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Metz & Associates Chefs Spur Creativity With Lunchtime Cooking Class
For Immediate Release
DALLAS, PA – August 20, 2008 – You may think there’s not much you can get done on a lunch break besides refueling for the rest of the day, but eighty employees at Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Northeastern Pennsylvania in Wilkes-Barre recently learned that’s not necessarily the case. On August 1, the employees participated in “Lunch & Learn” cooking classes taught by Chef Nello Allegrucci and Chef Paul McMillan, both of Metz & Associates, Ltd., the health care provider’s dining management company. The classes were held during the 11:15 a.m. and 12:15 p.m. corporate lunch breaks.

According to Chef Allegrucci, the Metz & Associates chef and general manager at Blue Cross, the company hoped to provide their employees with the benefit of learning quick, delicious and healthy cooking methods. Both classes were full, with 40 attendees on hand for each eager to learn how to prepare light summertime salads and desserts. Allegrucci who was assisted in the classes by McMillan, the Metz chef at Misericordia University in Dallas, PA, demonstrated an array of culinary fundamentals and answered questions as they detailed the preparation of two salads. One salad was made with mescaline greens, avocado, toasted cashews, mandarin oranges and grape tomatoes tossed with an apricot basil vinaigrette, and another prepared with mixed greens, grilled chicken, apples, smoked gouda, fresh herbs and a honey mustard vinaigrette.

“The participants were very eager to learn new recipes for healthy salads and they also enjoyed learning about the wide array of homemade dressings that can be made to top those salads,” Allegrucci said. “Throughout the cooking class, we played a culinary trivia game, whereby we asked the attendees various culinary questions and if they answered correctly they received a prize. This proved to be a fun and interactive learning tool for all involved.”

“It was our goal to provide those attending with the techniques and inspiration they needed to try to prepare these recipes and others at home,” Allegrucci added.

The chefs also taught the preparation of luscious lemon fluff torte with fresh strawberries and blueberries, the ideal summertime dessert. Best of all, participants didn’t go away hungry, as they had the opportunity to sample everything that was prepared.

While the participants were sampling their wares at the end of class, the chefs held an open forum, taking all culinary questions to help with various cooking issues the participants were having. “Everyone found the class to be enjoyable and also quite valuable as they took home recipes and learned various cooking tips,” Allegrucci said. “One popular question among those attending was about the many uses for vinaigrettes, they were interested in learning about everything from marinades for grilling to more salad dressings.”

The Metz team at Blue Cross plans to hold these “Lunch & Learn” classes quarterly with the next one taking place in the fall.

Metz & Associates, Ltd., a premier food service company for the Northeast United States, provides dining and environmental management to clients such as hospitals, assisted living & long-term care facilities, public and private schools, colleges and universities and corporate offices. For more information on Metz & Associates, Ltd., visit our website at www.metzltd.com or call 570-675-8100.