Last week Independence Blue Cross hosted a free virtual culinary series for seniors called “Thanksgiving: Old Traditions and New Celebrations” with celebrity chefs Sylva Senat, Jennifer Carroll, and Jose Garces. The goal of the series was to bring help bring new inspiration and holiday cheer to seniors in the Philadelphia region.
“This year the holidays are going to be anything but traditional as many people are urged to stay home to prevent the spread of COVID-19,” said Dr. Heidi Syropoulos, medical director for Government Markets at Independence Blue Cross. “We chose to host this series because we knew the weeks surrounding Thanksgiving were going to be especially difficult for our seniors who have spent years building holiday traditions with family and friends. Our hope is that these events gave them a reason to smile, learn how to cook a new holiday dish, and connect with others in their community.”
The three-part culinary series took place on November 17, 19, and 23 and attracted more than 400 attendees. Some highlights from the series include a discussion between Top Chef contestant Sylva Senat and Michael Klein, head food writer at The Philadelphia Inquirer, and cooking classes and Q&A with celebrity chef Jennifer Carroll, Iron Chef Jose Garces, and producer, author, and TV host Hope Cohen.
