Belmont Village hosts iron chef competition

Residents, chefs and employees of Belmont Village Senior Living participated in an iron chef competition on Nov. 5.

“We wanted to come up with some intercommunity collaboration throughout the community, but also with our sister properties,” said Ashley Marcellus, executive director at Belmont Village’s Cardiff location. “So we thought what better way than to gather around food and show off our culinary expertise.”

Residents, employees and chefs took part in the iron chef competition.

(Courtesy)

Participants were from Belmont’s four locations: Aliso Viejo, Cardiff, Sabre Springs and Scottsdale. According to a news release, the resident who took first place, Bill Smith from Scottsdale, prepared Hawaiian short ribs. Smith is originally from Hawaii.

Rena Cabatay, an employee from Aliso Viejo, finished first among employees by making mussels with coconut milk.

The top chef from each of the four properties also competed. Chef Alex Morales from Aliso Viejo won with his scallops marinated with blood oranges, which were the secret ingredient that had to be incorporated. He paired the dish with a salad featuring blood orange dressing topped with toast points.

Marcellus added that the event was designed to promote “healthy lifestyles, bringing together some of their culinary experiences.”

“We created a cookbook here with all their recipes and kind of farm-to-table as well,” she said.