Reinventing Yourself: From High Fashion to MasterChef with Daphne Velghe

Hey sunshines, welcome back to our podcast. We are very excited today because we are welcoming a model, master chef winner and author, a platis instructor. What else can this girl do? Daphne, welcome. Welcome. >> Thank you so much for having me. I'm like so excited to be here because I've been following you guys' podcast and I've known Marie Louise for such a long time. So being part of this podcast is kind of like bringing all the worlds together. You know, >> when my told me that you were in town, I was like, "Oh, who is she?" She's like, "Oh, it's my friend, and you know, she does this." And I was like, "Wow, you have such a unique profile. I mean, you're a model, but you have all this other side of you. You know, the cooking side. You did a show about it. You're writing about it now." So, I was like, we really have to have her. I want to know her story. I want to know where she's from. I want to know, you know, her whole path. Tell us a little bit about you. Where who are you, Dafany? Who the hell are you? Well, I feel like it's hard to follow this like introduction, you know? I'm like, like when I hear you talk, I'm like, wait, is that me? Is she talking about me? Um, but yeah, I basically I am from Belgium. I got scouted very young, but I still was in school. And, you know, once I started modeling, I traveled a lot. I spent a lot of time like traveling around in Europe. I also went to Asia. I spent time in Australia. And then right now, I'm based in New York. I still travel a lot back and forth to Europe because I'm like super close with my family and like I love also the change between the market, especially within fashion, how it's so different in Europe to New York. You know, there's like certain like >> subtle differences in like how the fashion is and how people work that I like in both places. And then so I've been modeling for a while full-time. I thought after my studies I was just going to give it a go for a year. I went to high school, I went to uni. Um, I have like, you know, a degree from university as well. And then once I was old enough to travel and my parents couldn't really stop me, I was like, "Okay, I'm going to try this modeling thing." And I gave myself like a few months, like I was going to go away for a fashion week and like, "Let's see, nothing to lose because I had my degree." And then that fashion week went really well and then the ball started rolling and then I gave myself another year and then I was like, "Oh, what about like I go to Australia for a few months, I go to Paris for a few months and so it just kept going and I loved what I did. I really loved all aspects of it. traveling, working with creative people. >> And I think that maybe this was kind of my calling or maybe what >> I felt like I was supposed to do with my life. And even though I was a good student and I had like, you know, good grades and all of that, only now do I feel like I'm really doing something that I love. Like I wake up and I'm tired, but I'm excited for the day. >> Um, so that's been amazing. And then in 2024, I got asked and end of 2024, I got asked to be on a cooking show. >> Okay. >> Celebrity Master Chef >> Flanders. And we're going to come about it. But how was it like to start so young? >> It must have affected me. >> But I think if now I look back and I only realized this very recently when I was speaking to a client of mine and I was saying when I was younger, my room was like painted in like I mean the colors weren't great. I wasn't great at like it was like all colors of the rainbow. But what I would do is I would go through magazines and I would like cut out images that I liked like fragrance campaigns and like not necessarily about the fashion but just beautiful images and I would put them up on my wall and make like a sort of a collage >> like a mood board >> like a mood board. And so I was doing that like at a young age and I think I never realized that oh maybe I'm more passionate about that than I thought I was. But how was it for you to choose to live in New York? >> I was terrified. >> How were you? >> When I when I got on that plane, I mean, I wasn't that young anymore because I was already studying, right? So, I was like >> late like teens, you know, so like I wasn't 14. Yeah. Still young. And I remember being on the plane and like I've watched all the movies and the TV shows about this city and I was like, "Oh my god, I felt so small in such a big city. It was so overwhelming." My mom came from came with me for the first four or five days and I'm so grateful because I probably would have had a panic attack if not. It was very overwhelming but it gave me a lot of energy >> and there was a way about how in United States like people are excited about trying new things and about being creative and about connecting and perhaps it can be more superficial at times but that initial like fire or excitement >> energy >> it doesn't matter you want to be a professional dancer actor athlete all those