By Barbara Sutherland

When Golden Sands cook Kathy Roy (above) returned from a visit to her home in the Maritimes recently, her luggage contained sixty-eight fresh-cooked and frozen Nova Scotia lobsters. It was the major part of the kitchen team’s scheme to give residents an unforgettable New Year’s dinner.

Special Food Event

“We originally wanted to bring back live lobsters,” says Food Services Supervisor Brent Hughes (shown above with cook Kathy Roy), but the frozen better fit their budget. They were using money raised during a bake sale last summer which brought in $1200 for a special food event.

68 Lobsters

The New Year’s dinner was special indeed. Each resident (plus a few family guests and employee care partners) got their own lobster; shells cracked and the sweet flesh loosened. The lobster was served with steak, pan-fried shrimp, roasted potatoes, vegetables and assorted desserts. The seafood goodness stretched into the next day as well, when the kitchen crew cooked up a mess of jambalaya, including clams, mussels, and some leftover lobster.

Karaoke and Dancing

The dinner started at 6 in the evening and was followed by a party that went on until past 10:30. “The highlight of the evening was karaoke,” says Recreation Therapist, Anoop Jose. “Residents mostly sang old country and pop songs, and everyone was moving, tapping toes, and singing along with the karaoke. Lots of them were up dancing. It was a real surprise to see memory care residents getting so involved. Nobody expected them to sing like that. It was a wonderful night.” 

Photo: Food Services Supervisor Brent Hughes and cook Kathy Royprepared 68 lobsters as part of their New Year’s dinner for residents of Golden Sands.