Chef Aaron Bludorn Cooks Up a Special Feast For Aging New Yorkers

Upper East Side seniors got a special treat as Cafe Boulud’s Executive Chef Aaron Bludorn prepared a gourmet meal for more than 150 older New Yorkers at the Carter Burden Luncheon Club & Senior Program this afternoon. The Luncheon Club & Senior Program, a program of the Carter Burden Network (CBN), is a cornerstone of the Upper East Side community that provides socialization, recreation and education through a wide array of daily activities.

For several years, chefs from Café Boulud have taken their talents outside the gourmet kitchen to give back to a growing and often forgotten segment of the population – aging New Yorkers.

Seniors enjoyed a delectable menu of Beef Daube Provençal with Polenta, Ratatouille, and an Arugula Salad followed by a Dessert of Strawberry Shortcake from pastry chef Shaun Velez. Staff and volunteers from Macy’s, a longtime supporter of CBN, were on hand to assist. Also in attendance were William J. Dionne, Executive Director of CBN; founding CBN Board member Susan L. Burden; and Joy Salvador, CBN board member and VP, Strategy & Strategic Gatekeeping at Macy's. The event marked CBN’s Senior Week in celebration of Older Americans Month.

Dionne said, “What a treat this is for our seniors, so many of whom never get the opportunity to dine at a Michelin-starred restaurant like Café Boulud. For years, Chef Bludorn has been sharing his culinary talents with us and we are so grateful. It’s an afternoon everyone looks forward to each year and one that our seniors talk about long after.”

Chef Bludorn said, “Cooking lunch for the Carter Burden Network each year gives us an opportunity in a way we would not be otherwise able to. We, as chefs, cook to make people happy and to see the smiles on all of the faces at the center makes my year!”

The Carter Burden Network promotes the well-being of seniors 60 and older through a continuum of services, advocacy, arts and culture, health and wellness, and volunteer programs, all oriented to individual, family and community needs.

Carter Burden Network promotes the well-being of seniors 60 and older through a continuum of services, advocacy, arts and culture, health and wellness, and volunteer programs, all oriented to individual, family and community needs. The organization is dedicated to supporting the efforts of older people to live safely and with dignity. As a leader in aging services in NYC, the Carter Burden Network welcomes seniors to participate in programs and attend centers offering vital resources, including social services to access benefits, that support independence and provide opportunities to form connections that enrich their lives. Carter Burden Network provides programs that nourish body, mind and spirit of vulnerable NYC seniors. CBN’s programs and services are partially funded by the NYC Department for the Aging.