The Regency knows how to have fun—and our first-ever Chef Cook-Off proved it! The dining room was packed with standing room only as our very own Chef Pat Marone went head-to-head with guest chef and Regency family member Chef Suzanne Long in a delicious culinary showdown!
The competition featured three very serious judges—well, as serious as you can be when surrounded by delicious food! First, our staff participated in a WHEEL OF NAMES- where all staff and companion names were entered- Recreation Director, Annmarie Hegarty, was selected. Next, every Regency resident was entered into the WHEEL, and Susan Johnson was chosen to represent our residents. Finally, our third judge was a very special guest, Alain De Coster from the American Academy of Chefs Fellow and a Belgium Master Chef Ambassador! Don’t ask us how we pulled that off but we did! Let’s just say he took his judging responsibilities VERY seriously! At one point, he even stood up from the judges’ table to closely watch both chefs prepare their dishes.
The challenge-Chef Pat generously allowed our guest Chef, Suzanne, to select the dish—and then he would attempt to mimic it. Suzanne chose a fresh homemade pasta with zucchini, and both chefs put their own special spin on the dish. One of the crowd favorites was watching Suzanne make her pasta completely from scratch right before our eyes, while Chef Pat had a few secrets of his own—including a $60 cheese! Which kind? Sorry, folks… Chef Pat isn’t giving away all of his secrets!
Chef Pat has been a chef for more than 40 years, working in a variety of restaurants, and has proudly been part of The Regency family for 23 years. Chef Suzanne is now a teacher in the North Shore School District, where she teaches students the art of cooking. What a talented pair!
We also went into the audience and asked residents and staff about their favorite dishes to cook. The answers traveled all over the culinary map—from English style-cinnamon buns and Norwegian meatballs to Greek moussaka and delicious Italian crab cakes!
Both Chefs prepared their dishes live, and then the real fun began as our standing-room-only audience had the opportunity to taste both creations. We even asked the crowd who they thought should win. The results? A perfect 50/50 split! Clearly, we have some very divided—and very well-fed—residents and staff!
Then came the judges’ deliberation. They considered overall taste and presentation, and after much discussion, they named Chef Pat our winner! Chef Suzanne was right at his heels, making it an incredibly close competition.
Chef Pat took home a fabulous trophy featuring a gold-encrusted fork, knife and spoon, along with his winning ribbon. And Suzanne certainly didn’t leave empty-handed—she received a smaller version of the trophy to commemorate her incredible performance.
However, while Chef Suzanne may not have taken home the grand prize, there was one very special person in the audience who reminded us that winning isn’t always about the trophy. It was absolutely heartwarming to see Suzanne’s mom, Nancy, a Regency Resident, watching her daughter so proudly and ever so endearingly from the audience. In our eyes, Suzanne’s mom was watching the true winner!
By the end of the afternoon, we weren’t sure if anyone would be eating dinner after enjoying two bowls of pasta—but one thing was certain: everything was absolutely delicious!
It was a lively, exciting, laugh-filled afternoon, and we can’t wait for our next big event! Next up: Our Hazy Dog Days of Summer Fashion Show! Thursday, August 6 at 2:00 PM
As always, The Regency is the place to be—where there’s always fun, always excitement, and always something wonderful happening! Who will challenge Chef Pat next?
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