Richard DelFino, executive director of the Johnston Senior Center, knows that when new guests and clients arrive, they almost all have rich life stories to tell.  He also knows that while many are looking for a comfortable community place where they can receive services they need, most are also longing to use their own talents and passions to give something back to the community.

Therefore, it didn’t take DelFino more than a minute or two to realize he was looking at a win-win situation recently when renown Rhode Island Chef Walter Potenza walked through the door of the senior center.

“He was seeking to become a member and to check out our center,” DelFino said. “Little did he know that his willingness to give back to the community would result in lengthy discussions on how to best service Johnston’s senior community”

Potenza – who in 2014 was named one of the top 10 Italian Master Chefs in the World – soon found himself in a breakfast meeting with DelFino and his staff, talking about cuisine, nutrition, and ideas for programs to whet the appetites of senior center clients.

DelFino said that Potenza offered to hold some cooking classes at the center and give talks about food, food traditions, and the importance of staying healthy by eating well. The chef even broached the idea of leading some culinary trips – here, and perhaps someday, abroad.

“Our planning committee is already underway as we believe there are endless possibilities of what we might be able to offer the public by partnering with Chef Walter,” Delfino said.

It’s a rewarding situation that DelFino says he is fortunate enough to see time and again in his job. He makes it a point to meet each new client and most often finds that people have had diverse and dynamic careers, and they want to share their knowledge. 

“I find over and over again that even at a later age, people are still interested in giving back, and there are so many people here at the center with so many talents.”

DelFino said he learned this lesson not long after taking on the job of Senior Center Director about two years ago.   He said he saw an unassuming woman sitting quietly by herself, but once he engaged her in conversation, he learned that she had worked in a detention center in the heart of Chicago and still had the desire to help inspire people to live better lives.

A former employee of the Department of Corrections who worked in probation and parole, DelFino said he knows how important it is that people continue to feel valued.  “I make it a point to get to know everyone here,” he said, “and the stories I hear are amazing.  People have so much to offer, and they are appreciated.”

A graduate of Rhode Island College, Potenza is not only a master chef.  He is restauranteur, lecturer, teacher, and more. He began to change the culinary landscape in Rhode Island decades ago when he opened the Sunflower Café in Cranston and La Locanda del Coccio on Federal Hill in Providence.

Potenza has won multiple awards including several prestigious ones from Italy.  

DelFino said he is excited to ask people to stay tuned to see what programs will result from the chef’s partnership with the senior center.