An Interview With Villa Stephanie's Mohammad Joshani

Mohammad Joshani runs the kitchen at Villa Stéphanie. As a qualified diet chef and nutritionist, he conjures up healthy, calorie-reduced dishes that taste simply outstanding.

Losing weight while enjoying life - is that possible?

It's actually very achievable. The fact is that if you eat the right food, you usually don't have any weight-related problems anyway. Here at Villa Stephanie, we support our guests so that they can see their vision through.

How do you determine which diet is best for the guest?

First of all, a thorough body analysis is carried out by our nutrition and fitness coaches. They also give tips on weight loss and healthy eating. Each guest has to be considered individually. Depending on the guest's physical condition (or previous issues such as illnesses, allergies or intolerances), the specific menus are then discussed and adapted to them.

So there's no one menu for all?

No. Because we focus on implementing a truly personal programme. We currently have 17 detox guests. This means that 17 different dishes are served at lunchtime and in the evening. All dishes are cooked fresh and a la minute.

Is there a central theme in nutrition?

You should always have a good breakfast in the morning - we all know that. For the rest of the day, you always have to keep an eye on your carb intake. It is easy to digest carbs in the afternoon, but in the evening we recommend light, protein-rich dishes.

What could this type of menu plan look like? Can you give us an example?

In the morning, we start with a fresh grain porridge with cinnamon berries. The lunch menu could consist of baked pumpkin with spinach and sage pesto, followed by a berry trifle. And in the evening: a sole fillet with herb quark, chopped pine nuts and green asparagus. You can also replace a meal with a green smoothie.

Are smoothies really that healthy?

Smoothies are top-rate energy bombs. They contain an unbelievable amount of vitamins and fibre. Fruit, salad, spinach, cabbage and wild herbs. If you want to pamper your body, you should drink smoothies regularly.

And what about meat?

We of course also have meat and fish here. But we serve it in moderation, and it isn't breaded. However, the main focus is on vegetarian and vegan dishes. We're all about serving as few animal fats as possible, healthier oils hardly any wheat products and everything organic. We never use flavour enhancers or binding agents, and keep our use of cooking salt to a minimum. For seasoning, we pretty much only use herbs. The nice thing is that we haven't yet had a guest who complained that our dishes are bland. On the contrary, most guests are surprised at how good and intense healthy and natural cuisine tastes.