people they all end up in New York. It's true. Everyone that have a dream >> go there. >> If you want to be a chef, if you want, it doesn't matter. They all at some point pass by New York. And that says a lot about the city and who it attracts. It's so magnetic. >> And I think >> coming from a beautiful but smaller town in Anor, Belgium, I always had these like aspirations and people always were like, "Sounds cool, but you're crazy." And so I finally came to this city where people no longer saw me as crazy for having crazy dreams because I I I admit probably at that age it was kind of nuts to be like I'm going to New York. I'm going to, you know, but but here I am now and I've like made all that happen alongside with everyone I've connected with and and all the opportunities that I've gotten and some have gone amazing, some have gone less, but it's it's I think that's what gives me so much energy. I love that about that city. So you always had this cooking side of you, like were you cooking when you were young or was it like really something that came way later? >> So when it comes to the cooking, when I first got asked to be on the cooking show, I kind of said yes thinking, you know, as models we get options all the time. >> Yeah. How did that come to you? Like how did you end up there? >> Actually, wait a second. We need to say she >> actually won. That's true. But I want to know everything. I'm like, how did you like ended up in this show? Like how was it? How did you feel? It's it's equally when I say it out loud, it's still like I still surprise myself because I'm still like >> wait a second like like I guess like people are like oh my god you must be an amazing and I'm like well I guess I won the show. So yeah I don't know maybe there's like a a sort of a imposttor syndrome where I'm like I don't feel like I belong there but I guess I do because I won the show. >> Yeah, clearly. Um, but I think I had been in touch with um, someone who does casting for TV in Belgium for a few other shows prior and he really liked my profile of like a model living in New York. He thought it was very cool. >> And you were already cooking at the time. You were showing cooking things or not at all? >> Not not really. No, I mean I was sharing my healthy lifestyle, >> which was working out and like eating healthy and I I always loved like when I went to Mexico City for example, like I was taking myself because there's amazing restaurants and I was posting about it. So, but very organically, not maybe so much cooking, but just more like whatever fits in like the healthy lifestyle like realm >> and literally who you are and who I am who you are. So he reached out to me about some other shows but like you know it's it has to be the right fit. And then COVID happened and so it never really came to a thing. >> And then when he reached out about the cooking show I was like sounds a bit random but like why not? Also my um agent she said I could see you perhaps like transferring into maybe more of like a TV or you know doing anything like moving image on screen. So she gave me the courage to be like just say yes worst case it's one episode it's another experience you know you like it or not and I do love a challenge I you know that's also going to New York was a challenge this cooking show was a challenge >> and so then when I was on the show or like right before I started to realize that a lot of the people were like hobby chefs or actual chefs >> serious about Yeah. >> Yeah. passionate. I mean, some people did, everyone had their way of cooking because cooking is a bit like your style, you know, clothing style. Like some people have a colorful style, others like to wear black and white. It's like very similar. >> And so you kind of express your personality for what you cook. Yeah. >> Exactly. And who you are and what you represent and so I start I freaked out and then I prepared myself as well as I could. I was still It was crazy because I was in Paris for fashion week. I was working and I was either on set or I was like on a book like reading looking at YouTube videos like it was so crazy because it was also two like polar opposite worlds like at the time like you know like fashion and then I was like at home I would come home and I would like try to like I don't know make like a sort of a dip and like you know it's just it was like bizarre >> and I think once I started to prepare myself this whole world opened up to me where I realized iz that actually I can approach cooking just as I can approach anything else in the creative world, right? Like I made the comparison with food, with clothing, styling or outfit. >> So okay, how do I like to dress? What is my style? So I try to figure out >> what do I want to be known for when it comes to cooking? And my perk or my advantage to the other candidates is going to be that I'm well traveled. I like to use herbs and spices from different cultures, from Asia, from Japan, from Mexico, like places I've been. >> I've seen how people do things abroad, you know, like I've the plating