Toronto's Pure + Simple Spa
Meeting Jean Eng: Spa Owner, Ayurvedic Health Practitioner and Vegetarian
I met June Eng a few years back when I kept hearing about how fantastic her Pure + Simple spa was (and still is). She's a fascinating lady that provides impeccable service and products to a discerning clientele.
Vital Stats:
Where were you born? Toronto
How old are you? 52
Where do you currently reside? Toronto
Occupation? Spa owner
Brief Bio of what you've done? I graduated from Interior design and worked briefly as a design before a longer career in sales to designers. I worked towards my MBA to better serve my clients and my interest in natural skincare began from a long term fight with acne.
I became a user of natural skincare as a result of my pursuit of better skin. When I became 40 -I wanted to age more gracefully and started to go to spas for facials. But my skin would react to the chemical lines these places preferred. I decided to learn esthetics for my own benefit since I could not find a professional place that used truly natural lines. I even went to natural estheticians who worked from their homes but they were not very sanitary and the products were questionable.
After graduating, I decided to open my own skincare spa specializing in natural skincare with professional lines like, Dr. Hauschka, Jurlique and Naturopathica. In my research I found niche products from Germany like Just Pure and Martina Gebhardt. We developed our own line to fill in the gaps of the budgetary needs of our clients along with their skincare needs - like intensive skin hydration serums and organic floral waters.
Questions:
You travel extensively for your work- tell us about that.
I go to Europe and the USA mainly for learning more about Cosmetic Chemistry, Holistic Health, Skincare- and for market reasearch (I visit lots of spas and resorts and Ayurvedic Centres) and for New Products for the spa.
What one restaurant, café or food place has left you wanting to go back for more? "Gobo food for the five senses" in Greenich NYC - Fabulous vegetarian food that is influenced from world cuisine cooked and presented beautifully. Great smoothies and teas and desserts. Moderate pricing.
Tell us a bit about the concept behind Pure+Simple. It's a Spa for people who want qulaity natural and organic skincare. A place for professional men + women who want to look more attractive naturally for the long term.
Does that concept spill over into what you eat and how you prepare food at home? Yes - I eat mainly vegetarian with some fish and chicken because of my knowledge about how my body works and my health is revealed in my skin. I prepare my food very simply, from scatch. I have developed a cuisine that does not compromise my health and is very fast to make. Lots of steamed vegetable dishes, baked dishes and sauces to make these lightly cooked foods more tasty and varied.
What do you think of "Spa" food- trend or healthy way of living/eating? I love the spa food trend because they are usually based on healthy light cuisines and promote easy digestion.
What's your all-time favourite food? Steamed vegetables with a light sauce.
Favourite cuisine style? Thai food for the fresh vesgetable with an Indian influence.
When you dine out in the city- where do you go and why? (top 3 picks).
1- Messis - I look forward to their Blueberry Struedel after a delicious dish of fish and vegetables.
2- Utsav- for freshly cooked Indian food with the best Naan.
3- Edo- for Japanese with lots of interesting vegetable dishes like seaweed salad, eggplant and raw tofu to go with the most creative sushi choices.
What's your favourite out-the-way, "gem" spot to shop for food? When winter makes vegetable shopping really depressing I go to Dave Young on Eglinton (near Avenue Road) for the freshest dinner.
Do you have any tips on getting people to live simpler, healthier lives with regards to how members of this society eat and treat their bodies? I try to eat more at home by preparing simple dishes quickly. To make sure these simple meals taste good, I make sure the food is at its freshest. I exercise to stay healthy by spending time in the morning jumping on my rebounder, a bit of yoga and Chi Kung to balance my body and mind for the day.
If you had to describe yourself as one dish- which one would it be an why? Curry Vegetable Pho - this dish is comfort food with a bit of ethnic spice. Developed with influences from many different cuisines. I am very practical and live and work simply. My life has been influenced and has benefited from many cultures and religions. While I practice Chi Kung, I live by Ayurvedic pricinciples. And while Ayurveda and Chinese Medicine has helped me stay grounded- I am basically a North American in culture + education. Vegetarian - because I want to live as kindly as possible.
