We are proud to share our client’s news!
Menno Haven’s new Rehabilitation Center in Chambersburg, PA, achieves WELL Certified Gold, and becomes the first known WELL certified skilled nursing building in the world to receive this prestigious certification by The International WELL Building Institute.
To be WELL Certified means that a building, and everything in it, is created to provide comfort, drive better choices, and generally enhance overall health and well-being of those living and working in it.
The Cura team is proud to support Menno Haven by operating the new rehab’s center new WELL certified centralized culinary kitchen!
The construction of the culinary kitchen as an expansive centralized food production hub was part of Menno Haven’s capital plan to support the growth of the community where the need for only satellite kitchens will be required.
The focus of the culinary kitchen in the new building is around fresh, healthy, and made-to- order menu items prepared by Menno Haven’s dining partner, Cura.
As part of the certification, Cura follows the WELL nourishment standards. “Scratch food is consistently prepared to optimize health and nutrition, while operating procedures and service levels enhance the overall dining experience,” says Jeremy Fry, Cura General Manager of Culinary Services for Menno Haven.
The culinary kitchen is designed as an open concept to the casual dining room and adjacent outdoor courtyard which serves 44 rehabilitation guests, family members and staff breakfast, lunch and dinner Monday through Sunday 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
The open kitchen concept allows guest to interact with culinary team members and experience the menu items as they are prepared. The menus change on a weekly basis and feature seasonal fruits and vegetables from local Chambersburg farms which will maximize their nutritional values. Although guests have a choice of dining in the café or room service, Fry encourages guests to sit down and enjoy a meal with others which promote socialization and mental health benefits.
As the culinary hub, food is also prepared and safely delivered to satellite kitchens that service independent, personal care and skilled healthcare resident dining venues where meals are cooked off without sacrificing quality and taste.
For example, Menno Haven’s Chestnut Landing Restaurant offers residents world class dining with produce grown at Country Creek Produce. Mouth-watering entrees such as grilled swordfish with fresh tomato relish and sautéed kale is just a sampling of what residents will find on this senior living menu! Located in the healthcare center, About Thyme is another trend-forward bistro focused on take-out offerings where diners can grab a hot panini to go, taste the locally sourced pizza of the week or enjoy a specialty coffee beverage with friends.
Cura’s biggest impact towards the WELL certification is educating the consumer on how to make healthy food choices. “We are serving and documenting allergen-free foods, ingredients and nutritionals for all menu items (including cycle menus) daily,” says Fry.
Cura is also making nutritional information even more accessible through frequent culinary demonstrations where onsite dietitians and executive chefs team up to present on how to create healthier food lifestyles! Recent presentations on super foods, seasonal ingredients and how to best use root vegetables are open to Menno Haven residents, team members as well as the Chambersburg, PA community where they can sample and learn how to recreate these menu items in their homes.
Having a WELL certified building onsite allows for Cura to duplicate WELL certified nutritional standards throughout the Menno Haven communities. “The beauty of a centralized culinary kitchen allows us to manage consistency and nutritional standards throughout Menno Haven creating a healthy, well focused and most of all – delicious experience!” says Fry.