like I've I've been >> You traveled a lot and >> Yeah. And I'm blessed to have eaten in restaurants in Paris and New York and Milan and had all these. So, plus I also like eating healthy and light and with good nutrients. So I was like, "Okay, maybe I can distinct myself >> by really my kind of cooking." I wanted to show on TV, >> maybe this is a thing more in my head, but a I wanted to show that models aren't dumb. That we have something to say for ourselves, that we're super independent, and that we can take on a challenge, that we are more than just pretty, and also that we eat. Those were eat. THOSE WERE TWO IMPORTANT THINGS. I was like, I'm going to have this opportunity. So, I need to like prove to like everyone in Flanders or Belgium that, you know, we can hold ourselves and also we're healthy and I hope that I did a good job at that. Yeah. >> Were you like very stressed like because you said you were prepared, right? You prepared yourself and everything, but when the show happened like >> absolutely terrified. >> Oh, really? >> I was terrified. It was actually a very similar feeling to when I first went to New York. I was like my heart was pounding. I could see the city. You know, when you look out of the window and then you see the city and you're like, >> "Oh boy, I'm way I'm this is way over my head, you know, like I don't I don't belong here." I had the same feeling when I >> went to Master Chef and that first episodes when you walk in on sets, it's like with the big Master Chef logo and there's kitchen wear and machines and like tools and like the best of the best and like you can use all this stuff. And I remember walking around and I was like, I don't even know what half I this is not a joke. Like I'm like, what is that? An air fryer? Is that what's the difference between this blender and this blender? And like >> it was it was so overwhelming. I was terrified because I was like, everyone's going to know that I don't know what I'm doing here. Like I don't belong here. I was like, how do I keep up this idea that I belong here? Once that first episode was over and I got really good feedback from like that first dish, I think I started to slowly trust myself a little more. But I do know that I have high expectations for myself, but in a way I I also don't think it's a bad thing. That's also what pushes me through life. I'm in certain situations because you have to push yourself through discomfort. And anything you put your mind to and you dedicate yourself to, you can achieve. But wait, let's go back to the Master Chef part. >> Yes. >> Is there a moment where you really thought like, "Okay, I could win this maybe." >> Well, I I remember the first episode when they tried my dish and the judges were like, >> "Wow, we are like really blown away." Like for us, this is like insane. Like this is an amazing especially in the first episode. >> I remember I was like I felt like I could be like trust on my instincts more. I was like maybe I don't need to doubt myself so much, which was great. And then there were definitely more episodes like I guess it came slowly over time but I think it was only until after I won and I had taken the trophy back to New York >> and I celebrated it with my friends in Belgium. It was only then it took me actually a long time to fully absorb it. You know, the show was recorded before it aired. And when it aired, it was like I went through all the insecure emotions again because I saw myself on TV and I knew the moments where I was insecure or I felt overwhelmed or I was scared. If I look at that first episode, I'm like, "Oh my god, look at this girl. She's terrified." She's like, "We're living it two times." >> Yeah. So, it it took me it actually took me a while to to feel confident. And even now, like with my book >> Oh, yes. Show your book. Yes, >> we got to talk about it. >> Now I'm still like, wait, I wrote a cookbook. Like, it still feels surreal. It's still crazy. And >> yeah, it's kind of bizarre. But then when I look through it and I don't know, I was like insecure about or or doubted like which dishes or ingredients. But in the end of the day, >> you can overthink everything as much as you want. But at some point, you also have to let go. And I think that's what I'm trying to work on more is like >> sometimes also letting go like okay >> we'll see you know and like see what you know what comes from it. