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An Exceptional Dining Experience Every Time

November 6, 2024
An Exceptional Dining Experience Every Time

Whether it's enjoying a quick bite before an activity or inviting family in for a festive holiday dinner, residents of Erickson Senior Living communities appreciate the wide range of flavorful menu options at different restaurants every day. 

To learn more about how culinary team members make every meal special, we spoke with Kevin Bunn, vice president of Dining Services for Erickson Senior Living. 

Q: Why is offering great dining important?

A: Some of the most cherished times in life are shared over a delicious meal with family and friends! The care we take in creating exceptional dining experiences reflects the importance of these moments in residents' lives. 

Having the opportunity to eat with friends and neighbors in a relaxed atmosphere is a key benefit of the Erickson Senior Living lifestyle. And we take care of everything--creating and serving a variety of menu choices in venues from fast casual to fine dining. Best of all, residents don't have to worry about the hassle of buying groceries, preparing meals, and washing dishes. 

You see the smiles and hear the laughter when you walk through any one of our restaurants. In fact, we introduced a "family" dining option at some communities in which we added a table that can seat 10-15 people, where anyone can pull up a seat. It's been so popular that we'll be expanding this to all of our communities. 

Q: What is the Signature Dining program?

A: Our Signature Dining program is a commitment we make to residents that their meals are cooked to order with fresh ingredients to create a delicious dining experience. 

Menus feature seasonal dishes, regional favorites, and weekly specials prepared by our executive chefs. Resident input is a big part of our planning process. Our dining services directors, executive chefs, and general managers interact with residents regularly so that they can get direct input about what is working well and where there could be areas of opportunity.

For example, we understand that many residents are watching their cholesterol, avoiding sugar, or just trying to eat healthier in general. Based on feedback, we've expanded the Healthier Choice selections of our menu and are posting nutritional information on the My Erickson resident app.

We're also adding more plant-based options. In fact, Riderwood Executive Chef Chad Wisner, recently took home second place in a plant-based cooking competition at the International Conference on Nutrition in Medicine! Incorporating more healthy, plant-based menu items supports our mission of helping residents live better lives. 

Q: Why is it important to offer residents multiple dining venues to choose from?

A: It all comes down to variety! Whether residents want to watch a football game with friends over lunch at the pub, dine al fresco on a relaxing summer evening, or savor a hearty stew, we have plentiful options.

What's even better is that each restaurant has its own unique atmosphere--due in large part to the vibrant personalities and creativity of our dining team members. You'll see imaginative table decorations to commemorate special occasions and "theme nights," featuring a special menu. Everything is designed to elevate the experience for residents.   

Q: What traits do you prioritize in your dining team members? 

A: We look for team members who have a high level of culinary talent and service skill, and who place the highest priority on resident satisfaction. 

When we hire or promote a team member, we search for people who have talent and who fit our positive and professional culture. We strongly believe that we live our mission one interaction at a time, with residents and coworkers. This commitment creates a friendly, courteous atmosphere that everyone appreciates.

We also look for team members who are motivated to learn and advance. Everyone has opportunities to grow, whether it's learning to prepare new healthy selections or reviewing customer priorities. Our residents deserve this high level of service each and every day.

Q: The holidays are upon us! What can residents and their guests expect at our communities?

A: The holidays are a very special time of year for residents, from Thanksgiving to New Year's Day and all of the celebrations in between! That makes them important to us, too. We want to create an absolutely extraordinary experience for our residents as well as the friends and family members they invite to join them here.

No matter what the holiday is, the culinary teams at our communities are eager to prepare delicious meals for all to enjoy. The entire team--hosts, hostesses, and servers--gets involved to decorate our restaurants to create a warm and festive holiday experience. This year, I'd urge our readers to visit a nearby community and see for themselves!

Find an Erickson Senior Living community near you to learn more about the dining experiences residents enjoy.  

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