Anna, Michael Olson cook up excitement in Stoney Creek
For Anna Olson, a lifelong passion for baking and cooking all started with her grandmother.
“A big part of our relationshipbuilding was the time spent in the kitchen together,” the Food Network celebrity chef said. “And as she matured, our dialogue matured, but it always focused on baking and cooking. I grew up with that constant mentorship.”
Anna and husband Michael, a chef professor at Niagara College’s Canadian Food and Wine Institute, visited Stoney Creek last week and shared tricks of the trade with residents at Seasons Retirement Communities during a live, interactive baking demonstration.
Seasons Retirement Communities, a chain of 20 retirement residences in Ontario and Alberta, recently announced a partnership with the Olsons, to enhance residents’ culinary experiences.
Each month this year, all Seasons communities will bake and serve an Anna Olson dessert. Twice annually, Michael will provide seasonal menus for the residences’ dining services managers to recreate.
Seasons director of dining services, Larry Bone, hopes residents will enjoy the Olsons’ culinary creations.
“Some people think retirement food is boring and bland,” he said in a release. “Partnering with Michael and Anna Olson helps to change this misconception …”
In celebration of National Pie Day, the Olsons demonstrated how to bake a homemade key lime pie. Along with a live audience at Seasons Stoney Creek, the event was filmed and broadcast to all Seasons residences through Facebook Live. During the demonstration, the Olsons fielded questions from a live audience as well as queries submitted through social media.
Anna is a widely published cookbook author and has hosted several Food Network cooking shows. Her current program,
Bake With Anna Olson, recently marked its 100th episode. The show can be seen in 190 countries.
“It’s basically an easy-to-follow baking tutoring class,” said Anna, a Welland resident. “Each episode is based on a fundamental principal or style of baking. You start with something basic and then you apply the knowledge to build up.”
While she’s well accustomed to performing in front of a camera, Anna said the Seasons demonstration before a live audience was a nice change of pace.
“To do a cooking demonstration like this allows me to connect with people in a personal way,” she said.
Just prior to the Olsons’ demonstration, Seasons Stoney Creek residents and staff took part in a pie-throwing event, which raised $273.98 for charitable causes. The home’s general manager, Nunzio Grande, and health and wellness manager Jennifer Knight ended up with pies in the face, thrown by residents Josephine White and Vera Crowder.