Food at Magnolia Court Care Home
At the heart of our meals are fresh, seasonal ingredients that are bursting with flavour. Our food is cooked to the highest standard and we take great care to cater to the dietary requirements of everyone living here at the home. Residents may even discover a new favourite food or enjoy an old favourite prepared in a new and exciting way. We actively encourage loved ones to attend our mealtimes so that they can get a taste of what we offer. Please see below for more details:
Jacqueline Dennis
Hello I am Jacqueline and I joined the Magnolia Court Team in November 2024 as Head Chef.
I qualified as a chef at Hammersmith college in 1999. I had a love for cooking since I was a child, my siblings and I helped our mum in the kitchen and as we grew up and took it in turns to cook to help our mum who was a nurse.
During my career as a Chef I have cooked at a number of wonderful and interesting places such the BBC, Westminster Council and The Royal ballet. I had the pleasure of cooking for Darcy Bussell, The Lord Mayors and Princess Margaret.
I love cooking as it enables me to be creative and make people happy at the same time. I was inspired by my mum and always wanted to cook with in health care. I really enjoy meeting and getting to know residents. It makes me very happy to see the delight and enjoyment my food brings to people.
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'.
