We pride ourselves on providing our residents with delicious meals that are nutritionally sound, and one of our favorite ways to keep our menus diverse and fresh is the annual Senior Eats Nutritional Challenge.

On Thursday, Nov. 9, Sunrise Senior Living held our fifth annual Senior Eats Nutritional Challenge. Sunrise chefs from across the U.S. and Canada submitted nutritious recipes, and five finalists traveled to The Fairfax at Belvoir Woods, VA, to compete for the title of Sunrise Signature Chef.

Brian Amery was a finalist, and he is the dining services coordinator for Sunrise of Wilmington, DE. Brian is a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America. Prior to joining Sunrise, he worked at the Hotel DuPont for 15 years. He has held positions as executive chef for Fieldstone Golf Club, Sodexo, Aramark, and Compass Group corporations, as well as Gate Gourmet at Dulles International Airport, where he oversaw the production of 15,000 to 20,000 meals each day for 19 different international airlines.

Brian has been with Sunrise since 2014. He is also a designated trainer and job coach, supporting a cluster of seven Sunrise communities in the nearby Pennsylvania region. Brian takes great pride in helping to produce delicious home cooked meals for the residents at Sunrise of Wilmington. He enjoys spending time with his wife Lori and their five-year-old daughter Chloe, tropical vacations, playing golf, cooking for family and friends in his home, and listening to Jimmy Buffet.

Here is Brian's meatloaf recipe, which earned him a spot as a finalist in the 2017 Senior Eats Nutritional Challenge.

White Meatloaf with Mushroom Ragout & Steamed Asparagus

Serves 10

Meatloaf:

• 1 pound ground turkey
• 1 pound ground chicken breast
• 1 pound ground pork sausage
• 4 ounce pasteurized liquid eggs
• 2 ounce panko bread crumbs
• 1 ounce BBQ sauce
• 1 ounce whole milk
• 3 ounce onion, minced
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1 teaspoon fresh ground tri-color pepper corns
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh parsley
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme

1. Soak crumbs in egg and milk. 
2. Mix all ingredients in mixer, place into greased bread pan, and bake to internal temperature of 165 degrees F. 
3. Let rest and hold at 140 degrees F or higher until ready for service.

Mushroom ragout:

• 3 ounce Cremini mushrooms, sliced
• 3 ounce Shiitake mushrooms, sliced
• 2 ounce Oyster mushrooms, sliced
• 1 each shallot, brunoise
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1 teaspoon oregano, chopped
• 1 teaspoon marjoram, chopped

1. Saute all items, deglaze with red wine, and reduce. 
2. Set aside and reserve for service.

Steamed asparagus:

• 2.5 pounds small asparagus
• 2 tablespoon whole butter

1. Steam asparagus until tender, and toss with butter. 
2. Hold at 140 degrees F or higher until ready for service.

Roasted fingerling potatoes:

• 2 pound petite fingerling potatoes, sliced in half lengthwise
• 1 tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped

1. Toss potatoes and olive oil together. 
2. Lay in a single layer on a sprayed sheet pan. Roast in the oven at 350F for 15-20 minutes or until tender.  
3. Remove from oven and add parsley. 
4. Hold at 140 degrees F or higher until ready for service. 

      To Serve: Slice meat loaf into 4 oz. slices. Place fingerling potatoes in the center of the plate and top with meatloaf and ragout. Place the asparagus directly beside.

We hope you love Brian's recipe as much as our residents do!