lean and working in the kitchen is no longer a stigma. In these fitness-conscious times, the old adage, "Never trust a skinny chef," seems as dated as the two-martini lunch.

Even cooking schools are paying attention. The New England Culinary Institute in Montpelier, Vt., requires students to check in once a week with a fitness instructor. Recently they banned sugary drinks from the vending machines. "The big push now is to train chefs who are healthy and in shape," says Mark Molinaro, an executive chef at the school. "We work with food but we're not gorging ourselves. A heavy chef tends to be looked down on."

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