HONOLULU (KHON2) -- With shows such as the hit “Master Chef” on FOX raising the bar on the culinary skills of home cooks nationwide, cooking challenges have become a part of popular culture.
Inspired by the phenomenon, residents at Ilima at Leihano Senior Living in Kapolei recently participated in a fun and spirited cooking showdown of their own at the senior community, featuring favorite recipes selected by the kupuna competitors to showcase their talents.
Two residents, Sheila Norton and Mildred Carlstorm, were in the studio with Ilima's Kylee Alexander-Maneja to share some insights into their recipes.
Kylee spoke on the inspiration behind the cooking challenge, "We embrace an 'Art of Living Well' approach at Ilima that strives to nurture both physical and emotional well-being. Food, friendships, and keeping active are certainly a part of that. We’re always looking for ways to create fun and enriching experiences for our residents to participate in and that really bring everyone together. With cooking challenges being so popular, we were inspired to offer that immersive fun for our residents. What better way than through the universal language of food to celebrate community, culture and to have a little friendly competition?"
The winners of the competition, Mildred and Sheila, wanted to share a dish, one that a home chef could find simple to make.
They opted to make a meatloaf, and they added a little kimchee for colorful garnish to honor Korean flavors. Their advice: "We’d recommend that other home cooks explore fun and creative ways to elevate some of their personal favorites."
To find more information on Leihano Senior Living visit their website.