Chef Services

Three meals are included in all Swanson and Sjogren Center overnight packages. For day meetings, or extensions on your overnight retreat, individual meals can be priced for you by calling toll free at 1-888-656-6254.

Standard meal times are:

• Breakfast - 7:30 a.m.
• Lunch - 12 noon
• Dinner - 6 p.m.

Executive Chef Adam J. Payson

Chef Adam is a gem and you will LOVE his creations! With an educational background in Biblical studies and Culinary arts, Adam approaches his vocation as a way to share his gifts with you. He comes to CJH with a  background of leadership and a handful of awards for his food creations.

A few thoughts from Adam...

"I believe in a natural, whole foods approach to cooking.  We live in a culture that has put too much emphasis on fast production of inferior quality foods that are lacking in basic nutrition.  I prefer to use a "slow food" method in cooking.  Begin with high quality raw ingredients like real potatoes, meats and fresh vegetables; prepare them in methods that enhance their natural flavors and unique characteristics; then serve them in an attractive manner that is pleasing to all of our senses.

"As a Christian as well as a chef, I believe that true hospitality is essential to preserving our core values.  My professional kitchen is no different than my home kitchen, and when I have guests in either, I want them to feel that they are welcome to all the service that I can provide.  Jesus said that the service we provide to others is counted as service to him.  I like to believe that this means no matter who is sitting at my table, I'm serving a very important Guest."

Favorite Menus and Foods:

I love French and Italian country cooking.  I've never seen a day that wasn't brightened with a splash of wine, a little butter and a touch of cream.  I love to make scratch BBQ sauces, especially my own award winning Chipotle-Honey BBQ.  And above all, I like to cook with a lot of lavender and garlic.  I believe that lavender is a seriously overlooked herb in the culinary world, but having grown it successfully for the past few years, I have found endless applications for it."