If you live anywhere in the greater St George, Utah area, you know Croshaw’s Gourmet Pies. If not, LeeAnn Escudero Metz says you’re missing out. In fact, LeeAnn spent several years at Croshaw’s helping create the most delectable baked goods and pies anywhere in Southern Utah. But that was just one stop on her culinary journey before landing at Ridgeview Gardens Assisted Living as our Executive Chef. But like with most good stories, LeeAnn’s begins with family.

Holidays are a big part of LeAnn’s family life. She remembers fondly and looks forward with anticipation to the next big family gathering. Her cultural background means women cooking and chatting while preparing sometimes simple, and sometimes extravagant meals. One of her favorite meals to prepare is a good ol’ fashioned Seafood Boil. She has been known to blend different cultural flavors from Haitian to Asian to create an interactive and fun dining experience for family and friends.

From LeeAnn’s days of earning her degree in Culinary Science, to working at a variety of restaurants and resident communities, she has taken the best of all the experience to create her own style of fusion cooking. But most important is her healthy way of looking at food. She encourages anyone with health problems to consider changing their diet before taking another medication.

From the team to the resident, the vibe and homey cohesive atmosphere LeeAnn feels at Ridgeview makes her smile. But maybe what brings her the greatest joy is the smile on a resident’s face saying, “that’s just how my mom used to make it.” We’re lucky to have LeeAnn be part of the Ridgeview Garden family.