Almost 30 years ago, Matthew Kenney, celebrity chef, entrepreneur, author and educator, brought juice from the cup to the plate, coming up with creative recipes for every dish you can imagine: breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks. The “father of juicing for food” shares his thoughts on juicing in the post-pandemic world and how it makes a difference in one’s diet and lifestyle. He also talks about his school, Food Future Institute, where he brings together plant-based culinary art, purpose-driven passion, and ultimate nutrition.

 

Trent: How do you use juicing in your daily life?

Kenney: I juice for digestion, skin tone, and mental clarity. Juice is nutrient dense and it’s easily digestible. I like all kinds of juice, but my ultimate juice has kale, celery, cilantro, pineapple, apple, ginger, lemon, lime, celery, and fennel. This is a recipe I have on Instagram. I would juice everyday if I had a private chef. You do everything better it you eat better and juice, but it takes time.

 

Trent: Thoughts on cooking with juice?

Kenney: When I cook with juice, I am always amazed. Juices have a good fiber and sugar content and the result is magic. Reduction is powerful. I also use it to color pasta and dumplings. It gives food more complexity in flavor and it looks phenomenal.

 

Trent: What dishes does juice make the difference in?

Kenney: I am a fan of stews that absorb liquid. It’s not about the meat or seafood. It’s about the broth. Beet or carrot risotto is incredible in flavor and the technicolor is an incredible component.

 

Trent: What trends do you see in juice?

Kenney: There is a conundrum of juicing…there’s a lot of trends: packaging, pasteurization, shortcuts, etc. It’s not a trend, it’s a lifestyle. We have to get back to basics and it rewards you tenfold. Get the right ingredients, good quality and store them and the device properly. Think of what you put into making a perfect coffee or a martini. Do it with juice.

 

Trent: Are there differences in the way people from other countries juice?

Kenney: Yes. In South America, they do “a la minute,” which means of the minute. They make one juice at a time. Take the time to make one at a time…you will taste the difference.

 

Trent: What juicer are you using now and why do you like it?

Kenney: The juicer I’m using now is PURE Juicer. The quality of the juice is always nutrient dense and it feels thick. PURE Juicer doesn’t heat up. Other juicers overheat and that impacts the flavor, appearance and nutrition content. PURE Juicer is a work of art. I appreciate art and architecture, and I trust it. It’s the only two stage juicer on the market, which means it combines fine grinding with high pressure to make the most juice with the highest nutritional yield. It’s even better than a commercial press.

 

Trent: What do you want to say about your school?

Kenney: It’s a living, breathing enterprise. An ecosystem of students from around the world working on food creativity. It’s about this collective of passionate people working to change the food paradigm.

 

Trent: How has the juicing world changed?

Kenney: It’s a dynamic time in the plant-based sector and I am honored to be fulfilling the mission I set out to do decades ago. And there are new trends in food and drink. After a year and a half of the pandemic, chefs have a revived consciousness of the work they do and its impact on the climate and the health of the citizens of the world. Top chefs around the world are juicing and it’s remarkable