Our Executive Chef Amal Bahuleyan, 38, was born and attended culinary school in Kerala, India. 

He did two years of school and then spent three years as an apprentice in Kerala for a degree in culinary management and the coveted chef's beret in 2006. 

"I didn't know what I wanted, so listened to a female cousin, my elder advisor sort of, who suggested I write the entrance exam to cooking school. I had relatives who were scientists, and I liked to experiment. At the time cooking was still looked down on and not what men did. Yet, there weren't any girls in my class! The school years could be tough. My worst memory is one whole month I was ordered to peel and slice yellow onions, 50 kg bags, 10 bags a day. The stench never left me, I scrubbed and scrubbed and sat on a bench for many hours, ashamed to get on the bus for home."

Resident Mimi, who is passionate about sharing her Chinese culture, showed residents how to make Dim Sum in our demo kitchen. Chef Amal participated in the demonstration too! 

Amal moved to Toronto, Ontario in 2010. He worked in various chef positions at an elegant independent living facility called Del Manor, at Rogers Centre, and later spent three happy years as a Banquet Chef for Jasper Park Lodge in Alberta, sometimes cooking for weddings with over two thousand guests, like the one he created for one of Edmonton Oilers owners. He moved on to the luxurious Hotel Shangri La in Vancouver, then to fuel cell maker Ballard in Burnaby, and then he finally came to Wisteria Place. 

Amal refers to the state of Kerala in India as "cashew and coconut country"—it means "land of coconuts" and is also the only place where cashews grow! Amal wants to become "become a culinary travel guide to precisely this paradise of fruit, vegetables, Arabica coffee and still plenty of fish and shellfish. And so many spices!"

Kerala is somewhat smaller than Vancouver Island and stretches 580 km along the Malabar coast in the very southwest corner of India. The population of 35 million is over half Hindu (like Amal and his wife). Elephants are still used for work and the tigers and leopards are regaining in numbers. 

Of course, Amal's favourite chutney is coconut, a Keralan special!

Students from Richmond High came to help our residents with technology literacy. They were a great help! Now our residents are more informed on how to use and navigate current technology. 

Canada Day was full of festivities, decorations, and Canadian spirit! Starting off the day, residents ate a delicious pancake breakfast with Canadian maple syrup. Throughout the day, residents could be found playing hockey and celebrating Canada while dressed in their best Canadian attire. Residents and staff all had a great time!

Come find us at the Steveston Farmers Market on August 7th! Wisteria Place will have an information booth set up with ways to win prizes. We will also be taking some residents to the market. There are many different vendors and all kinds of activities—a great event to get you out in the sunshine and exploring. We look forward to seeing you. 

July is here and it seems like the rainy days are finally behind us. Remember the heat waves last year? We'll share with you some facts about heat strokes and how to prevent them. 

What is a heat stroke? When the body is exposed to excessive heat, causing in the body's temperature climbs above 41 degrees celcius within a few minutes. Without immediate medical attention, irreversible brain damage and death are likely. 

When the ambient temperature is extremely high, heat stroke can occur even while at rest. It can also develop when participating in strenuous physical activity. Children, the elderly, the obese and persons who sweat very little or not at all, are at a greater risk. Other risk factors are: dehydration, alcohol consumption, cardiovascular and kidney disease, and certain medications (ex: diuretics, antihistamines and some antidepressants). Ask your pharmacist if you are taking medications that put you at risk of suffering a heat stroke.

Prevention

Prolonged exposure to the sun and heat should be avoided. Remaining hydrated by drinking plenty of fluids is also important. Drinking alcohol or taking diuretics, which increase urine output (ex: caffeine, guarana), should be avoided before any serious workout or intense physical exertion. When training or performing sports, drinking plenty of fluids is very important (make sure that what you are drinking does not contain any diuretics).

Our Cultural Days went really well!

Residents Tomoko and Naoko modeled their beautiful kimonos, and Tomoko spoke about what it means to be Japanese. We had a service in the temple for our residents. To end the celebrations, we had a garden ceremony, where we planted Japanese maple trees, forest grass, and hydrangeas.

Pack your bags and come for a trial stay at Wisteria Place! We are always looking to get more seniors involved in all of Wisteria Place's fun events, cultural celebrations, and activities. With COVID, it has been hard—sometimes impossible—to go on vacation. So, why not stay-cation?

Our trial suites are fully furnished and include toiletries, housekeeping, breakfast, lunch, and dinner. You can relax with meals made for you daily, cleaning services, and access to all our fitness activities, outings, in-house entertainment, and events.

Take the time you need to meet new people, try new things, or just enjoy a break. Book your stay-cation today by emailing [email protected] or calling 604.204.0910.