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. So let's talk a little bit about this. Why did you decide to write the book then? >> So I think when I just won Masteref I was on this high of like >> you know what what else am I going to do? If I put my mind to something I can do anything. So, even though I was exhausted from because the shooting days are long, I remember I came home and I said to my husband, "I need a new challenge." And he was like, "You're crazy. You need to relax and like but it it gives you energy." And then I said to him, "I would actually love to do a cookbook. Do you think that's crazy?" And he was like, "I I don't think that's crazy. I think maybe like look into it." So, I spoke to some friends who are like more in the like culinary restaurant world in New York and they they said, "Yeah, you know, totally. Like it's going to be a lot of work, but why not?" But then I informed myself like more about like the whole process and it was very daunting like it's very time consuming you know the coming up with the recipes testing them doing the shoot >> and because it was my idea and I >> even though I have a lot of contacts like within fashion I don't have them within like publishing world >> so I was a bit taken back by the organizational aspect of it and then life happened you know jobs and modeling and traveling. So, I didn't really have time to do all the research in it until later on publishers reached out to me and they had like the idea and they had a pitch and they, you know, they have someone doing the art direction, they have someone doing the layout, like you know, they have all these bits in place. So, doing it together felt more digestible. And I still kind of took my time. Like we started the conversations end of 2025, like late 2025. And then >> I only started really like working on it like in the spring and then slowly by slowly the whole bit comes together. But it's it's it is a process. It is definitely a process. >> Yeah. I remember we were having coffee. You're like, "No, I need to go home, make these recipes. I need to do this." And I was just like, "Wow." And you were like running around from job to job. And I was so amazed. Like >> yeah because I mean that's one thing that I am very proud of is that like I'm came up with like it's my book you know I was very involved in every aspect of the book like coming up with the recipes testing the recipes on the shoot it was like just me and the photographer there was no food styling it we just kind of did it on our own and I'd never done I mean I've been on set multiple times but doing a shoot for a cookbook is a is a whole other thing because the the way the light capture things and if you wanted something to look shiny and certain ingredients don't photograph well or it was I learned so much. >> I was going to say I was about to say you must have learned so much >> guys. I brought like tweezers like food styling tweezers like like to set because sometimes you go so close up you want to move like a leaf or a crumb or a nut. And I would be on set like like the photographer and I had this like joke that she say, "Oh, the tweezers are coming out." And then I would be like on set coming in like placing things and that was that was definitely um you know very exciting to like learn and it was hard. It was hard. But that's literally the like the perfection in let's say we are doing a shoot and it's super close up like let's say you're shooting beauty and everything is about the eyelashes or something like is this know it's the same with the food I guess like now when you're saying the small leave and like the pepper thing you know what you put in your recipes and I think that's what I learned from doing >> the this whole cookbook that actually there's a lot of parallels to be drawn within the modeling world and the cooking world. you know, when it comes to like it's about bringing the right flavors together and that's that we do the same on set. You you bring the right outfit in the right set with the right model with the right, you know, you you're creating something and I think the creative aspect >> is something that I love. Like when it came to I mean when we shot the cover, I was like I see like me on the counter and like being dressed like quite extravagant and like that was like I loved it because it I could really merge my my two worlds. I could merge like me as a model and then me as a chef which didn't feel like as glamorous. But I I tried to bring like those like flavors or colors or things with me in the book. >> You're making cooking sexy. >> But but I think that's makes it literally stick out from others. You are putting these two worlds together and you're showing that up. But look at the cover. Look at the cover. That shows it. >> Yeah. >> And that's show it to the camera. But you know what I find interesting about your um character or personality? When Marlo told me, "Oh yeah, I have a friend, you know, she's she's cooking, she's doing this cookbook, she did master chef." And I was like, "Oh my god, she must have like she's going to tell us she cooks since she's five and she's been like this cooking thing. It's, you know, she was born with this talent." And what I love is that you're saying I just put my mind to it because I liked it, but then I did it fully and it worked. We see that it worked. You won the Master Chef. you're doing your cookbook. So, I find it very inspiring that you don't need to be born with this talent. You don't need to, you know, no, you just like it, but then you work for it. You truly worked and and it worked out. And I find it so inspiring. >> I'm glad you like pinpoint this because it's I think a lot of people look at