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Harbor Retirement Associates (HRA) Associates Receive
Top Marks at Culinary Cook Off Competition

VERO BEACH, Fla. – April 25, 2019 – Harbor Retirement Associates (HRA), a senior living development and management company based in Vero Beach, announces that two of its Chefs, Anthony Polito and Ke’o Velasquez, recently received top marks at the first ever culinary competition during the 2019 Argentum Senior Living Executive Conference & Expo. The conference was held from April 15 to April 17 in San Antonio, Texas. Chef Polito is currently the Director of Hospitality for the new HarborChase of Dr. Phillips in Orlando and is no stranger to earning accolades in culinary arts winning last year’s culinary competition at the argentum conference in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Chef Velasquez is currently the Director of Hospitality at HarborChase of the Park Cities in Dallas, Texas.

“We’re thrilled that two of our culinary powerhouses made such a significant impression at this friendly competition during the Argentum Senior Living Executive Conference,” said Kim Lewis, Chief Operating Officer of Harbor Retirement Associates. “Their amazing dish is a perfect example of the exciting and creative cuisine we proudly serve to our residents and their guests. With a strong focus on delivering the best in hospitality, our culinary team is dedicated to both surprising and delighting our diners.”
 
In the cooking competition, Polito and Velasquez received the highest total points against competitors from five other senior living organizations. The HRA team received perfect scores in three out of four categories: “Taste,” “Creativity,” and “Plating.” For their winning dish, they prepared “Guajillo Chili-Rubbed Wagyu Beef Brisket with a Mole Verde, Fire-Roasted Poblano Pepper and Texas Pecan-Horseradish Cheddar Cheese Tamale and Pickled Calabacita Slaw.”

“By integrating seasonal and regional ingredients with contemporary cooking and plating techniques, Chefs Anthony and Ke’o represent the modern era of culinary arts in our industry,” said Christopher Thompson, Vice President of Hospitality at HRA. “It is this approach that will shift the dynamics of culinary artistry and hospitality in senior living and redefine the industry for years to come. As a company, we are thrilled to be recognized as leaders in hospitality and creating an exceptional culinary experience for our residents.”

HRA as an organization is focused on providing exceptional dining and hospitality for its residents and guests. The organization currently operates 35 communities, with 6 under development. Typical HRA community features include full-service dining, housekeeping and laundry services, scheduled transportation and a dedicated staff of associates available 24 hours a day. All communities feature the exclusive Chef’s Fare Dining program with customized dining experiences in multiple restaurants. All communities also offer HRA’s award-winning Life Enrichment program, designed to provide social, devotional, fitness and recreational opportunities that have a positive impact on residents.

For more information on HRA, visit www.HRASeniorliving.com.