• Share the burden. Suppose it does cost a little more to go with a meal service that is fresh, local, wholesome, and high-end. There’s no reason the weight of that should fall solely on the shoulders of the culinary budget. “Maybe I find other ways to cut costs, maybe not even in my depart- ment. Maybe we find that savings in nurs- ing or in another department,” Keating said. “You want to look at the big picture, the overall costs of things beyond just the kitchen. It’s about being a team. We’re all working for one common goal.”
This notion of shared responsibility goes be- yond just questions of budgeting. As senior dining takes a more sophisticated turn, some see a growing need for food service to evolve into a more broadly shared responsibility. Chefs can’t create “quality” all on their own. “We have front-line caregivers who have
to be brought into the loop. There has to be an all-team approach,” Lutz said. “In the culinary world there is production, execu- tion, and delivery, and if that third piece is out of whack, the whole thing falls apart. The interaction between the server and the customer is extremely important. There’s a sales piece, a sense that this person is there to take care of you. There needs to be a de- tailed level of service, not just order-taking. You’d like a hamburger? What would you like on it? May I suggest you try this? Ev- eryone needs to be trained to do that and to bring that mindset to the dining room.” That level of service hasn’t always been the
norm in senior living, any more than cooked-to- order has been the driving force in the kitchen. As a more personalized prep style emerges, ser- vice will need to step up its game accordingly. This speaks to an overall theme that
many senior living leaders voice when asked about emerging culinary trends. While it’s important to stay current, they said, chasing the latest trend must always take a back seat to basic block and tackle. “You need to learn to drive well before
you worry about buying a new car. You need solid production criteria, you need a solid infrastructure,” Lutz said. “The boom- ers are coming? Okay. But you first have to get good at what you are doing. You have to do good, solid, homecooked food. That’s what residents want. Then if someone is a vegetarian or needs it gluten-free, you can do that without sweating bullets. Chefs can do all that stuff, if they are doing the funda- mentals correctly.”
THE NEW CUISINE
Kisco Senior Living recently held its first nationwide culinary contest as a way to highlight some of the most creative work happening in the kitchens of its senior living communities.
Winning entries included miso tofu stuffed beet dumplings, blackened white fish with pumpkin seed succotash and tomato essence, and this recipe:
PAN SEARED TRIPLETAIL AND GULF SHRIMP WITH CURRY MANGO SAUCE Yield: 4 Plates
INGREDIENTS 16 oz.
4 oz. To taste
As needed 1 cup
4 each 4 cups
20 each 2 oz. 1 oz.
METHOD
Season tripletail with salt and pepper. Heat sauté pan over medium high heat. Coat with canola oil and sear for approximately two minutes per side. Reserve.
Season shrimp with salt and pepper. Heat sauté pan over medium high heat. Coat with canola oil and sear for approximately one minute per side. Reserve.
Tripletail, 4 oz. portions Gulf shrimp
Salt and pepper
Canola oil (for searing) Curry sauce
Scallion basmati rice
Roasted zucchini and butternut squash Zucchini slices, paper thin for plating Curry oil
Thyme and scallion flowers (for garnish)
MAY/JUNE 2018
ARGENTUM.ORG 11
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