Being a chef in a senior living community is so much more than just cooking - it’s about creating experiences, nurturing well-being, and bringing joy through food.
In our communities, meal times are special. Visiting friends and family gather together, or residents meet up with new friends and neighbors to share a meal and some quality time. Many of our residents build their day around meals, making plans to meet with friends at breakfast to start their day, or have dinner with their best friend and reflect on the goings on in their lives and community.
Mealtimes are a major highlight for residents in our community. Not only does everyone love enjoying a delicious dish, but meals also offer a chance to catch up with loved ones, neighbors, or friends. In our communities we make a point to make mealtimes extra special by celebrating fun food holidays and mixing exciting new dishes in with favorites and classics.
Across our communities our amazing chefs and culinary teams are always cooking up something special. We pride ourselves in serving delicious meals for everything from special holiday events to every meal of the day.
Food is one of the most powerful and natural ways people connect with one another, and we love that meal time is often a highlight for many of our residents. Recently, we had a sandwich competition where we encouraged all chefs to create their favorite sandwich which would then be submitting for judging.
This past month we asked our culinary teams and chefs from across all our communities to recreate their favorite holiday dessert. From cookies to chocolate truffles, bread pudding to trifle, we received so many delicious sweet dishes. It was wonderful to see the stories and traditions that inspire the dishes and desserts our chefs create, and even more special to have them share these stories with us and the residents in their communities.
The holidays are a great time to both celebrate the traditions and stories from our families, but also to share the joy and excitement of the things we love with others.
Chef Courtney at Pacifica Senior Living Victoria Court has been working with Pacifica since March of 2020. Her love for food and cooking started at an early age, and she quickly began learning and growing in her skills. At Pacifica Senior Living Victoria Court she has been sharing her love for the community through food, creating delicious meals and delicious creations for everything from meal times to special events. The community knows any time a special event is planned, Chef Courtney will have something wonderful to pair with it.
We sat down with her to discuss her culinary journey and what makes working atPacifica Senior Living so special to her:
Chef Jasmine at Pacifica Senior Living South Coast has been working with Pacifica since July 2022. Her team, coworkers, and residents love tasting her delicious meals and dishes. She has been making homemade apricot jam for our team at South Coast to give as thank you gifts for visitors who come to tour our community. This personalized gift is just one of the ways she uses her culinary skills to show how much she cares for the residents in her community.
We sat down with her to discuss her journey and what makes working at Pacifica Senior Living so special to her:
This July, we asked our chefs and culinary teams from our communities to show us their best burgers. Some communities had taste testing with residents, carefully choosing the most popular dish to submit, others went with classic favorites, while still other chefs went for creative and exciting choices. From pizza burgers to tiki burgers, blue cheese and tangy barbeque sauce, our chefs did not disappoint.
Enjoy this light a flavorful salmon cakes dish from chef Nikka Solis of Serra Highlands Senior Living. Topped with a tangy dill aioli sauce, it is the perfect meal for summer.
Find the full recipe below and try it at home for yourself. Or come visit Serra Highlands or one of our communities in your local area to try other amazing dishes like this one. Our aim is to create delicious, nutritious meals for our residents that really wow. From flavor-packed comfort foods and favorites to new and exciting dishes, we are always serving up something special.
Enjoy this flavorful Surf and Turf dish from Chef Matthew Walker of Pacifica Senior Living Menifee. Combining flat iron steak and shrimp, this impressive meal is paired with garlic and black pepper creamy mashed potatoes, and a side of vegetables for a balanced meal that is sure to wow.
You can find the full recipe for both the steak and mashed potatoes below, so you can try it at home for yourself. Or come visit your local community to try dishes like this one made by our amazing in-house culinary team. You can also learn more about Chef Matthew Walker and his journey into cooking below.