Clean eating and fitness guru Sarah Dusseau opened her Brookfield restaurant with partner Renee Scheterie earlier this year, laughing that now her daily workout is running a restaurant, a constant task with very few breaks. Her delightfully trendy wine bar and up-tempo eatery is called CafeOne24, named after the street where it’s located.

Before this latest kitchen tour de force, the bubbly Dusseau was teaching pilates and directing TRX classes, working with as many as 30 clients per week. "The key is to keep moving," she emphasizes. "I am rarely still."

"It is truly amazing to watch how people’s attitude and demeanor change once they ‘go healthy,’" Dusseau points out. Subsequently, there aren’t any additives, preservatives, animal fats, unhealthy trans-fats or high caloric, greasy meals on the CafeOne24 menu.

In addition to dropping in at her cafe for a grilled vegetable quinoa salad or a grass-fed ground sirloin burger, she suggests eating well by having healthy snacks ready. A big no-no is falling into the pitfalls of late-night pantry raids. For the most part, anything packaged on a shelf is not good for you, she says. "If you are going to eat out, eat smart. Know what you are getting and don’t be afraid to ask for modifications. Any decent restaurant is going to be happy to accommodate special requests," Dusseau says.

Her children’s menu also emphasizes the good side of grub, with a grilled sandwich of sprouted grain bread and Wisconsin cheddar or whole wheat fresh pasta with olive oil and Parmesan cheese, among other friendly munchkin-munchies.

"I started to get very interested in healthy living after I had my second child. I started doing pilates and learning about the importance of eating right," Dusseau says. For her, things snowballed when she went for her pilates certification, then earned a personal training certification and began training people in their homes and cooking for them.

"I guess you could say I have a knack for cooking. Funny thing is I never thought I would be running a restaurant. I am not classically trained," she says. "But I have always believed that being a chef is not something you graduate from, it is something you earn."

What is clean eating?

I call this unprocessed, unrefined, portion-controlled food that is full of healthy fats, nutrients, whole grains and overall deliciousness. The focus is on sourcing local and organic ingredients that are void of pesticides, bleaches, antibiotics or any other refining that strips food of its natural nutrients.

What are some of the biggest mistakes people make when they think they are eating healthy but actually are not?

Probably avoiding fats and avoiding carbohydrates. Both are essential for body function. It’s just important to know which fats and carbs are good for you and which are not.
 

What’s all this about no butter?

I am not a personal fan of butter, but it’s fine in moderation. The problem with most restaurant kitchens is that moderation is not in their vocabulary. So, we avoid butter all together. None of our dishes would be better with it. We are happy with our heart-healthy olive oil.
 

Why are food choices so important in getting fit?

As cliché as it sounds, food is fuel. If you put junk in, you will get junk in return. Your body simply functions better with clean food. In addition, most people go on fitness journeys to shed pounds. Now, getting fit does not necessarily mean losing weight, but if your goal is to lose weight, then 75 percent of your success depends on what you put in your mouth.
 

What has been the biggest surprise for you since opening CafeOne24?

The criticism! So many people dismiss us before even tasting the food. Granted, we have made modifications and changes based on feedback since we opened, but I would encourage everyone to come try us with an open mind.