Charlotte Chef Places 2nd in Battle of the Blades Culinary Competition
Famed French chef, restaurateur, and culinary writer Auguste Escoffier once said that “Good food is the foundation to genuine happiness”. At The Charlotte, an upscale senior living community in Charlotte, genuine happiness is found throughout their dining department, and this week their team has a lot to be happy about.
On July 27th, The Charlotte’s Executive Chef, Ben Smith was awarded 2nd place at The Battle of the Blades, a culinary competition hosted in Amelia Island, Florida. The competition pitted Executive Chefs from fifteen retirement communities against one another, tasking them to create unique appetizers and entrees with special ingredients. Emcee for the evening, Chef Adam Sears required teams to include pork belly and a starch (white beans, rice, polenta, granola, or lentils) in the appetizer, while swordfish and stone fruit (peaches, plums, or nectarines) were required for the entrée. Chef Smith team was victorious, placing 2nd in the competition. “The competition was fierce, but the thing that stood out most to me was the caliber of chefs that are working in these communities,” said Chef Smith, “they’re taking retirement dining to a whole new level and pushing culinary boundaries.”
As a leader in the senior living industry, The Charlotte strives to make each dining experience unique. Their Culinary Team is continually exploring new recipes, experimenting with ways to revamp classic dishes and developing new techniques both in the kitchen and on the plate. “Sitting down for a meal with family and friends is such a heartwarming time,” said The Charlotte Executive Director, Ashley Parrish, “We are proud to provide an exceptional dining program where our Member and their families can connect over food and drinks. They don’t have to eat in our restaurant, but they want to when they know that Chef Smith is continually creating new dishes and putting a spin on their favorites.”
The Charlotte is a 5-time Argentum award-winning senior living community located at 9120 Willow Ridge Road, Charlotte, North Carolina 28210. To learn more about The Charlotte, call 704-815-9000 or visit https://charlotte-living.com/.
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