Life Enhanced Spotlight: July 2023

Featuring Brando Gutierrez, Executive Chef, Avamere at Newberg

By Mary Kleffner, Director of Sales and Outreach, Avamere at Newberg

A Father’s Day feast fit for a king! Avamere at Newberg Chef Brando Gutierrez (second from left) is surrounded by his culinary crew.

“Volunteering for a number of non-profits that feed the poor and growing up at my dad’s restaurants in Peru, as well as a terrorist group, inspired me to find a creative career where I can give back to others.” Brando Gutierrez

Brando Gutierrez, head chef at Avamere at Newberg, began cultivating his interest in culinary skills and helping others long before he got into high school.

While a youngster growing up in Peru, Brando often dined at one of his dad’s seven steak houses. His exposure to helping his dad prepared him well for what was to become his future endeavor.

The Shining Path, a terrorist group in Peru, drove Brando and his family to leave Peru and seek asylum in the United States. This otherwise tragic series of unfortunate events lead Brando to help others. His family not only found comfort in their new home state of Texas, but it also provided them with work. Brando discovered an even deeper love of helping serve others through the Texas foodbank that eventually employed him.

Taking his culinary skills and applying them to his eventual chef vocation, not only served others well, but also helped him build a stellar resume.

He went from Hawaii to Texas, then to California before landing in Oregon, working in the for-profit and non-profit world.

In San Francisco, Brando managed over 2,000 meals for 2,000 people per day at the Dorothy Day house in Berkley. He found it rewarding to serve the homeless. In Hawaii, those who were homeless on the beach were grateful recipients of his fabulous food.

Volunteering his culinary expertise wherever and whenever he could, Brando was encouraged by countless others to take his skills to higher ground.

Brando’s award-winning delicious and savory food prep skills were now being served in some of our nation’s non-profit service centers. So, the word got out.

His work led him to feed the prison population in Salem, Oregon where he also had the privilege to train inmates in culinary skills.

He found himself drawn to tending to the needs of older citizens so found himself drawn to senior living. His culinary skills are a hit in every community he’s served.

Prior to Avamere at Newberg, he was serving up to 600 meals per day at The Dallas Retirement Center. Now the Avamere at Newberg community is the lucky recipient of his scrumptious and nutritious cooking. In the short time he’s been with us, he’s “dressed up” the team and the dining room. Even regular occasions are special and special occasions are out of this world.

His gratitude shines through his excellent meal prep and presentation. We, too, are grateful for Brando’s addition to the Avamere at Newberg family.

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