someone successful or whatever it is and they think, "Wow, she must be so lucky. She's so talented. She's born with it." And like now in life, I'm actually learning that sure some people are in the right place at the right time or that can happen. But a lot of these people that you're looking at, they there's a difference between being talented and then there's being a hard worker. And I think a lot of people confuse talent with someone who's dedicated and a hard worker. And >> I think that's the case for a lot of people that you may look up to or that you think, "Oh, wow. how did they do it? They just put their mind to it and they really invested and sometimes, you know, made a social sacrifice or something else. And I think in the end of the day when you're on the other side, >> it's worth it. If I I need to have a challenge. And I think now my goal, I mean, let's see how I do, but my goal is more or less to like once a year do something that scares me. Whether that is a TV show or making a cookbook or it can even be like I'm going to go skydiving, but like something that challenges you. And >> I think also what is a great tool to have in life is curiosity. I don't think people realize like curiosity is literally a seed for so many things. If you can just be curious, >> then it's the start of everything just >> so true. >> And that's in a professional level, but I think it can be >> also socially or meeting people. If you're curious about like something else and you learn about it, you can maybe like, oh, I thought cooking wasn't sexy, but now I realize it is sexy. Oh, I thought maybe I didn't really like cooking, but actually I like quick, healthy cooking, you know? So, it's it all starts with like that little sprinkle of like, oh, I want to learn more about this. And it for me it was slightly forced because I was like, you're going to be on TV cooking for an entire nation. So, I was like, damn, I better be curious, you know? >> But also the way you really put your mind to something, you always do it. >> Well, I think that's also part of like how I am, but also bit how I was raised. Like >> my parents were very much always saying like if you're going to start doing something, just do it. do it well, do it good, you know, like don't do something halfway. Yeah. >> And maybe they were quite strict with about my grades in school and about you have to finish school before you start something else. And in that moment, it was annoying and I didn't want to. But now when I look back is I'm very grateful that they gave me this uh work ethic >> and sometimes people laugh about it or >> not like a dirty word, but it's like oh this person is like a workaholic or you know it can be but I think just having good work ethic and holding yourself accountable for your dreams is is amazing >> and that doesn't need to be that doesn't need to happen all the time. But just be honest with yourself. You know, if you really want something, break it down in small bits. Make it digestible and just chew on it like bit by bit until you're always one step closer to your goal. But you have always done the same in modeling. For me, you always been the person fighting going after your goal. >> Yeah. I mean, I think, you know, of course, there's like been def there's there's been moments when you're like, "Oh my god." Because I think people only see >> our successes like they see my book, they see my show, and they're like, "Oh my god, must be great being Daffhne." Like but people don't realize that how often >> we get turned down, how often opportunities slip past us, how often people don't see our potential at all. Was there ever challenges you faced? >> I mean within the cooking there were there were I knew for example like I don't know well I don't know how to cook meat and there are certain things that are I don't eat that often. So naturally I'm not like it's not my strength or like baking desserts. >> It's like an exact science. I'm like, that's not really my home turf. And I think within modeling, um, you know, there's every day there's still insecurities of like a little voice. I think I I try to be better at realizing when I'm talking to myself negative, you know, like that little voice in your head that's like, you're not good enough or, >> you know, you you're not going to look cute in this picture or, you know, like something. I try to just be aware that >> it's natural that it happens but that that doesn't necessarily mean it's the truth or I need to listen to it. >> Yeah. You burst >> and then just like letting that go but it's hard. It it is it is one of these toughest thing in the industry >> and also if I go through periods like this year like >> mentally I remember I went through a phase where I was questioning a lot of things and I didn't feel as confident or as like energetic as I usually do. I think maybe it was just a bit overwhelmed >> doing the cookbook and like and then with model >> I was wondering how do you balance it all? >> It made me so like overwhelmed and then insecure because you're like oh my