Food at Southerndown Care Home
Ensuring that each person we care for meets their nutritional and dietary requirements is a big responsibility, which is why our catering team comprises of experienced chefs who can deliver a fantastic array of both delicious and nourishing food. Our chefs take into account our residents likes, dislikes and dietary requirements to create a menu that appeals to everyone. We also offer light snacks throughout the day and night to those people who just can’t get enough of our food! For a taste of what we offer, please see the example below.
Mangesh Salunke
I joined the team at Southerndown this year.
I am passionate about cooking and I love my role at here at Southerndown. One of the best parts of my job is meeting our residents and finding out what their likes and dislikes are - I truly enjoy preparing home-cooked favourites and it's very rewarding to see everyone enjoying chatting over a delicious meal and a glass of wine.
I love to work with the nursing and care teams to ensure that the food is not only tasty but also nutritious.
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'.
