NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — A chef at a Nashville senior living community has found a recipe for making residents feel more at home – by literally using their recipes.
Chef Drew Hoyt at Clarendale West End has created a recipe contest where residents can submit their own family recipes. The winning recipe gets added to the community's menu for everyone to enjoy.
"You really do feel at home," Hoyt said. "And it's less of a job and it's more of being part of a community and kind of being part of people's families."
Recently, Hoyt worked alongside resident Lynn Rogers to prepare a Caribbean rum cake recipe submitted by another resident. The dessert features sweet icing that tastes like a piña colada.
"The food is so good here, you don't really have to cook," said Lynn Rogers, one of the residents.
The recipe contest serves as more than just a menu addition – it's a way to preserve family traditions and create community connections.
"You know, we want them to feel included," Hoyt said. "It's just another way to make them feel more at home. If the recipes that they grew up with or maybe the recipe that they developed over the years for their families can continue.
Rogers noted that the community atmosphere extends beyond the kitchen.
"But this community and the people and the staff are just very nurturing," Rogers said.
For Hoyt, the experience has transformed his understanding of cooking from simply feeding a crowd to creating family-like connections through food.
"And everyone has either a family recipe, or something that's unique," Rogers said.
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