god like now people are expecting I'm going to do this book and and I went through a bit of like um I would say not like necessarily negative but a bit more like everything felt really heavy and tough and then I started questioning myself which is I hate because I'm such a bubbly and happy person and that's how everyone knows me. So when I'm not really feeling like that, it's it's like an identity crisis. I'm like, >> of course, you know, what's going on? And I think I just try to be patient and then now I feel like I'm on the other side because like the book is out and you know what I mean? I have like so many things I'm excited for. >> But yeah, sometimes it's overwhelming and like I definitely have like low moments that you know people like, how does she cope with it all? I'm like half the time I'm not really coping. I'm just stressed out. I'm like sweating. I'm like replying to an email about one thing while doing the next. And like I think right before we did the the shoot of all the recipes and the ingredients, I had this fantastic idea that I it was always one of my bucket list things I wanted to do, but I wanted to go to Khan Film Festival. >> Yeah. >> For a few years, I tried to plan it. It was too last minute. Couldn't make it happen. So like I didn't want to go to Khan like illprepared. >> So this year I was like this year is going to be the year I'm going to go to Khan. And then the dates of Khan of course over overlapped with the days that I wanted to shoot the cookbook and you know because it worked well with like my modeling schedule at the time. So I'm like that's fine. Like that's typical Daphne. It's like it's fine. I'm going to be able to do both. Like I'm just going to go to come and then I'm going to do the film festival and I'm going to do some carpets and then I'm going to go to Belgium. Then I'm going to do the shoot. All going to be good peace, you know? >> And then it came closer and I was like damn like this shoot is like I have to buy all the ingredients. I have to make a shopping list. I have to then transport everything from >> to to set. I got to make the recipes at home. So, most people like when you're on set shooting these cookbooks, you don't have a lot of time because you have to shoot I mean this is over 60 recipes. So, it's a lot. It's a lot. We we had four or five days. So, it's like I mean it's >> it was like 10 12 recipes a day. It's a lot. Yeah. I only realized this closer to the time and so because Khan was like right before I literally had an evening. I was landing late in the evening from Khan and then I had one day to do all the shopping, prep all the dishes and then transport them from my city to Ant. And so I had to like call up my dad and thank God I have like great like friends back at home who would like go to the supermarket with me at like 8 a.m. So I would like >> and also it was a holiday weekend so the shops were closed. I don't know why I picked that weekend in the first place. It was a bad idea, but here we are. We have to make it work. >> You made it. >> So, the funniest thing for me was that I'm at K Film Festival. I have like I get invited to like a big red carpet, which was always my dream. I wanted to like, >> you know, when you're little and you look at the movie stars on the Khan red carpet. I mean, it is so iconic. So when I got my invitation and I had hair, I had makeup, I had a dress, I had shoes, I was like, "Wow, this to me, you know how little girls look forward to like wedding that for me that was that kind of moment was like, "Wow, this is amazing." And then I'm on the carpet and then you're on this high like afterwards you get your pictures and your video and you're like and while I'm doing this like at the same time I'm making like my grocery shopping list and I'm like talking talking to the photographer about like oh should we shoot like the noodles together with the and I'm like this is so like it felt a little schizophrenic because it was like >> you would never see me in like a gown on red carpet and then like in an apron 24 hours later or less after it was crazy. So that to me was very much like um the polar opposites felt like very crazy and I probably should have like you know done one thing and maybe not the other but in the end we did both and we made it work. >> Yeah because you're you're doing everything. You're cooking, you're cleaning, you're doing dishes, you're food styling, you're doing the lights, you're changing the backgrounds. You know this is my first book so I'm still figuring everything out. That's also why I feel so proud of it because I can say that from scratch. I was there every step of the way. >> It's really you. Like this book, it's you from the beginning to the end. >> It's my baby. It's my baby. >> It's literally my first born. >> It's your first born. >> It's my first born. And um yeah, I need to I need to make sure he's doing fine. >> But that's so interesting. Like how do you balance because we didn't talk about one side of you because there's one more which is you're a Pilates