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Meet Your Neighbor: Chef Pete Ghione
By Callie Thomas
Who would have known that, on average, people consume approximately 150 pounds of sugar each year. Resident and Chef Pete Ghione does. The award winning chef ditched his high powered position managing a staff of 650 people at the Rio All Suite Hotel & Casino, where they feed 16,000 people a day, to pursue a career in healthy eating and helping a worldwide audience fight cancer with a fork.
It is estimated that 1.6 million people will be diagnosed with invasive cancer in 2012 alone. Half of men and 1 in 3 women will be diagnosed in their lifetime. Chef Ghione switched culinary gears, finding that he was able to impact people’s lives by sharing his knowledge and expertise to not only educate people about healthier eating but to work with cancer patients and others by turning meals into opportunities to improve health and increase chances of preventing and fighting the disease. He also works with the help of UNLV and their facilities to provide free cooking demos to the public to teach them about healthy ingredients, cooking methods and staving off cancer.
His efforts are showing results. For the past two and a half years, he has been working with a lung cancer survivor who was given only a 2% chance of living and who is currently going on six and a half years since that diagnosis. Could a new food regime be the catalyst? Chef Ghione certainly gives us food for thought. In fact, he talks about his passion for sharing what he knows through his website www.cancercuisine.com, how he’s personally committed to helping others, that just because something is organic doesn’t always make it good for you and why drinking green tea should become an important part of your everyday lifestyle.
What’s the difference between preparing dishes for guests at a major casino and what you’re currently cooking up for your clients?
“I was really proud of running the food division of a major casino at the age of 26, being a silver medalist in the world culinary Olympics in Erfurt, Germany in 2004 with Team Las Vegas, but it wasn’t until I started to impact people’s lives that I thought I found something special and became so connected to eating healthy.”
What’s it like helping others and seeing spectacular results?
“Helping desperate people change their lives for the better is amazing and could never compare to any paycheck from a Strip casino.”
You’ve had amazing results with a lung cancer survivor.
“Yes, he’s been cancer free for the past two years, which is the longest he’s been healthy since he was diagnosed the first time. He swears the only thing he’s changed in his life is his diet, so I’m very proud to be a part of his very rare success story.”
How can food fight cancer?
“Studies have shown that cancer growth is increased with the consumption of sugar and ingredients such as white flour, white rice and fruits and vegetables known to be high glycemic. Sugar is a flammatory and avoiding it will decrease inflammation in the body and significantly reduce the fuel that stimulates cancer growth.”
Is organic always best?
“Using organic ingredients prevents inflammation caused by conventional ingredients that contain petroleum based fertilizers and pesticides. Foods like corn and watermelon may be organically grown but are still high in sugar.”
What’s the benefit of green tea?
“It’s been found to have a compound that inhibits the growth of cancer cells.”
What prompts your passion for helping others?
“I think I get that from my mother, who just passed away. She was a registered nurse in a pediatric office for 23 years. It was a passion of hers to help others.”
How do you unwind after a busy and sometimes intense day?
“Spend time with my two year old daughter or get on a Harley. Come along if you can keep up. Don’t ask where we’re going because destinations are limitations.”
