Roughly 460 pounds of food per resident each year is wasted at senior living communities. By adopting Cura’s” Waste Nothing” program, communities are able to optimize dining from a cost perspective and redirect food from landfills.
Since the beginning of 2023, Cura had 936,951 quarts or 1,873,902 pounds of total waste identified and diverted 164,784 quarts or 329,568 pounds (or 17.6%) by donating, recycling, composting, and creating rescue recipes that inspire chefs to use ingredients that normally would go to waste.
Cura at the Sisters of the Humility of Mary in Villa Maria, PA, is diverting 480 quarts or 1,000 lbs. of food waste to composters monthly. Cura also manages the sister residents’ expectations that food doesn’t come back to the kitchen. “We value and support the sisters’ mission to help those who are food insecure. To engage the sisters, we place “waste nothing” composter bins on each residential floor, making it convenient for them to dispose of food waste items such as coffee grinds, apple cores, orange and banana peels,” says Thomas Jacobs, Cura director of dining services.
Decomposed food matter is also used as a natural fertilization for the Villa Maria Farm, a 750-acre working farm, which is an essential source of food for local food banks, shelters, and parishes. “Additionally, we source 1/3 of the harvest including zucchini, squash, corn, cucumbers, peppers, onions, cabbage and blueberries – creating a true farm-to-table experience for the sister residents we serve,” Jacobs says.
Cura is also experiencing Waste Nothing success at Grafton County Nursing Home in North Haverhill, New Hampshire. Since introducing Waste Nothing in November of 2022, Cura Director of Dining Steve Meisel and his team divert 200 quarts of food waste per week to help feed animals at a local dairy farm.
At Benedictine Health Center at Innsbruck in New Brighton, MN, Sutter Meinke, Cura director of dining services, uses a bucket recycling system where 90 to 95% of food waste goes to a local pig farm to feed swine. “We go through 150 quarters per week,” he says.
Waste Nothing also inspires Rescue Recipes which promotes creativity amongst Cura teams that transform perfectly good ingredients into new and delicious recipes that are added to our menus!
At Holy Redeemer in Meadowbrook, PA, hospital and assisted living staff enjoy Rescue Recipe salmon burgers! Sous Chef Mike Porterfield creates these delicious and healthy burgers using the excess trimmings of the salmon. The salmon burgers are offered at the facility’s grill.
ELEVATE CULINARY
Cura is pleased to announce the recent appointment of John Cramutola CDM, CFPP to Corporate Culinary Director.
Chef John has already made an impactful difference for Cura as he has refreshed training programs such as Cura Culinary College, created culinary opportunities for chefs to be innovative, and re-designed Cura’s Culinary Standards to reflect the ever-evolving nature of the hospitality industry.
Chef John has worked within the healthcare industry for over 11 years and the culinary industry for 14 years. Chef John strives to instill his passion for food and hospitality into every facet of his work. Along with his years of culinary excellence, he has in-depth knowledge of customer service and client relations.
Chef John has had the pleasure of opening a fast-casual concept restaurant in South Jersey, catering multiple high-level functions for his companies, as well as volunteering for several causes in his community. During his time as the saucier/sous chef at Trump National Golf Course, in Pine Hill New Jersey, he cooked for our 45th president on multiple occasions, along with multiple high-level and celebrity guests. As a director of dining services, he has helped to open multiple new contracts, ranging from small accounts to high-level accounts and systems.
Pairing his love for food, his passion for learning, and his desire to usher in a new and responsible approach to foodservice, Chef John is excited for Cura’s future and the award-winning chefs he is leading!
IMPROVE WELLNESS
Cura Hospitality was proud to announce two gold award winners of its Cura Culinary Contest held to inspire the creation of innovative recipes using Cura’s signature spice blends, which are specifically crafted to provide unique health and wellness benefits.
Brain-Boosting crab cakes were created by Executive Chef Robert Grotha of Aberdeen Heights, a Presbyterian Manors of America senior living community in Kirkwood, MO.
An accomplished culinarian who graduated with a bachelor’s degree in culinary arts from Johnson and Wales, Chef Robert used Cura’s Brain Booster Spice Blend, featuring properties linked to increasing memory function. “Cura’s Brain Boost Blend makes a perfect addition to this crab cake. The warm spices paired with the sweet crab meat and the bright pop of lemon come together to make a delicious bite,” says Chef Robert.
Anti-Inflammatory Kofta Kebobs were also created by Executive Chef Terry Geracia of Allegheny Health Network’s Allegheny Valley Hospital in Pittsburgh, PA.
A graduate of the International Culinary Academy, Kofta Kebobs were created with Cura’s Anti-Inflammatory Spice Blend” linked to reducing chronic diseases, joint pain, and swelling. “I chose this recipe because the spice blend in traditional Kofta and the Cura Anti Inflammatory spice blend is very similar. It works great in this recipe, and it makes for a nice, flavorful, healthy alternative to traditional Kofta,” says Chef Terry.
Let Cura create a culinary experience they will be talking about!