instructor. >> Yes. the Pilatis and like movement that has always been part of my life and it has always been important. So as a young girl uh I did ballet since I was like four or five years old and I think it was another way to express myself >> that I I don't think I realized when I was a teenager how important that was for me. Um it's only later on when I started traveling and I was I couldn't do like the classes I was you know the regular classes of like four or five days a week that I really felt like something was missing >> because all the multitasking great but the downside of it is that sometimes my brain is just processing so many things at once that I have a hard time to like switch off. And I think especially with modeling, we can sometimes be very disconnected from our bodies because our bodies is our vessel. It's how we work. A musician has his violin as like his tool. For us, that is our body. We get judged by it. We get measured. We get we see it in photos. So we disconnect from it because we see it as an objective bit that we work with. >> Yeah. And so you also need to, I think, as a model, find the time to restore that balance that you have between your body and you because you're one and you need to love it, too. And and accept it how it is. And on some days, I have my period and I'm bloated. And for me, the dancing and that movement part made me feel like I was in my body and sometimes I'm too much in my head. And so a friend took me to a Pilates studio and I realized that a lot of the movements and the way that you're moving your body very functionally. I felt that was also how we were moving in ballet. It's quite precise like turn in, turn out, rotation, like >> you know like being making sure that your rib cage is like you know there's like there were like little tweaks like when you're doing the footwork and you're jumping on the board like that's literally you doing ballet in all the positions. Yeah. So I really got obsessed by it. Started taking a lot of classes and then I loved my job but sometimes I felt hungry for more in a way where I wanted to be more than just a pretty face. And then I got certified by coincidence right before co co all the studios were closed. So naturally people were coming to me. I bought my own reformer. I built like a little studio at my friend's place where I did like oneon-one. It's also a beautiful collaboration with modeling, right? Because you're it's all about looking good and being fit and and I loved that like those two worlds went so well together. Then slowly I also did some events with some brands or like hosted, you know, for like a beauty brand, but they also wanted to do like a a very interactive inerson activation. Like I would teach a Pilates class. And so now >> with all this cooking endeavors, I've had less time to do my Pilates endeavors. So now I'm like missing that. But I think all of those go well together. You know, you have the modeling, you have the Pilates, and then you have the cooking. But actually, as a model, you need to be fit, and you need to eat healthy anyway. So, >> what made you want to actually, you know, take the step to like not only because you like Pilates, but like teach people? >> When I was younger, there was I always said I I mean, I think maybe this is like 80% of young girls are like, I want to be a teacher. You know, that was one of those things. So I think there is something what I love about working with people >> and I think it also left me feeling fulfilled where I felt like I did something good because whenever someone leaves my class they're like oh my god I feel so much better like my back was tight or I was so sore or I'm trying to recover from this knee injury you know little bits like that. So you're kind of like a magician because in 45 or 45 minutes or an hour time someone walks out and they feel much better. That's how I feel when I go to a class. You we you're demanding a lot from your body and nervous system. >> And so I think now with food because >> a lot of people ask me about as a model the relationship with food. I now have made this shift where I very much see my food as like okay it has to fuel me because otherwise you know you have to make sure that you have all your nutrients in and it's not just about being skinny or fit. It's also about like do I have everything? Am I giving myself everything I need? It's almost like a like a professional athlete like they also tweak >> their um >> intake and their diet based on how they have to perform the next day. And I think for models, it's best to to approach it in a similar way where it's not just about like >> what is keeping me skinny because that's not what it's about. >> Yeah, that's true. How do you manage to mentally balance it all? Like what do you do on the day off? Do you take days off? >> I actually feel like half the time when I'm working it doesn't feel like work >> because I really love I really love I mean of course when I'm >> in the supermarket at 7 a.m. to shoot a like I'm like I curse. I'm not going to lie, I cursed