Food for Mental Health Recovery: A Q&A with Private Chef, Darius Endriukaitis
Medically reviewed by Paul Hornsey
Table of Contents
- How do you design a luxury, personalised menu that also stabilises mood and blood sugar?
- What Does a Meal Plan for Better Sleep Look Like When Designing a Menu of Food for Mental Health?
- Which Simple Food Shifts Can Help the Symptoms of Menopause?
- In Early Addiction Recovery, Which Meals and Routines Reduce Cravings and Energy Crashes?
- What Is Your Go-To, Alcohol-Free Pairing That Feels at Home in Luxury Dining?
- How Do You Build A Portable, Food Plan for Mental Health during Travel Weeks and Board Meetings?
Darius Endriukaitis is one of our renowned private chefs that specialises in luxury choices of food for mental health recovery and addiction rehabilitation. He has over two decades in fine dining and luxury events but, at Harbor, he designs refined and nourishing menus that support both mental and physical wellbeing. His approach blends seasonal, premium ingredients, clinical awareness, and cultural sensitivity – so every plate is tailored to the individual and the moment.
This week we sat down and gleaned his insight into how personalised nutrition can help to improve mental health, sleep, and recovery.
How do you design a luxury, personalised menu that also stabilises mood and blood sugar?
“I start with taste, texture and seasonality, then build in balance from there. When it comes to food for mental health, the key is in low-GI carbohydrates – paired with quality protein and healthy fats – to help steady glucose across a meal. That keeps energy even and reduces “peaks and troughs” that can drive irritability or fatigue.
This is since rapid swings in blood glucose levels can trigger stress hormones; therefore, stability supports clearer thinking and steadier mood. Personalisation in food for mental health is also a main consideration. Cultural preferences, intolerances, training schedules, and the day’s clinical priorities all also help to shape the plate. Lastly, presentation is most definitely a part of the experience.
The goal is indulgence without volatility … food that satisfies the senses and supports the nervous system.”
What Does a Meal Plan for Better Sleep Look Like When Designing a Menu of Food for Mental Health?
“I keep dinner light and early to reduce overnight digestion; think lean protein, complex carbohydrates, and gentle fibre … a ‘go to’ menu of food for mental health could be grilled salmon with quinoa and steamed asparagus, finished with good quality olive oil. I avoid stimulants after midday and minimise refined sugars in the evening. For a pre-bed option, I like a small oat-and-almond cluster with chamomile tea – magnesium, tryptophan, and slow carbs that cue rest.
Here, timing matters as much as content – a consistent wind-down, lower lights, and hydration managed earlier in the day, so sleep is less interrupted.”
Which Simple Food Shifts Can Help the Symptoms of Menopause?
“I firmly believe that the biggest results come from small adjustments. The food one chooses can help support better mental health during this stage of life.
For hot flushes, I suggest reducing caffeine and spicy foods, instead including phytoestrogen-rich ingredients like soy, flax and chickpeas. Sleep support often means prioritising magnesium-rich foods – pumpkin seeds, leafy greens – and calming herbal infusions in the evening. Lastly, when it comes down to food choices for improved mental health and mood, like to I balance omega-3 sources (salmon, walnuts, chia) and stabilise blood sugar through slow carbs paired with protein.
In practice, that might be a plant-forward tasting menu with soy-infused broths, miso-glazed fish, or flax-seed crackers – elegant, measured, and aligned with the wants and needs of the individual.”
In Early Addiction Recovery, Which Meals and Routines Reduce Cravings and Energy Crashes?
“There is no great secret when it comes to food for mental health recovery and addiction rehabilitation … I find that it can be as simple as the therapeutic structure in what food we consume, and when. I like to use frequent, balanced meals to prevent dips that can fuel cravings.
For example, every plate I prepare carries a triad of protein, complex carbohydrate, healthy fat. Glutamine-rich foods – cabbage, spinach, lentils – that can support neurotransmitter repair.
Mornings begin with hydration, then a steady cadence of meals or snacks every three to four hours. I avoid long fasting windows in the early stages of recovery. The aim is predictable energy, calmer physiology, and fewer triggers for impulsive eating or reliance on quick fixes.”
What Is Your Go-To, Alcohol-Free Pairing That Feels at Home in Luxury Dining?
“The beverages we consume are almost as important as food consumed for mental health recovery.
I like to lean on complexity and ritual. Fermented teas – aged oolong or kombucha – served in fine stemware bring acidity, length and a sense of place. Botanical distillations with juniper, rosemary, or citrus peel work well as crafted aperitifs with tonic. For something wine-adjacent at the table, sparkling verjus or a grape must has brightness and food friendliness that brings the wine-like feeling of sophistication … without the addition of alcohol. The service matters though: beautiful glassware, correct temperature, and thoughtful pairing notes.
How Do You Build A Portable, Food Plan for Mental Health during Travel Weeks and Board Meetings?
“Non-messy, shelf-stable options that are pre-portioned and ready are good choices. So, for example nut-and-seed blends with tart cherries, individual sachets of matcha, whole-food protein bars, vacuum-sealed smoked salmon or artisanal jerky for protein … the choices are endless.
I like to pair that with habits that travel – hydration rituals, set mealtimes around flights, and pre-ordering better choices with hotels or airlines. The result is a small kit and a simple routine that protects energy, focus and mood when stress is high and days long.”
If you’d like to explore a chef-led, personalised nutrition plan within a one-to-one mental health recovery programme – tailored to your wants and needs, mood, sleep, recovery, or travel – our team can curate it quietly and precisely.
Talk with us directly today and begin a discreet conversation.
