How does my weekly practice of walking in nature help me? You might know better than I do what the health benefits are. But what I gain the most is being able to step outside the drama of my everyday work and life, even if it is only for an hour. This is where the rebalancing happens: I definitely feel more connected to myself at the end of my walk.
Because the stress and demands of any busy job tend to do the opposite: they take us out of that state of balance. And the reality of modern living is that we probably do not get the rest we need for the reset to happen naturally. But this practice helps me return to my centre. Which means I show up to work grounded, and not fragmented.
So even in a cheflife structured around rotas and orders and organisation, I encourage you to structure your wellbeing practices too. This might not sound like the ideal way to spend your time off. But that discipline pays off. And it demonstrates something that only you can show yourself: that you and your wellbeing matter, chef.