How to Get From There to Here

You may have heard it said that people have to hit rock bottom before they can finally pull themselves up to become a success. Chef Jay Littmann’s story shows that a person can hit rock bottom many, many times before even the faintest lightbulb shines.

You may recognize Chef Jay’s name from his Tri-O-Plex products—including a variety of delicious protein bars. Seeing him today, you’d never believe the horrific life he led before finding himself. His childhood was spent dealing with a terrifying alcoholic father who binged on the hard stuff and beat Jay both physically and psychologically. Jay’s descriptions of the many incidents with his father in the first part of the book are sad but riveting—sometimes even humorous in a dark way.

As Jay grew up, he began mimicking his father’s addictive behavior, but not with just alcohol. He used everything from pot to cocaine to speed and even dealt at various times. He was busted on many occasions but always managed to get off with a slap on the wrist, which only fueled his out-of-control lifestyle. He even stole from his parents to buy drugs.

Finally, in his late 20s, having been in and out of rehab centers and halfway houses, he was attending a recovery meeting, and the lightbulb finally flickered: “I had a radical change of heart…. Being sober wasn’t just about not drinking and not using. It wasn’t just about the things I didn’t have; it was about the things that were not in reach—love, happiness, wealth. And just like that I was inspired to get my life together.”

He began taking responsibility and tackling his life problems one at a time: paying off fines and debts, getting his driver’s license reinstated, doing his income taxes—11 years’ worth that he had never filed, but he didn’t owe. Lucky for him he actually got a refund. He was moving up the ladder one rung at a time.

May 31, 1992, was the day he celebrated one solid year of sobriety, and at that point he quit smoking and started working out. Eventually he enrolled in Newbury College in Boston because he was interested in becoming a chef. He graduated at the top of his class and abruptly decided to move to Los Angeles to escape the harsh winters. On the way he visited a friend in Vegas and found a culinary job there instead, which eventually led to buying an out-of-the-way muffin shop, his first taste of owning his own business—unless you count dealing drugs.

One of Mr. Muffin’s most popular items was a healthful fiber bar, and Chef Jay decided to peddle it to local gyms. Gold’s Gym bought 300 right off the bat, and Chef Jay’s bar business was off and running. He was soon selling a couple of hundred dozen a week, and calls began coming in from around the country from people who’d tried them when visiting Vegas.

The rest is history, with lots of ups and downs, as his high-carb oat bars morphed into high-protein bodybuilding bars to fend off pending bankruptcy thanks to low-carb mania. He had to battle diabetes and obesity—he’s now 10 percent bodyfat and diabetes-free—all of which you’ll read about in the last few chapters.

The book is a real roller-coaster ride, but you’ll be pulling for Jay throughout—and shaking your head, wondering how he survived all of the turmoil he describes. Quite a riveting and motivational tale of one man’s triumph. By the way, there’s a photo of Jay in the book with his 2010 Lamborghini Gallardo LP560-4 Spyder and his 2010 Ferrari f430 Scuderia convertible. Triumph indeed!