Becoming the executive chef at Kamalaya (Koh Samui, Thailand), an award-winning wellness sanctuary and holistic spa resort, was a personal milestone for Kai Müller, and he accomplished it in 2006 at the age of 26. With his heart set on becoming a chef, he left home when he was only 16 to begin an apprenticeship in Austria. Müller then moved on to a Michelin-starred restaurant in Palma, Majorca, followed by a move to London, where he worked with chef Anton Mosimann, a pioneer of healthy cooking. After four-and-a-half years at Kamalaya, he left to become a food consultant and hone his skills, but he returned last June as culinary director.
“It was a synergy between Kamalaya’s natural and authentic cuisine and my own sensibilities that drew me to the role,” he says. “Having grown up with grandparents who ran a farm, I felt an affinity with Kamalaya’s sense of nature and its focus on sustainable, plant-based eating. I’d been raised harvesting vegetables, collecting berries and mushrooms—I was always very connected to nature.” Here, he shares his recipe for a refreshing detox juice.
KAMALAYA DETOX JUICE (serves one)
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1 ¼ cups of coconut water
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¼ cup of fresh pineapple juice
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1 handful of fresh basil leaves
STEPS:
- Place all ingredients in a blender with a few ice cubes, and blend on medium speed until well mixed (around 30 seconds).
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