Cooking with Chef German Lam
"Freestyling" on the Road
German Lam is the author of the inspirational book The Dragon Turns to Water. During his culinary journey at the Ritz Carlton Boston, Chatham Bars Inn Cape Cod, Ritz Carlton Cleveland and The Harvard Club of Boston he evolved into a Master Chef creating his personal style of Freestyle Cooking. He is a cancer survivor who now focuses his time as a wellness and lifestyle consultant. German is also an instructor for One for Health’s BestSelf4Kids Program He loves sports, art, music and martial arts.
At age 55, German has turned his attention to consulting and giving talks, to tell his personal tale and share the philosophies that have strengthened him — to inspire and strengthen others. Over the years German has honed his philosophy which he calls the Freestyle Lifestyle. “Freestyle Lifestyle helped me stay in peak condition before I got this disease, and has made me strong enough to endure my battle against it.”
German believes anyone can use Freestyle Lifestyle to feel and be at their best during life’s peaceful times — before any major emotional or physical challenges. “But what’s more important is that Freestyle can be used to help people overcome the guaranteed real challenges they will be engaged in over their lives — the many types of major battles that come by virtue of just being alive.
German’s cancer is Nasopharyngeal (NPC), a malignant cancer from which the survival rate is basically the flip of a coin. The disease involves the nasopharynx. NPC symptoms include trouble breathing, speaking, or hearing, blood in saliva and nose, nasal congestion, ringing in ears, hearing loss, headaches and sore throats, as well as a lump in the neck caused by a swollen lymph node. During Proton/Chemo treatments German was not able to eat for 6 weeks!
“My body became Ash Wednesday due to the Proton treatments which killed my good cells needed for saliva, taste, hearing, and maintaining my energy level. Rebuilding from ground zero to present has been a challenge, nothing can bring back my good cells that were killed during this treatment. My own medicine without side effects to rebuild the body, mind and heart is food, working out, and my freestyle philosophy in life.”