Sun City artist, chef showcased in Herberger display

Leny Longo, who works at the Royal Oaks Life Plan Community in Sun City, has melded his photographic talents with fellow workers in the culinary department to capture a photograph currently on display at The Herberger Theater and Galley in Phoenix.

Longo submitted five photographs of the culinary team’s dishes to a recent competition that included 37 other culinary artists from Arizona. This included Picnic Lunch with Pinot, Aragoste, Purple and Yellow, and Pulpa Gambaiala Planca, as well as Royal Oaks’ executive chef Francelle Mata’s creation titled Aladdin’s Coffee, which was chosen. Mata used a smoke bubble with coffee to enhance the artistry of the presentation. It was that creativity that caught the eye of the judges. A photograph of a dish prepared by Royal Oaks chef Jorge Cabrera Madrigal also was considered.

“We are so proud of Leny and Francelle and our entire culinary staff,” said Royal Oaks Chief Operating Officer Gretchen Cobb. “They demonstrate the breadth of talent that we have here at Royal Oaks. We could not be prouder.”

Mata graduated from the Scottsdale Culinary Institute and has been a chef for several years. She sharpened her culinary skills working in both fine dining and hotel restaurants in Arizona. She has been at Royal Oaks for the past seven years starting as a sous chef and last year was promoted to executive chef at the senior community.

The COO also praised Longo, whose photography captured the spirit and heart of the dishes.

“He is amazing in his ability to encapsulate the very essence and soul of our culinary staff’s work,” she said.

Longo, who had retired after 25 years in the food industry, said after he realized that he was “getting under his wife’s feet,” he decided to return to work and has been at Royal Oaks for the past three years as its culinary support coordinator. He said he learned about the Herberger Show from a friend and decided, with the cooperation of Mata and her staff, to enter them in the contest.

“It was the first time that the Herberger Gallery had a submission from a senior community,” he said.

Longo, who is a member of the Sun City Camera Guild, had nothing but praise for Mata and her staff and said he thought it was “fantastic” that a member of Royal Oak’s Culinary team had been selected.

“We are so honored to have Francelle Mata and Leny Longo, on staff,” said Royal Oak Chief Executive Officer Kendra Eberhart. “They not only are talented and creative, but also, they are genuinely warm and friendly people who interact so beautifully with our senior residents. We are so blessed here at Royal Oaks to have such a deep pool of talent to assist and support our residents.”