Succulent, juicy, tender Tuscan Roast Chicken served with Caponata, Garlic Aioli, and Buttered Asparagus. One would think that this is lifted straight out of a restaurant menu. At least, that is the intention of Avalon Village's Food Services team.
Do not expect to see a rotating weekly menu with unidentifiable mincey slop or watery soup in this dining hall. With almost 40 years of combined experience from renowned establishments to large commercial kitchens, Head of Food Services, Jason and his team of five are skilful at turning ordinary staples into nutritious restaurant-grade meals. It is not an easy feat ensuring every meal served meets the dietary and nutritional requirements of all the residents… three times a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year!
With the capacity to produce food of such quality and scale, the team jumped on the opportunity to expand its services to nearby Thornfields Supported Independent Living homes and Alora Retreat. Their clients can now too enjoy chef-prepared meals twice a day. The lunch and dinners are freshly cooked, chilled and packaged with serving instructions, ready for delivery the next day.
For some residents, eating out or sampling other cuisines is not an option available to them. To keep the dining experience exciting, the Food Services team came up with Fiesta Day, which features a themed lunch every Friday.
Jason said: "It's a great way to introduce new flavours and make things fun. It can be Mexican one day and Thai the next.
"We recently showcased a French sampling platter with in-house baked baguettes, onion jam, and Swiss cheese, topped with French fries induced in parmesan and truffle oil.
"Our menus are planned weekly and distributed to all the residents and clients every Monday. We know all their favourites and will change up the techniques in how we make them, keeping it exciting and using what is in season."
The team is also aware that there is a need to be more flexible even with such a diverse menu. "There have been a few residents requesting to have only salads for lunch, and we are more than happy to accommodate that," said Jason.
Skymac Group General Manager, Lee, added: "One of our main points of difference is not just the community-living lifestyle but the food services we offer."
There is no denying that, one of the comforts of home is having a great home-cooked-meal. A testament to this is witnessing the residents' excitement when lunch or dinner gets served. "They really look forward to it," says Jason.
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