The fall was a dining comeback like no other where Cura offered innovative dining through Seasonal Plate celebrations, themed events and outdoor dining that encouraged residents and medical staff back to their favorite dining venues. Following Cura’s reopening playbook, learn how our operators were able to offer these safe dining experiences to Cura managed communities and hospitals.
For the residents of independent living at Presbyterian Senior Living at Westminster Woods of Huntingdon, PA, the opportunity to feel a sense of normalcy and community in the midst of what has been a very tough 2020 has been given back to them thanks to Cura!
Robert Pennington, assistant director of dining services, has been keeping his residents entertained with several Al Fresco events. Just recently he served up a fall magical soup sale “outdoors” that featured three homemade soups including butternut squash, cozy Autumn wild rice soup and pesto chicken minestrone. Chef Robert also served a feel-good fall salad with roasted sweet potatoes, fresh arugula feta cheese, dried cranberries, and pecans topped with a fresh lemon Dijon mustard dressing. To accompany their soups, independent living residents were able to purchase fresh, homemade cranberry pumpkin breads. 48 breads were sold!
Cura’s special events for October continued with Lobsterfest at Lifespire’s Chesapeake Retirement Community in Newport News, VA, where over 165 residents enjoyed fresh lobster during this social distanced dining experience! The authenticity of the event was truly made by Bruce Molloy, director of culinary services, who drove 24 hours round trip to purchase lobsters fresh from a Boston wharf! Residents also enjoyed home-made New England chowder; steamed shrimp, red skin potatoes, corn on the cob, rolls/cornbread, strawberry short cake (4 inches tall). beer, wine, beverages- all for $27 dining dollars! Great job team in creating such an AUTHENTIC event for our residents!
Seasonal Plate, an Elior North America promotion, are recurring events at Allegheny Health Network’s (AHN) Jefferson Hospital in Jefferson Hills, PA. Matt Sherwin, general manager of dining, and his team recently served up a delicious crispy fish and homemade potato chips with Brussels sprouts slaw and homemade tarter sauce. Medical staff and guests at AHN Allegheny Valley Hospital in Natrona Heights, PA, also savored house-made turkey sliders, a stuffing muffin topped with turkey, cranberry relish and fresh greens – just an early taste of Thanksgiving!
Cura teams are also catering upscale fundraisers in a safe way. At Homestead Village Enhanced Senior Living in Lancaster, PA, General Manager Lindsey Clinton, along with her talented culinary team, recently catered a seven-course meal for Homestead’s Endowment Fund. The team served residents in two separate dining locations as a way to keep them socially distanced. The team also prepared 50 meal deliveries to those residents who donated, but wished to dine comfortably in their rooms.
The delicious menu featured: Confit Spiced Snake River Farms Kurobuta Pork Belly with Tart Vanilla Infused Apple Slaw and Red Wine Reduction; Smokey Cocoa Pumpkin Bisque with Crown Bourbon Barrel Aged Maple Syrup and Crème Fraiche; Seared Diver Scallop with Celery Root and Yukon Potato Puree, Sherry Pomegranate and Hazelnut Brown Butter; Pan Roasted Quail with Cinnamon Tawny Port Drunken Cherries, Seared Foie Gras and Sweet Corn Polenta Cake; and for dessert…Pavlova with Vanilla Bean Bavarian and Poached Seckel Pears and Black Mission Figs.
At the Community at Rockhill in Sellersville, PA, Cura celebrated Veterans Day with a mobile omelet station which traveled to “Veteran” resident rooms where Executive Chef Curtis Law prepared omelets to order! Residents were also gifted a flag and certificate!
Congratulations to Betty & Donald Wunnenberg on your 70th Wedding Anniversary Celebration at the Lutheran SeniorLife at the Passavant Community in Zelienople, PA! Cura Catering Director Melissa Moody-White prepared and catered a special meal, including a beautiful house-made cake by Baker Jessica Headrick. The special couple was greeted outside by staff, employees and residents who extended best wishes on this “Platinum” occasion!
It was chili time for staff and residents at Tealwood Senior Living at Woodbury Senior Living! The chili meals were delivered campus wide, along with a raffle for staff, by our incredible dining staff in Woodbury, MN! So much to be thankful for!
