Foodies Enjoy Featured Activities in October
Beacon Hill at Eastgate has built a unique brand of living graciously in retirement through a commitment to excellence. Notably, its hallmark is extraordinary food that holds its own with the finest restaurants in West Michigan. The retirement community continues to appeal to diners this month with a number of resident activities focused on food, including “Destination Dining.”
“Destination Dining” carries forward Beacon Hill’s inimitable take on retirement. Residents have a range of options to choose from for every meal. Beacon Hill has four distinct on-site restaurants with weekly and seasonal rotating menus. The foodie activities planned for October include tastings from some of Beacon Hill’s favorite food suppliers – Louise Earl Butcher, Field & Fire Bakery and The Cheese Lady.
Fresh Produce Grown on Site
Beacon Hill carries this passion for food into its everyday meal preparation using fresh ingredients from its one-half acre community garden. Local, organic and seasonal produce from area farmers and suppliers like FarmLink augment its yield. As a best practice, Beacon Hill promotes utilizing practices that create a safer and healthier environment including using natural, regional ingredients.
Maggie Thiel, the Garden Café manager, oversees the garden and supervises its harvest. Thiel manages several cooks and the entire garden team in planning, planting, harvesting and serving the foods cultivated on site in the Community Garden.
A Taste of Hope
On November 7, Thiel will compete as one of 16 top chefs from West Michigan in a fundraising event called “Taste of Hope: a Chefs Competition,” hosted by the American Cancer Society. Thiel is also the only retirement community chef on the impressive roster.
On her selection to compete in this event, Thiel said: “I am truly honored to be offered an opportunity to be included in this group of talented chefs who have come together to support the American Cancer Society. Cancer has touched my loved ones too many times. I have been amazed at the strength with which my grandparents, aunt, uncle and mother-in-law fought their own battles. Their legacy of nurturing is reflected in my cooking.”
This year’s group of competing chefs promises to deliver a wide array of dishes, providing a true culinary experience to all guests. Attendees will be able to taste, sample and vote for their favorite dishes. In the end, guests will witness a chef being crowned the Top Chef of the year.
Read More: Chef Maggie Thiel to Compete in the Taste of Hope
A Vision For Exceptional Dining
Eleven years ago, when Jeff Huegli, President & CEO of Beacon Hill at Eastgate, first opened this retirement community, he envisioned an active, joyful residence where everyone felt welcome and could immediately observe the friendliness of the residents and the staff.
That vision extended to a culinary mission. Huegli explained: “At Beacon Hill, we provide an exceptional dining experience within and beyond our community through premium ingredients, dynamic service and uncommon hospitality. Further, we provide an extensive variety of cuisine from cultures around the world. Every plate is designed with the guest in mind — a perfect balance of flavors that will inspire the way people enjoy a meal together.”
