SALISBURY – The former co-owner of The Sweetest Thing bakery in downtown Salisbury is whipping up her popular cookies, pies and cakes for the toughest customers in Salisbury – grandparents.
Lynne Harrell is the new dining services manager at Carillon Assisted Living of Salisbury.
Harrell brings a level of culinary expertise to her new role that belies her youthful appearance in the dining room, Executive Director Wendy Livengood said.
With Harrell settled into her new role, residents are marveling not at the age of their new chef, who just turned 30, but at her mastery of southern cuisine, Livengood.
“I think initially they looked at her as a granddaughter, and now they look at her as a granddaughter who also happens to be a fantastic chef,” Livengood said. “The truth is, Lynne is one of the finest chefs not just in Salisbury, but in the entire region. We are very lucky to have her at Carillon.”
Before joining Carillon, Harrell ran the East Innes Street bakery and cafe that specialized in custom cakes, cookies, breads and lunch items.
For the many locals who were sad to see the restaurant close and have wondered what became of Harrell, the chef is ready with an answer.
“I haven’t gone anywhere, I’m just cooking for your parents, or your grandparents, or your former neighbors,” said Harrell, a Salisbury native and graduate of Orlando Culinary Academy. “So come in and have lunch or dinner with them sometime.”
And for those who wonder if Harrell has had to scrap her winning recipes in favor of low-fat, low-sodium fare given her new clientele, wonder no more.
“I have always, probably as long as I’ve been cooking, been conscious of using fresh, healthy ingredients,” she said. “And just because you’re older doesn’t mean you don’t get pie.
“We won’t add unnecessary sugar to the pie, and we’ll serve you that pie in moderation – but by gosh, you are going to have your pie.”
Carillon Assisted Living is North Carolina’s only locally owned and operated provider of licensed assisted living homes and services for seniors.
Founded in 1996, the company serves about 1,000 seniors and operates 14 communities statewide.