A little of this,
a lot of that. That was how famed Top
Chef Fabio Viviani described how he liberally measures ingredients during a
raucous cooking demonstration on September 9 at Westminster-Canterbury on
Chesapeake Bay.
The evening, which
raised funds for the Westminster-Canterbury Foundation, kicked off with a
lively VIP reception and “meet and greet”, where the more than one hundred
guests and residents mingled and snapped photos with Fabio, sipped on wine and sampled
appetizers from the Italian chef’s cookbooks.
During a 40-minute
exhibition, Fabio prepared his tasty version of gnocchi in pesto sauce. While shredding
baked potatoes and mixing in cheese, flour, eggs and other ingredients, Viviani
displayed his lively and witty personality, sharing laughs with an audience
that couldn’t wait to sample the final product.
“Having Fabio at
Westminster-Canterbury generated a lot of excitement for everyone including our
culinary staff,” said Executive Chef Peter Tseng. “Not only is it great to
learn from someone like him, but it was wonderful for the residents to experience
new flavors and to see firsthand what goes into making a dish like gnocchi.”
Using Viviani’s
recipes, the culinary team at Westminster prepared an exquisite three-course
dinner that included a kale Caesar salad, Fabio’s patented gnocchi, quail and
wine pairings. Dessert featured limoncello cheesecake.
Chef Fabio is best
known for his appearance on season five of Bravo’s hit reality
series Top Chef and Top Chef All Stars. He has been a
frequent guest on such programs as Good
Morning America, The Chew, Rachel
Ray, The Talk, and more. He has
opened several restaurants with several more on the drawing boards.
Fabio was the second celebrity chef to come to WC this
season, following an earlier lunch event with “Spice Goddess” Bal Arneson. WC’s partner, The Compass Group and its
affiliate, Morrison Senior Living, brought the two cooking celebrities to
Virginia Beach.
The event raised over $15,000 for the Westminster-Canterbury
Foundation, which provides financial support for residents, staff members and
the surrounding community.
