Graduates of professional culinary programs are quick to begin a career in a restaurant setting. The fast-paced environment and the pressure to prepare top-notch dishes attract young, skilled and thriving graduates entering the dining services sector. Many people are unaware of the opportunities awaiting them in the retirement living sector.
Chefs working in a retirement setting have a consistent, dependable schedule, often working regular 40-hour weeks. Meaning team members have downtime to spend with their families, friends and other loved ones. It also means they can count on a steady paycheck, easing financial stress.
“In a retirement setting, schedules are better because there is more structure. In a restaurant, your hours are all over the map, making it difficult to plan a life,” notes Eli.
Chefs working in restaurants work long hours, often late into the night. Standing on hard floors for over 12-hours a day in hot, loud kitchens may take a toll on people both physically and mentally.
According to statistics released in the 2016 Census, 40 per cent of Canadian seniors aged 85 to 89 lives in retirement residences. The Census also revealed that for the first time ever, Canadian seniors outnumber children 14 and under.
There’s no denying that within the next few years, the need for qualified, skilled and enthusiastic cooks will increase to meet the demands of seniors living in retirement communities.
“Aside from the fact that this sector is quickly expanding, I feel people should look for careers in seniors housing because it creates job security and the wages and benefits are good. Above all else, the gratification of providing quality service to seniors makes each workday very rewarding.”
Many people think retirement food is processed, boring and bland. At Seasons Retirement Communities, this is far from the truth.
“Our menu is diverse and covers a broad range of dishes to please everyone. I find it unique that we use as many fresh ingredients as we can, including vegetables and herbs from our own Seasons garden. The types of dishes we create, the five-week rotation for features and our a la carte menu keeps it new and different,” says Eli.
At Seasons, we understand how important it is to serve quality food our residents love to eat. Our cooks use their knowledge to improve meals by adjusting flavor profiles, presentation and texture, resulting in a better dining experience for our residents.
To further demonstrate this commitment, Seasons Retirement Communities recently announced its culinary partnership with celebrity chefs Michael and Anna Olson. Each month in 2018, all Seasons Retirement Communities will bake and serve a delicious Anna Olson dessert. Twice annually, Michael will provide seasonal menus for our dining services managers to create. This partnership helps to change the misconception about retirement food while giving our chefs inspiration to cook something different.
Working in a restaurant setting means cooks barely have a second to breathe while trying to push out orders. They don’t have time to interact with their guests and usually have no idea who they are cooking for.
At Seasons, cooks and servers are encouraged to interact with residents so that everyone is known to each other.
Of his experience at Seasons Amherstburg Eli says,
“I’m extremely lucky to enjoy what I do for a living. Coming into work gives me happiness which translates into the dishes I prepare. Lately, I’ve interacted more with the residents while hosting cooking and baking sessions, which I really love doing.”
At Seasons, our dining services teams are encouraged to find inspiration, sharpen their skills and work towards career advancement. Many dining services team members progress to other positions such as general managers, dining services managers and directors by showing passion, interest and dedication in their work.
When Eli started working at Seasons Amherstburg, he was trained by the Dining Services Manager, Beau and adds,
“This training continues every day because, in this industry, there is always something new to learn.”
At Seasons, our dining services teams are encouraged to find inspiration, sharpen their skills and work towards career advancement. Many dining services team members progress to other positions such as general managers, dining services managers and directors by showing passion, interest and dedication in their work.
Seasons employs dedicated, passionate team members who want to provide exceptional customer service to our residents, every day. Choosing a career in the seniors housing sector opens the door to job security, satisfaction and advancement without limiting your creative abilities.
Interested in learning more about what career opportunities we offer in Ontario and Alberta? Visit our recruitment portal for more information.