Char-Mac residents enjoy evening of fine dining
By Joanne Fox Journal staff writer | Posted: Monday, November 19, 2007
LAWTON, Iowa -- Tears welled up in Lois Suckstorf's eyes when she was asked about the dinner she was about to enjoy.
"It makes me feel like I'm somebody," she said as she dabbed at her eyes with a tissue.
A fancy meal is something most people take for granted. But the owners of one assisted living facility and a group of community volunteers know that is meaningful for those who may not have access to an elegant dining experience.
The dining room at Char-Mac Assisted-Living facility in Lawton was transformed into a showplace and culinary extravaganza on Nov. 16. A single candle illuminated the fine china, crystal, silverware and color-coordinated cloth napkins at each table. From the ceiling were large gold stars and on the walls twinkling lights, which illustrated the theme, "Dining Under the Stars."
The idea for the gourmet dinner surfaced seven years ago, not too long after Char-Mac was open for business. Rich and his wife Pam Luze were dining with their friends, Char-Mac owners Stan and Jeanine Chartier when the idea came up.
"It was getting close to the Thanksgiving holiday and the Chartiers were talking about doing something special for the residents," Rich Luze recalled. "We thought about the dinner and decided to do it and call that first one Restaurant Night."
Luze was the perfect choice to create the meal. A chef by trade, prior to his current job as director of food services for the Sioux City Community School District, Luze cooked at Theo's, the American Cafe and Plum's Restaurant.
"I start the previous day marinating the prime rib," he said. "Then the day of the event, I'll start at noon creating the courses."
Each resident spent the day getting dressed up for the dinner. All of the women had visited the beauty salon. Some wore corsages, purchased by family members to make the evening even more memorable. All came together for holiday pictures in the gathering space.
"It's another nice thing we like to do, because a number of them will order reprints for their families," Stan Chartier said.
Both the Chartiers played pivotal roles that evening. Stan Chartier, attired in tails, served as maitre d' and wine steward for the dinner. He called the name of each resident -- loudly, deliberately and with respect -- and then offered his arm to escort the ladies to their seats, just like the grand march at prom. If a gentleman's name was called, Jeanine was the attendant.
Standing at attention at various tables were smartly attired students, some from the foods class at Lawton-Bronson High School, others employed by Char-Mac and others who just showed up.
The students, in their bright, white polo shirts with black bow ties and black dress pants, served as the waiters and waitresses that evening. In the kitchen were more adults ready to serve and dispense items to the wait staff.
Prior to the meal the residents had their choice of three entrees, orange roughy, prime rib and amaretto chicken and two sides, angel hair pasta and garlic cheddar mashed potatoes.
"It all smells so good," confided L-B sophomore Joe Hoelker -- a former foods class student who had previously served the dinner, but this evening just decided to volunteer -- as he whiffed in the aromas wafting from the kitchen into the dining room.
Rounding out the menu was a tossed salad with choice of dressing, dinner roll with butter and green beans sauteed in a demi-glaze. Dessert was a literal delight to the eyes, as well as the palate: a choice of a black forest cake, passion berry mousse and assorted French pastries. In addition to a white zinfandel wine residents could imbibe in alcohol-free sparkling cranberry juice, milk, lemonade, ice tea, regular or decaffeinated coffee.
After all had been seated, Morgan Chartier, daughter of the owners, walked around and presented everyone with a silk rose and "thank-you" for being part of the Char-Mac family. As another memento, each place setting had the resident's name with star and a personalized menu.
"Are you enjoying yourself?" Lawton-Bronson freshman Amy Niewohner asked of those seated at her table. "It's my first time here."
Niewohner was one of the young people not associated with the food class. She works in the facility's kitchen.
"I really like the residents here," she said, as she clucked around the table like a mother hen, patting backs and hands, all the while with a huge smile on her face.
"We've had students volunteer repeatedly, like one young man who came back for four years in a row, he enjoyed it so much," Jeanine Chartier said. "I think it's because they realize how important this event is in their lives."
Resident Fern Hansen had her own spin on the evening.
