A COLCHESTER care home put its chefs to the test as it hosted a special Come Dine with Me themed dinner. 

Residents and staff at Colonia Court Bupa Care Home, in St Andrews Avenue, channelled the popular Channel 4 show as they enjoyed a three-course meal complete with decorations and entertainment supplied by Pete George.

The mayor and mayoress of Colchester joined the celebration as residents tried out the new seasonal menu. 

Jiji George, home manager, said: "We had a wonderful day together to celebrate the new season and I’m delighted that the mayor and mayoress could join us to experience our delicious food.

"It’s incredibly important to us to serve healthy, delicious, and in-season food to our residents.

"Fresh ingredients are the key to good nutrition, which is vital for our residents, contributing to their overall good health and wellbeing."

The food was prepared by the care home chefs, offering a seasonal menu including mushroom ravioli with lemon butter, poached salmon with creamy herb sauce, and mini baked cheesecakes with fruit coulis.

Enid Butcher, an 89-year-old resident of Colonia Court, said: "We always look forward to our meals at Colonia Court and it was wonderful to get together to eat, talk about our favourite foods and some of the new foods we’ll be trying over the spring and summer.

"It was also lovely to meet the mayor and mayoress and I’m glad they enjoyed the meal as much as we did.

"I like watching Come Dine with Me, so I enjoyed re-enacting the score-giving at the end of the meal – of course, I scored them a 10 out of 10."