![Chef James AVery](https://diningoutjersey.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/IMG_3583-scaled.jpg)
Interview by Diane Henderiks
Chef James Avery
Black Swan in Asbury Park.
Mainstay in Asbury Park.
Chef Inspired Healthy with Diane
One of America’s most experienced and educated culinary professionals, Diane Henderiks is on a mission to teach new levels of cooking and eating well!
![chef diane henderiks](https://diningoutjersey.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/DSC_4376_TPU.jpeg)
Introducing "Chef-Inspired Healthy with Diane"
Dining out is one of life’s pleasures but can be challenging if you are trying to eat healthy. In this regular series, Diane will visit a local eatery, choose a better-for-you option from the menu, and chat with the chef about healthy cooking.
First up is James Avery, Executive Chef for Asbury Park’s The Black Swan and The Mainstay.
Chef James Avery
James Avery’s passion for the culinary and hospitality industry started in his teens, working at a pizzeria… and that was all she wrote. He went on to earn a Culinary Arts degree at the Art Institute of Fort Lauderdale before heading back to his roots here in Jersey. Working side by side with amazing chefs like David Burke, Michael Mina, and Gordon Ramsey, James was a chef for Ramsey’s “Kitchen Nightmares” and “Hell’s Kitchen.” James also helped to open the iconic Dos Caminos and its three sister restaurants at Harrah’s Resort in Atlantic City. In the summer of 2014, he became the Executive Chef of the Asbury Festhall & Biergarten as well as the Executive Chef and partner at The Bonney Read in Asbury Park.
This year, The Bonney Read was redesigned with a new concept called The Mainstay, which has an up-tempo dining vibe that gives the feel of being at a pool or hotel lobby bar when you’re on vacation. In 2021, James opened The Black Swan, a European Gastropub where he is the chef owner. When not at the restaurants, James enjoys reading, Brazilian jiu-jitsu, yoga, weight training, meditating, and spending as much time as possible with his wife, Diana, and their four children. Let’s get James’ take on healthy cooking and eating!
![Chef James AVery](https://diningoutjersey.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/IMG_3583-scaled-e1721183065793.jpg)
![Mainstay 12_7-50](https://diningoutjersey.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Mainstay-12_7-50-scaled.jpg)
The Interview
Chef James Avery of The Black Swan & The Mainstay in Asbury Park
![Mainstay 12_7-36](https://diningoutjersey.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Mainstay-12_7-36-scaled.jpg)
DH: Do you see a trend with diners seeking better-for-you options on the menu?
JA: Yes, definitely! I see that people are looking for more approachable, diet-friendly options like gluten-free, paleo, and keto but don’t want just a salad with a light dressing. They want flavor-filled, satisfying dishes that meet their personal needs.
DH: What’s your definition of “healthy eating”?
JA: I’ve always considered healthy eating to mean “clean” and not worrying so much about calories and low fat this and that as much as dye-free, less processed, real food. If you ask your vegan friend what healthy eating is, they will give you a different opinion than someone who is following, say, a Paleo diet, right? Currently, I’m training for a bodybuilding competition so in my world right now, I eat 4,000 calories a day, 400 grams of carbohydrate, 250 grams of protein, about 120 grams of fat—so right now, that’s healthy to me. When not training, I prefer to eat one meal a day with intermittent fasting.
DH: What is your secret to cooking healthier without sacrificing flavor?
JA: Knowing how to manipulate flavor combinations. For example, when making a chicken quesadilla, I could have just done it with grilled chicken but I decided to add jerk seasoning so it has a spicy Caribbean flavor without adding unwanted ingredients. It is so important to add balance through salt, acid, and heat and make sure you have the right texture in a dish.
![Mainstay Handhelds 1-03](https://diningoutjersey.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Mainstay-Handhelds-1-03-scaled.jpg)
DH: What is your favorite dish on your own menu and why?
JA: The Bonney Burger is my favorite at the Mainstay, which is why it’s still here. It’s a really juicy, homemade burger made with high- quality beef, a sundried tomato and balsamic jam, which is very bright and acidic served on a toasted King’s Hawaiian roll with homemade burger sauce and some good waffle fries. When I want to indulge, this is my go-to. My everyday item is the Spicy Tuna Lettuce Cups, which is high-quality tuna with a sauce that I add truffle to and keep it fresh with the lettuce wrap. At the Black Swan. the thing I’m most proud of there is the Tikka Masala. When we opened, Indian-centric dishes were something I really wanted to do. I didn’t really know much about [that], so I taught myself how to make butter chicken which eventually evolved into a Tikka Masala type recipe. Learning how to work with those spices’ aromatics and emulsifying the fat into the final product… yeah, that’s my thing
DH: How about an update on what’s new and exciting in your life?
![the main stay 4](https://diningoutjersey.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/the-main-stay-4.jpeg)
Diane Henderiks
Chef Inspired Healthy with Diane
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Chef Diane
One of America’s most experienced and educated culinary professionals, Diane Henderiks is on a mission to teach new levels of cooking and eating well!
Celebrity Chef
Chef Diane has been an on-air contributor for Good Morning America, CNN, Fox & Friends, News 12 NJ and CBS News. She has also been featured in the New York Times and Shape Magazine.
Chef and Nutritionist
Registered Dietitian and corporate chef, Diane provides a wealth of knowledge to help the home cook take ordinary ingredients to new culinary heights.