Slim-Down Challenge

LeeAnna Callon

Chefs Jesse Houston and Tom Ramsey are an unlikely pair to challenge each other to lose weight. But the race is on.

by LeeAnna Callon
July 28, 2010

The sugary-sweet scent of morning pastries pervades the air among the boisterous morning patrons in the tiny, single room of Scurlock’s Donut Shop and Eatery near the corner of South Congress and Pearl streets. What better place to meet with two men who have recently embarked on a weight-loss challenge?

“This was really just for show; we normally wouldn’t have done that,” Tom Ramsey says of the assorted plate of glazed donuts, chocolate donut holes and a single blueberry donut placed in the center of our table.

Ramsey grabs a donut and pauses before taking a bite, giving a thumbs-up to Jesse Houston as he takes a picture with his phone.

Ramsey, a lobbyist and partner in Athena Government Relations, president and founder of Ivy & Devine Culinary Group and a food writer for the JFP, decided he wanted to lose some weight to feel more comfortable with himself and to prepare for an upcoming television project. He declared his self-improvement challenge on Facebook, and it wasn’t long before Houston wanted in. Houston is the sous chef at Parlor Market, a new restaurant opening soon on Capitol Street.

Ramsey and Houston created “Jesse and Tom’s Slim Down Challenge.” With both at a starting weight of 236, the first one to get below 200 pounds is the winner. While they haven’t decided on a prize for the winner (Ramsey says they are open to offers), the loser must spend an entire day dressed in drag in an outfit designed by friend Julie Skipper. There’s one condition: no crazy crash diets, just good, old-fashioned sensible eating and exercise.

“I just want this to be not complex. Most things are better if they are simple; a menu is better if it is simple,” Ramsey says.

Ramsey wants to reach his goal without compromising his style of cooking.

“I use butter. I use cream. I use milk. I use oils. I cook with bacon. I’m not going to trim all the fat off all the meat. I’m going to cook exactly the way I cook, but I’m going to eat less,” Ramsey says. “Portion control is what I think is the key to all of this, portion control and not just eating out of boredom. “

He adds that he is also drinking more water and not skipping breakfast. He says he chooses a light breakfast—plain Greek yogurt with a spoonful of honey and a squeeze of lemon—to fuel his morning walk with his recently adopted dog, Biscuit.

“Exercise and smaller portions, that’s how I’m going to whip his ass,” Ramsey says.

Houston has been focusing on his exercise regiment for the challenge.

“I’ve been running almost every morning,” Houston says, adding, “I just got a bike, so I’m going to try to bike ride places I need to go instead of driving. I’m going to get a nice big basket on the bike, E.T.-style. It’s going to be awesome.”

Cutting out sodas, drinking more water and skipping dessert are also part of Houston’s slim-down plan. He’s opting for vegetarian dishes when he goes out to eat. He finds this rewarding because he is trying and enjoying new things that he ordinarily wouldn’t order.

“I just have to keep active and conscious of what I eat,” Houston says. “The more active you are, the more you want to eat healthy. The less active you are, the less you care about eating healthy, and once you start down that path it’s easy to say, ‘Well, I’ve already had donuts today, I might as well have a giant burger.’ It’s easy to make all of these compromises.”

Buying foods from the local farmer’s market is another way Houston is being more conscious about what he eats.

“You can’t make a bad meal if you use everything from the farmer’s market,” Houston says, who began working in restaurants at 18 and attended the Texas Culinary Academy at 27. “It’s like God’s way of saying, ‘This all goes together. You can’t screw this up.’”

Owner Mark Scurlock approaches from the kitchen, a plate in hand with a cinnamon roll, a glazed twist and a few donut holes, saying, “Y’all are going to have to murder this before y’all go, because we’re going to be here until 1 o’clock.”

Ramsey accepts the plate and replies with a laugh: “Do you know why we’re here? We’re doing an interview about our weight-loss program.”

The plate of sweets is divvied up among Ramsey, Houston and Ramsey’s intern, Liz Lancaster, as they thank Scurlock’s staff.

“If this was a test, we failed,” Houston says, shaking his head.

Ramsey takes this opportunity to explain that there’s never a need to gorge yourself.

“There’s always tomorrow. I can eat some more tomorrow,” Ramsey says. “It’s not going to go away. They’re not going to stop making donuts.”

As we prepare to leave, Ramsey and Houston contemplate big plans for future publicity of their challenge. “Maybe we need ‘Jesse and Tom Slim-Down Challenge: The Musical,’” Ramsey says.

“I think we can make that happen,” Houston replies.

Though neither is a trained composer, both have high hopes.

“I have jazz hands,” Ramsey says with a laugh.

“And I have rhythm,” Houston says, drumming on the tabletop.

If you are interested in keeping up with the challenge, visit “Jesse and Tom’s Slim Down Challenge” page on Facebook for updates and some occasional smack-talk. You can also support your favorite challenger with a “Team Tom” or “Team Jesse” T-shirt, which will be available within a few weeks at Swell-O-Phonic on Old Canton Road.

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