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As the cold temperatures dipped across the Northeastern part of the country this January, Aramark SeniorLIFE+ chefs from across Asbury Communities, Inc. fired up their stovetops for the inaugural Great Soup-Off Competition, a friendly culinary challenge designed to spotlight creativity, cultural storytelling, and the power of warm, comforting food to bring those in senior living communities together.
“We launched this soup competition to inspire chefs to share their creativity in a meaningful way, crafting dishes influenced by lived experiences,” said Dan Soley, Aramark SeniorLIFE+ Regional Executive Chef. “Since winter calls for comfort, we chose the perfect winter comfort food: soup, which is seasonal, cozy, and made for bringing people together.”
Part of Aramark SeniorLIFE+’s ongoing commitment to elevating resident experience through fresh, thoughtful, and culturally expressive dining, the Great Soup-Off competition invited chefs from across Asbury Communities to submit soup recipes rooted in personal history, regional traditions, or global flavors.
Showcasing Talent Across Asbury Communities
Multiple Aramark SeniorLIFE+ chefs from among the five Asbury Communities the company serves participated, each bringing forward a soup that reflects their background, expertise, or culinary curiosity.
The winner of the inaugural Great Soup-Off was Asbury Normandie Ridge Executive Chef Anthony Mone with his interpretation of Sancocho soup.
“This dish instantly brings me back to rainy days in Guánica, Puerto Rico, watching my grandmother prepare her famous Sancocho,” said Chef Mone. “It’s the reason I fell in love with cooking and pursued a career in the culinary arts.”
Chef Mone’s winning dish was built on a hearty combination of beef chuck and chicken thighs, marinated with sofrito, garlic, oregano, adobo, and sazón. His recipe layers multiple starches—yuca, plantain, sweet potato, yautía, kabocha squash, and corn—to create a deeply comforting, slow‑simmered soup.
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Asbury Bethany Village
Executive Chef Jon Ritt, “Mulligatawny Soup”
Asbury Methodist Village
- Park View: Executive Chef Sam Brown, “Hot & Sour Soup”
- Wilson & Kindley: Executive Chef Zuberu Kawah, “Butternut Squash Bisque”
- Hefner: Executive Chef Sainey Sanyang, Lobster Bisque
Asbury Springhill
- Executive Chef Jessica Hess, Fiskisúpa (Icelandic Fish Soup)
- Chef Manager Michelle Sayers, Smoked Sausage Tortellini Soup
Asbury Solomons
- Chef Maria Lopez – “Marry Me” Chicken Soup
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Celebrating Culinary Creativity in Senior Living
The Asbury Great Soup-Off Competition is the latest expression of Aramark SeniorLIFE+’s mission to elevate senior living dining through:
- Creative menu development rooted in chef expertise helps ensure meals are both appealing and nutritionally balanced—an essential driver of consistent mealtime participation.
- Cultural and regional storytelling through food creates meaningful dining experiences that foster social connection, encouraging residents and associates to bond over shared meals.
- Innovation in cuisine that balances nutrition and delight supports better intake of essential vitamins and minerals through fresh, colorful, approachable foods.
- A focus on seasonality, ensuring residents enjoy fresh, timely ingredients that support flavor and overall wellness.
Aramark SeniorLIFE+ chefs are strengthening the dining experience across Asbury and other communities Aramark SeniorLIFE+ serves, introducing residents to global flavors while reflecting and respecting individual culinary traditions through their creative expertise.
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