A couple of years ago this residence was purchased by an equity group based in Chicago. My mother has lived here for six years. Before the change of hands, the residence had a food service manager and a chef, both pros, who turned out simple but nutritionally balanced and appealing meals for over five years.
The new management has done an admirable job of renovating and remodeling the facility, but they immediately began gutting the food service budget. Things bottomed out in late 2022 when a spate of food poisoning affected a significant percentage of the residents. Shortly after, they attempted to pass off pressed, processed meat products as chicken cordon bleu and beef brisket. The turnover in the kitchen has been constant, with no chef or sous chef lasting more than a few months, most of them unqualified. Last summer they found a chef who was truly committed to quality, but he left in frustration, since food sourcing and menus are dictated by corporate.
In my recent visit I was served a salad in which most of the lettuce was browning, and the vegetables were overcooked to the point of being tasteless mush. Recently, the dish of the day has become increasingly unhealthy : sausage, pork fried rice, and cheese blintzes. There seems to be little consideration for the dietary needs of an aged demographic. Starting a year ago, many residents have resorted to ordering hamburgers every night, as they perceive this as the only safe option. When confronted with meal-related concerns, local management are condescending and dismissive, and while the corporate VP offers assurances, nothing fundamentally changes. It's clear that they just don't care. What should be a moment of conviviality with friends, has now become a source of apprehension.
If you're considering living here, or placing your loved one here, please forgo the private lunch that is offered, and instead ask to eat in the late afternoon with the residents, so that you can see what they are being served for dinner. read more