A near-death accident resurrected new life and passion for longtime Glenmoore chef Harley Blaisdell, and he has taken advantage of it to cook up a new West Chester business venture: Blaize Catering.

“It was like, ‘Oh my God, I hope I can cook again’ — something you always took for granted and now you have to question it,” he said in a Daily Local News report by Brian McCullough after recovering from being hit by a vehicle at the Downingtown toll plaza.

“I thank (those involved in the rehab, friends and family) for all the positive reinforcement they gave me. It made all the difference.”

Once the Uwchlan Ambulance Corps, Paoli Hospital and Bryn Mawr Rehab Hospital got him back on his feet, Blaisdell worked on the recipe for Blaize Catering.

“After 20-plus years in the business working for other Philadelphia and Main Line caterers, restaurants, hotels, country clubs, television networks, editorial photography and as a private chef, I decided to embark on my true passion, taking the knowledge and creativity to transform it into my own,” he said in the article. “This is a major step toward achieving the dream I’ve had for years.”

Blaize Catering features custom selection of gourmet food from local sources and national brands, served up for weddings, family and business events, and even to-go offerings.

Read much more about the story behind Blaize Catering in the Daily Local News here.