Master Atria chefs - #lakewoodnews

Watermelon is a quintessential summer staple, but that didn't stop chefs from three Atria assisted living facilities from adding their unique spin on the fruit.

Chefs from the Applewood and Longmont Atria facilities, as well as residents, gathered at the Atria Inn just down the road from Belmar in Lakewood on June 29.

"We received the go-ahead from corporate to come up with a fun challenge, and there was only one stipulation --; it had to involve watermelon," said Jennifer Huettl, engage life director at the Lakewood location. "We thought we'd get our culinary teams together and see what they can do."

Tents, tables and chairs were all set up in the Inn's parking lot, as were three preparation stations with ingredients, utensils and grills. Local bluegrass band The Patchwork Pickers were on hand to provide some mood music, and lead impromptu sing-alongs on favorites like Hank Williams' "Hey Good Lookin'."

The chefs had a variety of ingredients to incorporate into their dishes --; everything from corn and peppers to steak, fish, and chicken. With around 45 minutes to prepare dishes, the chefs stayed hard at work, but still had time to answer questions from residents.

"I came today to support our chef," said Sara Salmon, a resident at Atria's Applewood location. "It's a nice opportunity for us to be out here on a nice day like this."

Representatives from the nearby business community, law enforcement and fire fighters were all on hand to serve as judges of the food.

Not only was the competition a chance for residents to eat some delicious food, but it also allowed them time to visit with people from other communities.

"This is the first time we've done anything like this," said Dallas Mulvin, engage life director at the Longmont location. "But it's such a great opportunity to foster community for all of us."

The chef's end results included watermelon fennel salad and pizza. And once everyone started eating, it was clear who the winner was --; the diners.

from Lakewood Sentinel - Latest Stories http://lakewoodsentinel.com/stories/Master-Atria-chefs,224630