SUMMERSIDE, P.E.I. — Mildred Savidant credits her longevity to a healthy and busy lifestyle as a chef.
A Wedgewood Manor resident in Summerside, the 103-year-old is still very sharp.
"I've always looked after myself and I worked hard. If I had a cold, I just kept going until I got better. But I was always healthy and lucky that way. I never abused my body," said Savidant, who was born in St. Eleanors on December 27, 1916, and worked as a head chef until her late 70s.
"Being a chef kept me going. It was a passion and I still like cooking," she said.
Savidant worked first from home, cooking for her five children and her late husband Vincent (Vince), who was also a chef. She then joined Andy's Seafood restaurant, owned by Andrew Perry, as a replacement cook when a worker fell ill. After a short span, Savidant went to work as a chef for his brother Clovis Perry.
But her happiest memories were working at Linkletter Hotel in the restaurant – the current location of the Causeway Bay Hotel stands.
"I created dishes for Alex Campbell, a politician. He would meet up with other government officials and I would make them sandwiches, small meals and stuff like that at Linkletter. And then buffets would be on Fridays, and people would queue down the street to get inside."
Cathy Clow, Mildred's daughter, said her mother's casseroles and bread puddings were popular items on the Linkletter buffet.
"Her bread pudding was (famous), as well as her turkey and broccoli casserole."
Savidant could make anything from chop suey, cookies, to even fancy wedding cakes.
"Mother catered to my wedding, where I had my reception at the old curling club. We had a favourite sponge cake with cream and fruit for the dessert and then a regular wedding cake for cutting. She catered to curling bonspiels, weddings, anniversaries. She cooked for many in Summerside," Clow said.
"There were some, mother catered to their wedding, then catered again for their 25th anniversary, and even their 50th anniversary."
Savidant had a level-head in the kitchen, never letting stress get to her. While at home, she had a loving family that helped her get through difficult times in life, as well as a strong faith.
"I met Vince through relatives. His mother and my mother were cousins. We were just young then, 18. He worked at different restaurants in Summerside but then enlisted during the Second World War."
Vince enlisted in September of 1939 after basic military training. He became a cook to army barracks in Dartmouth, N.S., where the young family lived for two years.
Vince was then transferred to another part of Canada before continuing to Europe. Mildred returned to Summerside with her children, waiting for her husband to come back and the war to end.
It came as a relief when peace was announced in September of 1945.
Savidant was married for 60 years before Vince passed away on Nov. 6, 1995.
She has made significant heritage contributions and educated many in Summerside with her oral history.
After the war, the microwave oven invention made cooking more comfortable in the kitchen.
"When I first started cooking, at home and then in the restaurants, I had steam tables and an oven, and that's about it," said Savidant.
"I made fruit cakes, and that was popular around Christmas, including plum puddings. My favourite dessert was bread pudding, made with chopped up raisins, milk, sugar, eggs and vanilla, served with a brown sugar sauce."
