A CHEF who once cooked for Barack Obama will be preparing a Tastes of the World buffet for a care home open evening.

Sharon Johnson, 48, will be preparing American specialities for the event which will take place at Redwalls Nursing Home, in Sandiway, from 6pm to 8pm on Wednesday, November 8.

Ms Johnson, the Kingsley Healthcare home’s head chef, will be assisted by Filipina deputy manager Laisah Elchico, Filipina nurses Tess Ringor and Thelma Escasinas, Guyanan nurse Princess Bob Ralph and Thai kitchen assistant Napa Morris in preparing a cosmopolitan feast.

Julie Sheridan, home manager, said: “We are blessed to have such a wonderful mix of staff from all around the world and wanted to show off their culinary talents at our opening evening.”

As well as sampling the food, visitors will be able to tour the home and chat to activities team Hayley Bullock and Emma Edwards about how they inject fun into residents’ daily lives.

Senior staff, including regional operations director Ian Smallwood, will be on hand to answer any questions concerning care needs for a loved one.

Ms Johnson ran restaurants in the US for 25 years before returning to her home in the north west.

She recalled how she hosted a party for President Obama to celebrate his daughter’s graduation from middle school at the Italian restaurant she was running at the time in Washington DC.

“Secret Service closed down the whole street,” she said.

“They booked it under a false name and, an hour before, the Secret Service came in and said, ‘your guest tonight will be the president of the United States’.”

Mrs Sheridan said: “Sharon has been amazing since she joined us. The residents love her, as well as her food, and she has really lifted everyone’s spirits.”