Happy Hearts, Happy Plates: The Ripe Avocado Celebrates 30 Years of Benecol with Chef Aldo Zilli
When Good Housekeeping asked us to work alongside Chef Aldo Zilli for Benecol's 30th anniversary celebration at House of Hearst, we jumped at the chance. This was a milestone event, all about celebrating three decades of heart health whilst proving that food focused on lowering cholesterol can still be absolutely delicious.
The brief was brilliant: create a menu using Benecol's most popular products that showcased flavour without compromise. With 20 VIP influencers arriving for an intimate drinks reception before a panel and cooking demo with Chef Aldo and Carol Vorderman, plus 60 additional influencers joining for canapés, the day was all about education, inspiration, and seriously good food.
Chef Aldo led a live cooking demonstration, preparing dishes that we then served to the wider group - proving in real-time that heart-healthy eating doesn't have to be boring. From seeded sourdough topped with Benecol spread and slow-roasted cherry tomatoes to chicken ginger lemongrass meatballs with arrabbiata sauce, every bite was packed with flavour.
The grilled polenta crostini with chargrilled vegetables and the smoked salmon quinoa bites on brown brioche showed just how creative you can get when you're thinking about heart health. And because no celebration is complete without something sweet, we finished with strawberry panna cotta and red berry sauce.
The whole event was a lovely reminder that taking care of your heart doesn't mean sacrificing the joy of great food - and with Chef Aldo at the helm, it was an absolute pleasure to be part of such a celebration.
Menu
Chef Aldo's Demo Canapés
Seeded sourdough topped with Benecol spread, slow roasted cherry tomato, basil and rucola pesto
Chicken ginger lemongrass and garlic meatballs with arrabbiata sauce
Benecol strawberry yogurt panna cotta with red berry sauce
Additional Canapés
Grilled polenta crostini with chargrilled courgettes and aubergine, roasted peppers, mint dressing and pumpkin seeds
Smoked salmon, Benecol cream cheese spread, cucumber and quinoa bites on brown brioche
The Drinks
Low calorie (but full of flavour) Thomson & Scott Noughty Prosecco
0% Nosecco
Fiery ginger fizz
Belu still and sparkling water
We were thrilled when Good Housekeeping at House of Hearst invited us to collaborate on their first event in the stunning new event space. It was a fantastic opportunity to help shape a memorable experience from the ground up. Working with Chef Aldo was a pleasure from our first call. With Benecol products playing a central role in the menu, Chef Sam brought valuable insight into how we could hero the ingredients while crafting canapés that were both delicious and healthy.
- Lucy Robinson, Head of Events at The Ripe Avocado
What the client said:
Thanks so much for your lovely note, and for all your support yesterday! It was such a pleasure working with you and the team; everything looked fantastic, and you helped make the day run so smoothly. The team were super slick and we’d absolutely love to work together again soon.
– Lulu Jenkins, Senior events manager House of Hearst
