Some careers seem entirely fueled by coffee — think long-haul freight drivers, morning news producers, and PhD candidates, just to name a few. You’d think a busy chef and restaurateur would be high on that list. But for Carla Hall, a Washington, D.C.-based celebrity chef who was launched into television fame after participating in Season Five of Bravo’s “Top Chef” back in 2008, coffee is not calculated into any part of her morning routine.
Instead, at the risk of compromising her chef rep, Hall shared that she prefers to start her day with a glass of water. She detailed everything she eats in a day during her 2021 interview for Harper’s BAZAAR’s “Food Diaries” series (via YouTube). According to Hall, her lack of coffee consumption might be a surprise to people who know her because, “It probably seems like I drink a lot of caffeine, which I do not.” In fact, Hall says she doesn’t have any caffeine at all.
Carla Hall believes that popular dishes often come from necessity, and her reason for ditching a cup of joe in favor of a glass of water is similarly straightforward. She simply doesn’t like coffee, she told Harper’s. While her day doesn’t include any caffeine, Chef Hall does admit that she’ll occasionally indulge in a cup of tea with dessert. If you’re like Hall and you detest the taste of coffee, check out these 20 coffee substitutes to start your day.
Carla Hall’s coffee-free morning breakfast
Some people swear by the health-improving powers of drinking a glass of water first thing in the morning. While we don’t think any die-hard coffee drinkers will ever be convinced to swap their morning brew with water (especially not the one writing this article), breakfast is a great opportunity to keep other healthy eating goals on track. In fact, health plays a big role in Chef Carla Hall’s morning routine, as she shared that she prefers to start her day with a protein-fueled classic go-to.
According to Hall in her Harper’s BAZAAR interview, her typical daily breakfast consists of a maple and brown sugar oatmeal with cinnamon, a sprinkle of salt, and 100 grams of fruit. Hall also revealed that she’s started microwaving her oatmeal in a gigantic bowl because the oatmeal was boiling over and making a mess “at least twice a week.” If you, too, are messing up your oats twice a week, here are some tips on how to avoid oatmeal-making mistakes. If you’re looking to add more protein to your oatmeal, we recommend cooking it with a higher protein milk like Fairlife.
Another way to boost protein is by crushing up your favorite combo of nuts and seeds to sprinkle on top of your oatmeal — this will also add some crunchy texture to the otherwise gummy dish. You can even add protein powder to your oatmeal, which improves its flavor and gives it a creamier texture. Chef Hall likes to add fruit such as blueberries and bananas. This is a great way to add a little bit of protein as well as sweetness to oatmeal without relying on straight sugar, which lacks the nutritional value of fruits.
