Erwan Heussaff’s love affair with Waitrose

Erwan Heussaff, French-Filipino foodie who is such a hottie, has a new love. Her name is Waitrose and she’s also quite a hottie in the UK where she comes from. Their love affair goes back to the time Erwan was living in Paris, the romance capital of the world, where their paths crossed during a trip to the supermarket. You can say they’re a match made in culinary heaven.

In a public display of affection, Erwan tells us what he can do with Waitrose during a press launch at lunchtime Thursday. But wait, before you start entertaining prurient thoughts and feeling sorry for Erwan’s girlfriend Anne Curtis, let me tell you that Waitrose is an upmarket chain of British supermarkets. But of course, if you’ve been to the UK, you probably know that.

“Waitrose is the official royal grocer and wine & spirits merchant to Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Charles, but the prices of Waitrose products are not just for royalty but for everybody,” says savvy chic shopper Frances Yu, Rustan’s Supercenters Inc. (RSCI) vice president.

And so today, we fill Benny’s cozy cafe to the brim to find out what makes Waitrose worth the wait. With TV host Issa Litton, Erwan gets us to whip up our own food in this interactive lunch: our own  bruschetta with an assortment of toppings like Waitrose Artichoke; pasta pomodoro which we smother with dollops of the velvety delicious Waitrose Pomodoro E Mascarpone pasta sauce; and of course, for dessert, vanilla ice cream which I quickly and guiltlessly slather with sinful scoops of the Waitrose Seriously Chocolate Dipping Sauce. Seriously now, this is one chocolate worth dieting for.

Rustan’s Supermarket’s newest culinary partner Erwan Heussaff, who’s famous for his blog thefatkidinside.com, says, “It makes sense because Rustan’s is advocating what I’m trying to advocate. So we have the same message.”

His message is loud and clear. He confesses, “I was chubby as a kid, and I went from chubby to obese when I was 20. I worked in Greece and was living with three guys with six pack abs. They forced me to go to the gym with them and so I went. They forced me to take off my shirt and I was so embarrassed because there were so many pretty girls there.”

Thus, Erwan resolved to change his diet and his lifestyle.  “I stopped sugar and carbs for the first six months and lost 70 pounds. I had nothing with wheat, nothing with gluten, nothing with high glycemic index. I started working out four times a week. I started introducing certain foods in my diet and allowed myself to eat certain things in moderation, and I also upped my activity level to seven to eight times a week.”

But while Erwan is a certified health buff, his lady love Anne would not think twice about treating herself to a humongous meat pie with mashed potatoes.

He elaborates, “I call it a lifestyle diet, which is about discipline and making smart choices.”

How does Erwan’s diet go? A shake (made of protein powder with lots of fruits) for breakfast, protein and veggies for lunch and dinner, all of which he himself cooks. He also says six eggs (he likes them poached) a week won’t hurt.

For Erwan, the best way to be healthy is to eat fresh. And he loves shopping for fresh stuff at Rustan’s Supermarket. “I like cooking what I just bought,” he says with a cherubic smile.  “I cook my own breakfast, lunch, and dinner, focusing on fresh ingredients. You’ll see me shopping in my pambahay or sports clothes at Rustan’s Supermarket near where I live.”

To sweeten this deal, Erwan gives his personal recommendations through the Fat Kid Inside badge, which identifies his top picks and must-try items from Rustan’s Supermarket’s shelves.

When it comes to Waitrose products, you will simply be spoiled for choice. It’s got the Essential Waitrose for high-quality everyday basics at affordable prices;  Waitrose Love Life’s healthy eating line; Waitrose Cook’s ingredients, a mix of top-tier ingredients that offer mouthwatering solutions to assorted cooking needs; and Waitrose Organic, deliciously healthy must-haves for living well.

Rustan’s Supercenters Inc. president Donnie Tantoco addresses RSCI’s legion of loyal shoppers, “Filipinos deserve nothing less than the best, and by bringing in Waitrose, Rustan’s Supermarket is giving them exactly that: the best of Britain’s premium products and ingredients. It is our hope that Waitrose will expand and deepen our appreciation for the tastes and flavors of the world, particularly that of Britain, and enhance dining experiences at home.”

Frances Yu reveals, “We will continue to bring in exciting new products, both local and international, so that shoppers can expect something new all the time at Rustan’s Supermarket. We will be bringing in exciting American and European products: Ghirardelli chocolates, Stonewall Kitchen, Organic Valley line of dairy products, Yancey’s Fancy award-winning artisan cheeses, the award-winning Tillamook cheddar cheese, and many more.”

Excuse me while I nibble on my Waitrose all-butter cheese twist and sip my smooth and delicate Ceylon loose leaf tea as I listen to music by the Beatles.