How to Make Healthy Food Actually Taste Good with Chef Nyesha Arrington
EP365 with Chef Nyesha Arrington
What if a healthier relationship with food started with enjoying it more?
In this episode of Live Like a Girl, Dr. Mindy sits down with acclaimed chef and Next Level Chef mentor Nyesha Arrington for a conversation about food that goes far beyond calories, macros, or following the “perfect” diet.
Nyesha shares how cooking with her grandmother shaped her relationship with food from childhood, why recipes can carry memories and identity across generations, and how years in professional kitchens taught her to see food as art, connection, and eventually, fuel.
They also get practical: cooking oils, salt, spices, kitchen tools, meal prep, fasting, strength training, hydration, and the small upgrades Nyesha has made that helped her feel dramatically better in her body.
Plus, Nyesha opens up about leadership in high-pressure kitchens, working alongside Gordon Ramsay, earning the title of “Chef,” and why she refuses to fit into anyone else’s definition of what a woman should look like.
In This Episode:
How childhood experiences can shape your relationship with food
Why food is closely tied to memory and identity
How Nyesha shifted from cooking purely for taste to thinking about food as fuel
Which cooking oils she keeps in her own kitchen
Why salt and spices can completely change a meal
The kitchen tools every home cook actually needs
How meal prep helps Nyesha make better choices when life gets busy
Why she uses fasting during periods when she needs deep focus
How strength training and sleep became part of her wellness routine
What working in elite restaurant kitchens taught her about leadership
Why she refuses to make herself more “digestible” for anyone else
Resources Mentioned:
Bone Broth, use code MINDY10
Meet the Guest
Chef Nyesha Arrington
Chef Nyesha Arrington
Nyesha Arrington is an acclaimed chef, television personality, and co-star of FOX’s Next Level Chef. Trained in Michelin-starred kitchens, she has become known for her creative approach to food, mentorship, and commitment to thoughtfully sourced ingredients. She also hosts and produces Eater’s Plateworthy and is passionate about wellness, functional fitness, and using food to bring people together.
Instagram: @nyeshajoyce
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Honestly, watching Chef Nyesha Arrington break down how to make healthy food actually taste good is a total game-changer, especially when you are trying to keep your energy up for busy days or rigorous routines like intense mobile gaming sessions where fast focus is everything. Instead of choking down bland, boring greens, she proves that layering acids, fresh herbs, and bold spices can completely transform simple ingredients into something you actually crave. It reminds me a bit of how self-care comes in all forms—whether it is upgrading your diet with vibrant, nutrient-dense meals for peak daily performance or stopping by a specialized wellness hub like REEV Clinic Gangnam for targeted skin and body treatments to look and feel your absolute…
Honestly, this interview with Chef Nyesha Arrington is a complete game-changer, especially for anyone who suffers from daily decision fatigue around meal times. We have all been there—staring blankly into the fridge after a long, exhausting day and just settling for something bland or ordering takeout because thinking about seasoning and nutrition feels like a chore. Chef Nyesha completely flips that script by showing how simple flavor-building blocks can turn basic, healthy ingredients into something you actually crave without needing a culinary degree. Her approach to layering fresh herbs, acids, and bold spices makes eating well feel effortless rather than restrictive. It really takes the mental load out of cooking healthy because you realize you do not need a complicated…