The Boulevard Senior Living Thanks and Celebrates Its Culinary Director

Culinary is the art of preparing and presenting the food. A person who is an expert in this field – one who not only has a talent in the kitchen but that understands food science, nutrition, and diet – is called a Culinarian or Chef, and you can find them in hotels and restaurants around the world. Culinarians Day, held annually on July 25th, is a day to thank and celebrate the people who are serving up meals around the world, and the art of cooking in general.

(Fun Fact: the hat that chefs wear is called a Toque Blanche, which means white hat in French. It is believed that the height of the hat symbolizes the seniority and rank of the chef in the kitchen and the folds in the hat express the qualification of the chef.)

Around the world, this day is celebrated by conducting cooking events and competitions. At The Boulevard Senior Living – Wentzville, we will be celebrating with acknowledgement and gratitude of our Culinary Director, Todd Corum, and their team!

Todd has been a part of the multimillion-dollar culinary industry at the St. Louis Zoo and at Old Warson Country Club. He has a history with hotels, casinos, and schools as well. I think his diverse background in all the different industries is what makes him stand out in comparison to his peers. He can have a broader perspective of how things can be done with his ability to think outside of the box.

The most interesting thing about Todd is that he was a Journeyman Mechanic for 15 years prior to moving into the culinary industry. Another fun and interesting fact is that he has consumed puffed steer penis, saying it tastes very good, like nice, rich beef. Todd has also cooked for both politicians and homeless in shelters. When he’s not working Todd enjoys carpentry work at home and home-brewing his own beer. He is currently fermenting a flavor of Irish Red beer, as well as completing his unfinished basement.

Todd excels at making a roasted sweet potato cheesecake with a gingersnap crust as the signature sweet he prepares for our community. He also has a signature eggnog that took him four years to develop; it will be served this year during the holidays. Todd’s favorite dish to make is smoked pork belly burnt ends. He loves this because it is meaty, yet fatty enough to keep the flavor, and it tastes delicious. The residents love it too!

He is excellent at making everyone’s experience personalized. Todd orders food that is recommended during his culinary meetings with the residents and he truly listens to what their wishes and desires are to make this as home-like as possible.

Todd says he wishes he had an opportunity to prepare a meal for Anthony Bourdain. He said, “Even though he was a celebrity chef, he was down to earth and appreciated food. He did not lose sight of where he came from.”

Our Culinary Director is supported by his staff and their continued commitment and dedication to the elderly. He does not have a dining room manager but has several veteran staff that can step up and assist at any time.

We could not do what we do at Livingston’s without this hardworking team! If you want to get in on the Culinarian Day Fun, you can also celebrate the day with your friends and family by cooking some new recipes. Up the game by sharing pictures or video of the recipe and your adventures on social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, etc. tagged with #CulinariansDay.