Food at Balclutha Court Care Home
Our chefs pride themselves in getting to know each person individually, ensuring that we meet all their nutritional and dietary requirements. We provide delicious home cooked food with a great variety of options available. Our traditional roast dinner and fish teas are a great favourite with the residents. For residents with difficulty in eating and swallowing we modify the menu so that it meets their dietary needs. Throughout the day we offer light snacks and home baking to enjoy with a cup of tea or coffee. Our team love to host various food related events throughout the year. We strive to deliver tasty nutritious food on a daily basis. To get a taste of the food we serve see our examples menus below.
Gerry Thomson
Gerry started work at Balclutha Court in 2012 as an Assistant Chef, in early 2019 he was promoted to Head Chef. He is responsible the daily running of the kitchen, ensuring that residents nutritional needs are met, providing a varied menu. He is also responsible for ensuring that there are high standards of cleanliness throughout the kitchen. Gerry’s team consist of two Assistant Chefs and five Kitchen Assistants.
Dietary requirements
For residents who have difficulties swallowing, we modify the menu of the day so that the dishes are more palatable for them. To support our chefs in producing these dishes, our hospitality team and our Chef Academy organise theory and practical workshops. The chefs work with the chef trainer to prepare tasty, modified meals safely and according to IDDSI frame work. This encourages residents to eat and enjoy their food. All our chefs have been trained in IDDSI food descriptors.
Attracting top chefs
Our chefs are recruited on the basis of an interview with the regional hospitality support team and the manager of the home. Selection also involves a practical element, where potential chefs are asked to cook for and meet a panel of people living in the home. Chefs take their job extremely seriously and the annual Barchester Chef Competition sees our chefs battle it out in regional heats and then at a national final for the accolade of 'Barchester's Chef of the Year'.
