Suburban Life - Chester/Delco - Issue #4 (April 2024)

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SL_Freedom Village Profile_0424FINAL.qxp_Layout 1 5 / 3 / 24 11 : 02 AM Page 1 estled in the heart of bucolic Chester Coun ? ty , Freedom Village at Brandywine provides by Leigh Stuart | photos by Nina Lea Photography Na haven for older adults looking to enjoy the good life . Freedom Village’s cup runs over with a host of wellness and lifestyle amenities , including an enviable dining pro - gram helmed by a hospitality veteran with a penchant for flavor , freshness , and creativity . Raymond Maxwell came to Freedom Village as executive chef five years ago . He brought with him 30 years of industry expe - rience and an abundance of skills honed in the kitchens of some of the area’s most beloved restaurants , including a few he started on his own . Maxwell credits his grandmother , a former culinary director with Wilmington , Delaware’s Red Clay Consolidated School District , for inspiring his love of cooking . He has fond memories of the time he spent on her farm . “ My brother and I used to stay at my grandparents ’ house in the summer , ” he recalls . “ When we used to get in trouble , Grandma would separate us and put us in the kitchen to wash dishes , or send us out to pick beans . I think that’s what got me started . ” His appreciation of fresh meat and pro - duce blossomed into a full - blown passion when he took a culinary - arts class in 10th grade . His teacher , Susan Cole , encouraged him to further explore his talents . He followed her sage advice and enrolled in the Philadel - phia Restaurant School — now Walnut Hill College — after graduation . “ My passion was deeper than most peo - ple’s , ” he says . “ I was a sponge , and I did a lot of reading . My goal was to be a master chef with my own restaurant . ” Out of the Frying Pan Hard work and copious study landed Maxwell his first kitchen position at the Dilworthtown Inn , at the time a premier French restaurant in Chester County . From there he moved to the Chadds Ford Inn , where he excelled as a sous chef and assistant pastry chef . A bit of networking led the chef to open his first restaurant , the Hockessin Inn , shortly after . “ This was back in my 20s , when I was a kid , ” he says . “ It was a learning experience , and the fulfilment of a dream . ” When that restaurant closed , Maxwell worked in a number of renowned kitchens , including the Rolling Green Golf Club in THE Springfield and Maxwell Creeds outside of Longwood Gardens . “ Mushrooms were my thing , ” he says . “ I was actually the winner of the Mushroom GOURMET WAY Festival cook - off for three years in a row . ” After a brief time at the helm of a BYOB , AT FREEDOM VILLAGE AT BRANDYWINE , Maxwell turned his sights to jazz with Maxwell’s on Market in Wilmington . When EXECUTIVE CHEF RAYMOND MAXWELL LEADS A a statewide ban on cigarette smoking indoors SEASONED CULINARY TEAM COMMITTED TO OFFERING dampened the jazz club’s business , Maxwell found himself at a crossroads . He chose to EACH RESIDENT A FIVE ? STAR EXPERIENCE . settle nearer to his hometown , working for Wyncote Country Club in Oxford for six years before moving on to the Stone Barn , a rustic , country - style restaurant and wedding venue . SUBURBANLIFEMAGAZINE.COM VOLUME 15 ISSUE 8 10 |

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SL_Freedom Village Profile_0424FINAL.qxp_Layout 1 5 / 3 / 24 11 : 02 AM Page 2 Networking once again led to an oppor - tunity when the owners of the Brown Derby restaurant , just down the street from the Stone Barn , offered Maxwell the chance to take over that space . After three years , Maxwell sold that spot and returned to a country club kitchen — this time , Applecross in Downing - town , not far from Freedom Village . Once again , a guest suggested Maxwell explore a new opportunity — this time , in a role unlike any he’d ever had . Finding Freedom While skeptical at first about the amount of creativity and freedom he would have helming the kitchen of a retirement community , Maxwell took a leap of faith . Five years later , he hasn’t looked back . “ I started just making awesome menus , changing the approach to the culinary scene here , ” Maxwell says . “ When I started , it was more batch cooking ; now , we have a whole program like you would see in a restaurant , with an almost brigade system . We have a sauté chef , a grill chef , and an expediter on the line . We change the menu every day . ” Since taking the reins , Maxwell has im - Examplesof the culinary offerings plemented myriad positive changes that createdby Chef Maxwell’s team . have improved the dining experience for residents across the board . without easy enhancements like salt and whereresidents will wear a jacket or collared “ We have a great [ culinary ] staff , ” he pepper . ” shirt and slacks , ” Maxwell says . “ I always says . “ They all know what I expect and they Thesky is the limit in terms of ingredients , had the vision for a restaurant here that had are all trained . It was tough in the first six to thanks in large part to Freedom Village’s more of a California bistro - pub feeling , eight months , getting everyone to buy into commitment to providing a culinary experi - where if you’ve been at Longwood Gardens changes — taking tickets , cooking to order — ence of the highest quality . for the day in shorts and a polo , you don’t but it works and I proved it . Residents expect “ We are in a great area where we have have to get changed to grab a sandwich or a five - star experience . ” access to some of the best produce , and pizzaand a beer and hang out . ” WhileMaxwell trained in the French tra - definitely some of the best seafood coming Maxwell feels fortunate , even blessed , dition — butter , foie gras , and rich delicacies out of the New Jersey - Baltimore area , ” he to work in such a dynamic sector of the notnecessarily associated with heart health — says . “ We have tons of Amish farms around culinary arts . At Freedom Village , he not he marries the French focus on freshness the area , and I 100 percent cook with the onlyenjoys the challenge but also appreciates and simplicity with a menu that is more seasons . Right now some great things are the opportunity to “ give back . ” health - forward . starting to come available , like spring greens “ A handful of residents here I’ve known “ Weget great fish like barramundi , diver andearly baby vegetables that are awesome for 25 years , because I’ve cooked for them scallops , tons of awesome vegetables and for roasting . ” [ before ] , ” he says . “ It’s a unique , full - circle proteins , ” he adds . “ The way I prepare them FreedomVillage residents have multiple experience for me to still be able to be now is more focused on roasting , braising , options in terms of where to dine , including around some of the people who have sup - andsmoking , getting flavors from that . anewly opened casual - dining concept called portedme for such a long time . “ I use some traditional demi - glaces , but The Village Bistro . Several years in the “ I’m like a personal chef to the residents when it comes to seafood , I use a lot of making , The Village Bistro opened its doors who live here , ” he continues . “ I have an lighter vinaigrettes and gastriques that are earlier this year with a menu featuring casual open - door policy and people can share the healthier for the residents , ” he continues . “ I fare such as salads and a lineup of brick - specifics of their diet . I’m very fortunate to tend not to cook with a ton of wheat , and oven pizzas that rotates every few weeks . be here and be loved by so many — it’s an sodium can be a problem for people who ? “ All the major dining rooms are formal , awesome feeling . ” are aging , so I work to make dishes flavorful Freedom Village at Brandywine 15 Freedom Blvd . Coatesville , PA 19320 610 - 572 - 2017 fvbrandywine.com Freedom Village residents have multiple dining options , including a newly opened casual - dining concept called The Village Bistro . SUBURBANLIFEMAGAZINE.COM VOLUME 15 ISSUE 8 | 11

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