In any great meal, each part complements another. The same goes for any great team.
Patrick Griffin and Jovan Williams both started washing pots and pans in restaurant kitchens when they were teenagers. Patrick’s mom was a waitress. Jovan’s dad was a chef. Jovan worked on the culinary team at Andover College, and Patrick served as Emerson College’s General Manager.
Today, they find themselves at Atria Marland Place.
Patrick began in October of 2023 as Director of Culinary Services. A few months later, Jovan joined the team as Assistant DCS. The two have been with Atria for less than a year, and they’ve already introduced a dish residents can’t get enough of.
In need of an exciting new meal to serve at special events, Jovan began experimenting with a breaded cod filet, a staple menu item and one of his mom’s favorites growing up. Wanting to put a new spin on it, he tried using dehydrated potatoes in place of breadcrumbs.
After tweaking the recipe with a few specialty items, a new dish was born: potato-crusted cod with lemon herb beurre blanc, purple puree cauliflower and roasted tri-colored carrots.
The chefs found their test group in a group of residents with sophisticated palettes who happened to be socializing outside the kitchen.
“They know what they like,” Patrick says. Despite their high standards, the residents loved it immediately. Since then, it’s been a popular request from all over the community, and Jovan even introduced it to his one-year-old daughter. “It was a big hit with her, too.”
This connection between food and the people they make it for is why the two love to cook. That connection doesn’t stop when they leave the kitchen. Patrick helps the Engage Life team with events when he can, most recently having led a lunch outing to a local restaurant, and Jovan is always stopping to chat. “The residents don’t let me walk by without a conversation.”
The camaraderie they share with residents is why Patrick and Jovan say they see bright futures at Atria. As Patrick puts it, “Food is food, kitchens are kitchens. Being able to touch someone’s life is our work.”