When construction issues created move-in delays for residents of a Colorado continuing care retirement / life plan community, the culinary team devised a way to stay connected with those residents while increasing their engagement with their soon-to-be home.
Aberdeen Ridge, a Presbyterian Manors of Mid-America community in Colorado, offers independent living, assisted living and memory care in 171 condos. But construction delays have prevented several residents from moving in as planned; 58 residents have moved into the community, and deposits have been made on 112 additional apartments.
The community’s culinary team has been feeding them for months, keeping connected with and engaging residents and soon-to-be residents through food.
Cura Hospitality General Manager of Dining Robert Huckels said he just wanted to get to know them and thought, “What better way to do that then connect through food and drink?”
“This gave me valuable information on their likes and dislikes and what was important to them,” Huckels told McKnight’s Senior Living. “These events also gave the residents the chance to meet their culinary team and taste selections from their menus, such as the breakfast brunch menu, for example, where burritos with local Pueblo chilies and croissant breakfast sandwiches are featured.”
The culinary team partners with local providers for different products, including cantaloupe from Rocky Ford Growers, carrots and lettuce from Hungenberg Produce, local spirits and wines from Black Hat Distiller and Fountain Creek Winery, and local beer from Bristol Brewing and Odell Brewing.
Among the events Huckels and the culinary team have offered include chef demonstrations, wine tastings, members-only gatherings, comedy shows with tastings, charcuterie boards and signature cocktails, open houses, and coffee-and-croissant breakfasts.
Huckels said the events have been the “key part” of the community’s social scene. And the events will continue monthly once everyone moves in, revolving around everything from chef cooking demonstrations to themed buffets. But the most popular event is the Friday night happy hour at Goldfields Bar and Lounge, which Huckels said is “stand room only.”
Aberdeen Ridge also has a Jade Cooking Suite — one of only two in Colorado, the other at a ski resort — that is an open concept European design. The Jade is a style of cooking in which all of the cooking equipment is located in a central rectangle, with self-contained stations in a small footprint, including refrigeration, tools and setups.
The Jade is featured in the independent living area’s Expo Kitchen in Mesa restaurant, creating an interactive culinary experience that allows independent living residents to enjoy a “friendly banter” with the chef. The other side of the kitchen provides dining for assisted living and memory care residents.
“The Jade gives us the ability to connect with our residents on a nightly basis, allowing them to interact with the culinary staff and watch the behind-the-scenes action as their meals are being prepared,” Huckels said.
