Employees of People, Incorporated (PI) were invited to participate in a Healthy Chef Challenge by the PI Wellness Committee on May 19, 2011 at the Riggenbach Road facility. The event allowed contestants to showcase both cooking skills and creativity in coming up with dishes that were both delicious and nutritious. Dishes were prepared at home and the cost of ingredients could not exceed a maximum cost to create of $20 for six servings of entrees and $10 for six servings of snacks and desserts. Nutrition information including fat, calories, fiber and carbohydrate content was required along with a copy of the recipe. Judges were selected from among PI supervisory staff and community program coordinators Jamison Souza from Community Development Re-Creation and David Weed of Healthy City Fall River. First, second and third place winners were award a chef's hat and lots of applause. Click here for a 5-minute video of the event. Click here for photos of another Wellness Committed activity. For more information about these unique employee fitness programs, contact Wellness Director Marilyn Grubb at 508-679-5233. 
 

(Top row, left) PI workshop supervisor Bill Perkins shakes hands with CD-Rec program director Jamison Souza as F.A.C.E. director Jenny DiBlasi, CEO Robert Canuel and Karen Silvia look on. (Top row, center) Jamison and Jenny look over the desserts as they go over their rating sheets. (Top row, right) Amanda Donovan puts the finishing touches on her snack entry as Kristen Gunderson shows off her "ants on a log" recipe. (Middle row) Judges Jamison Souza, Bill Perkins, Jenny Diblasi, Dave Weed, Bob Canuel, Karen Silvia, Robin Jones, Ed Hill and Katje Fuson rate the entries for originality and appearance. (Bottom row, left) Jenny, Jamison and Bill sit down to sample the entries. (Bottom row, center) The winning chefs pose with their chef's hats in front of the judges. (Bottom row, right) Maria Medeiros, Stacie St. Amour, Kathy Rockett and Pat Bebo of UMass Extension Nutrition Education applaud Amanda Donovan as she receives her chef's hat from Wellness Director Marilyn Grubb.