"No dishes. No cooking," she said with a huge grin.
"It makes me feel like I'm somebody," she said as she dabbed at her eyes with a tissue.
A fancy meal is something most people take for granted. But the owners of one assisted living facility and a group of community volunteers know that is meaningful for those who may not have access to an elegant dining experience.
The dining room at Char-Mac Assisted-Living facility in Lawton was transformed into a showplace and culinary extravaganza on Nov. 16. A single candle illuminated the fine china, crystal, silverware and color-coordinated cloth napkins at each table. From the ceiling were large gold stars and on the walls twinkling lights, which illustrated the theme, "Dining Under the Stars."
The idea for the gourmet dinner surfaced seven years ago, not too long after Char-Mac was open for business. Rich and his wife Pam Luze were dining with their friends, Char-Mac owners Stan and Jeanine Chartier when the idea came up.
"It was getting close to the Thanksgiving holiday and the Chartiers were talking about doing something special for the residents," Rich Luze recalled. "We thought about the dinner and decided to do it and call that first one Restaurant Night."
Luze was the perfect choice to create the meal. A chef by trade, prior to his current job as director of food services for the Sioux City Community School District, Luze cooked at Theo's, the American Cafe and Plum's Restaurant.
"I start the previous day marinating the prime rib," he said. "Then the day of the event, I'll start at noon creating the courses."
Each resident spent the day getting dressed up for the dinner. All of the women had visited the beauty salon. Some wore corsages, purchased by family members to make the evening even more memorable. All came together for holiday pictures in the gathering space.
"It's another nice thing we like to do, because a number of them will order reprints for their families," Stan Chartier said.
Both the Chartiers played pivotal roles that evening. Stan Chartier, attired in tails, served as maitre d' and wine steward for the dinner. He called the name of each resident -- loudly, deliberately and with respect -- and then offered his arm to escort the ladies to their seats, just like the grand march at prom. If a gentleman's name was called, Jeanine was the attendant.
Standing at attention at various tables were smartly attired students, some from the foods class at Lawton-Bronson High School, others employed by Char-Mac and others who just showed up.
The students, in their bright, white polo shirts with black bow ties and black dress pants, served as the waiters and waitresses that evening. In the kitchen were more adults ready to serve and dispense items to the wait staff.
Prior to the meal the residents had their choice of three entrees, orange roughy, prime rib and amaretto chicken and two sides, angel hair pasta and garlic cheddar mashed potatoes.
"It all smells so good," confided L-B sophomore Joe Hoelker -- a former foods class student who had previously served the dinner, but this evening just decided to volunteer -- as he whiffed in the aromas wafting from the kitchen into the dining room.
Rounding out the menu was a tossed salad with choice of dressing, dinner roll with butter and green beans sauteed in a demi-glaze. Dessert was a literal delight to the eyes, as well as the palate: a choice of a black forest cake, passion berry mousse and assorted French pastries. In addition to a white zinfandel wine residents could imbibe in alcohol-free sparkling cranberry juice, milk, lemonade, ice tea, regular or decaffeinated coffee.
After all had been seated, Morgan Chartier, daughter of the owners, walked around and presented everyone with a silk rose and "thank-you" for being part of the Char-Mac family. As another memento, each place setting had the resident's name with star and a personalized menu.
"Are you enjoying yourself?" Lawton-Bronson freshman Amy Niewohner asked of those seated at her table. "It's my first time here."
Niewohner was one of the young people not associated with the food class. She works in the facility's kitchen.
"I really like the residents here," she said, as she clucked around the table like a mother hen, patting backs and hands, all the while with a huge smile on her face.
"We've had students volunteer repeatedly, like one young man who came back for four years in a row, he enjoyed it so much," Jeanine Chartier said. "I think it's because they realize how important this event is in their lives."
Resident Fern Hansen had her own spin on the evening.
"No dishes. No cooking," she said with a huge grin.
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Pat wrote on Nov 19, 2007 11:17 AM:
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Lila Becklund wrote on Nov 19, 2007 5:14 AM: