A day of culinary excellence was celebrated as the Executive Chefs and leadership of Watercrest Senior Living and Market Street Memory Care Residences gathered for a friendly competition of cooking, judging and culinary demonstrations.

Executive Chef Louis Neese of Market Street East Lake and Executive Chef Manny Florez of Market Street Viera put their skills to the test in a head to head competition. Chef Louis conquered the entrée round serving tender pasta in vodka cream sauce perfectly paired with sweet Italian sausage and Parmigiano Reggiano, while Chef Manny impressed with a seared scallop appetizer over savory polenta, topped with crisp pork belly and mouth-watering brown butter. In the dessert round, Chef Louis delivered an original recipe maple-coffee brownie drizzled with sweet caramel bourbon sauce, while Chef Manny presented a beautifully deconstructed tiramisu.

The guest judges included Watercrest Senior Executive Director James Brassard, and Watercrest Executive Chefs William Poirier and Nathan Shifflett who scored the contestants based on flavor, appearance, texture, aroma and presentation. With a spectacular showing, Chef Louis finished just points away from Chef Manny with the promise of a future rematch.

Chef Louis is a graduate of the esteemed Le Cordon Bleu Culinary Academy with experience in both the catering industry and as a deli owner but found his true culinary passion in senior living. Louis has amassed an impressive 15 years serving seniors and has delighted the residents of Market Street Memory Care East Lake with his humor and spectacular cuisine since 2020.

"Bringing our talented culinary teams together is an excellent learning opportunity and a tool to consistently elevate the dining experiences that we are offering our seniors at our Market Street and Watercrest Senior Living Communities," says Sheila Fioretti, Watercrest Dining Services Specialist. "We are committed to providing healthy and diverse options, advanced associate training and top-notch customer service."

Market Street Memory Care Residence East Lake is an award-winning memory care community operated by Watercrest Senior Living Group. Market Street East Lake was recognized by U.S. News & World Report as a 2022-23 Best Memory Care Community, earning that status by achieving the highest possible rating for Memory Care. The community boasts Watercrest's uniquely designed Market Plaza, an active, 'outdoor' streetscape, complete with Newsstand, Art Gallery, Bakery, Salon and Spa, and Post Office caringly designed to welcome family and friends. Market Street Memory Care Residence East Lake is conveniently located at 833 East Lake Road North in Tarpon Springs. For information, contact the community at 727-477-8837 or visit www.marketstreetresidence.com.

About Watercrest Senior Living Group
Watercrest Senior Living Group was founded to honor our mothers and fathers, aspiring to become a beacon for quality in senior living by surpassing standards of care, service and associate training. Watercrest senior living communities are recognized for their luxury aesthetic, exceptional amenities, world-class care, and innovative memory care programming offering unparalleled service to seniors living with Alzheimer's and dementia. A six-time certified Great Place to Work, Watercrest specializes in the development and operations of assisted living and memory care communities and the growth of servant leaders. For information, visit www.watercrestseniorliving.com.