and I was like, why did I get myself in this situation? But most of the time, I'm actually I love what I do. And I think so many people >> maybe go to work and they're not finding they're maybe it's like a job, you know. And I think if you can find something or you can find an aspect of your job or career that you really really love and again that's where the curiosity comes up again. You have to continuously be curious otherwise it's a drag. It's a, you know, it's it becomes like a like a pain. However, I do like now this summer, I reached a point where I was like, okay, with social media, because that's another full-time job that we're always trying to maintain. >> It is. >> As much as I love it, you know, it's it's a full-time job. >> Um, I was like, I want I need to go on holiday and for like a week or two weeks, I I don't want to post. I don't want to think about posting. that I yet still post because it's like, you know, I mean, I did take like a week, but those are the moments sometimes where and it can I find it easier back in Europe because life is much slower. Live a simple life and just simple schedule, don't dress up, no makeup, and just chill and have a book. And that's how I recharge. And I think >> maybe I need to plan those moments in more often because >> as much as I seem like I'm doing a lot. I'm also stressed a lot. I'm not going to pretend like I'm gathered and I'm zen all the time because I'm not. But also, you know, our days, well, in for especially in modeling, we all can speak, but our days change all the time. We don't really know what's going to happen tomorrow. And yes, we're used to this, >> but it's also stressful if you really think about it. >> It's like I said on the way here, the girls asked me, "Oh, until when are you in Europe?" And I was like, "Oh, I don't know." Like I I was like I was supposed to go back on the 7th but now I'm doing the 15th because I have an event and then now I have some shoots and so I don't know I may just be in Europe all of October. >> People were like yeah we get that. >> And most people like if I explain this to my family or my friends they get really confused because they think I I >> you know when >> Yeah. They think I don't want to share it with them or they think I'm like I don't want to make a plan but I'm just it's literally because I don't know I don't know I don't know what I'm doing with my life you know. But I think that mentality is what prepares me for like all of this handling% because you know that one day you're like called to do X. We can like switch >> and that was very tough as a young girl. If they would tell me you have an option >> that whole week I would be anxious. Is it confirming? Is it not checking my emails? And now I try to just be more like try to not think about it almost because it just it's a constant anxiety knowing that something may change but may not. And that was that was tough for me to learn. >> But I think that's what's nice when you know we have a community here and we all live like maybe a similar like nomadic existence at times. So we understand it. But for me it was also hard to >> implement that with my >> personal life and my family back home. because you know there is a wedding, a birthday party, there is something important and sometimes that makes me really sad that you can't always be there for all those moments. >> And >> yeah, that's also when sometimes when I go back and I feel like I've missed out on a bunch because I was too busy doing whatever it is I was doing, I I really want to soak up as much as I can with them because yeah, then you're gone again and then you're missing it. And I think it took my environment also a little bit of time to adjust to my lifestyle. So I I hope that they all know that like it's never because I don't care. It's just because like I don't know what's happening. >> But I'm curious, what would be one advice that you would give now that you've lived all of that and went through all of this like to your younger self? >> Enjoy the ride. Like you're in for a treat. >> Yeah. >> That would literally be what I would tell my younger self. Like if I see myself like anxious like on the plane to New York and I have to say this to myself now too because sometimes I'm so overwhelmed and anxious that I forget to enjoy that moment in that moment because then when it's over and you guys are like you did so well I'm like oh yeah I forgot to like enjoy in that moment >> because you're so >> planning ahead >> planning ahead and I think >> it's only human to do that but I I that's advice that I would give my younger self and my current self like I still have to say this like enjoy every moment because maybe right now you're living in a time that in a year you'll look back and you're like wow that was such a great moment. >> Amazing. Well, thank you Deafany. >> Thank you Dany. >> Thank you so much for having me. This is >> it was very nice >> and I can't wait for you guys to like try some of the recipes. I can't wait. >> I can't wait. I can't wait. >> Thank you. Thank you.