Serving up Excellence for National Culinary Month
July is National Culinary Month! At Brio Living Services, there is much to celebrate. Between brand new dining rooms, successful teams in place, and finalists in culinary contests, the Dining Services teams at Brio have a lot to be proud of.
On July 5, Porter Hills Village in Grand Rapids opened a brand-new dining room as part of their ongoing construction. The Fairway Grille was officially opened for residents to enjoy a new dining experience, featuring chef-prepared cuisine and opportunities to socialize with neighbors.
“The Fairway Grille was designed to offer panoramic views of the golf course on three sides of the building,” said Kate Collins, Brio Living Services’ Chief Project Development Officer. “We’re excited to create this unique opportunity for all Porter Hills Village residents to experience the beautiful vistas of the Cascade Hills Country Club and to see spaces they haven’t formerly had access to. In addition, a slate fireplace in the dining room and outdoor seating make this a truly lovely and charming space. Residents also had the opportunity to select the china pattern, silverware, glassware, and dining room chairs for the Fairway Grille.”
The Porter Hills Village Dining team has prepared for months for the opening of the dining room, training new team members, perfecting menus, and much more. Tressa Johnson, Sous Chef for the Fairway Grille, has enjoyed the challenge of menu planning for this new venue and states, “Blending new flavors together to create a unique dish is one of my favorite things to do. One of my recent creations was a protein ramen bowl, which is a popular dish on the seasonal menu!”
On the East side of the state, Chef Mark Banks, Senior Executive Chef, heads up the dining operation at The Cedars of Dexter and floats to other Brio Living Services communities for assistance and support. Chef Banks recently competed in the 2023 CSM Recipe Contest and was selected as a finalist in the top four! In partnership with Barilla pasta, this national recipe contest featured chefs from around the country and their favorite original recipes. Inspired by his own family in New Orleans, Chef Banks entered his special Cajun Shrimp Pasta – check out a glimpse of his dish here! Congratulations, Chef Banks!
Ann Marie Villarreal, Senior Director of Dining for Brio Living Services, keeps quality, excellence, and experience at the forefront for dining programs within the communities. It’s no easy feat to please an array of palates, all while providing friendly and efficient service, but Ann Marie and her teams certainly raise the bar on this standard. Ann Marie states, “Our team members take pride in cultivating not only exceptional food, but a warm and welcoming atmosphere. Allowing our residents to celebrate in community and watching their smiles and laughter fills my heart and gives me great satisfaction and reward to my job.” The dining programs at Brio Living Services offer well-trained, friendly team members, fresh, local and seasonal products, with unique and pleasing recipes.
Do you want to be a part of a team that takes pride in their work? Brio Living Services is hiring throughout the State of Michigan! If you are looking to explore or further your career in Culinary and Dining services, check out our openings!
For our residents, dining is always an exciting topic! Dining services works hard to collaborate with residents; monthly meetings and comment cards encourage feedback and open communication. We have found that, when people are investigating retirement communities, the dining experience is near the top of the list of important items! We encourage you to learn more about our commitment to dining excellence at our website and contact us for a tour; lunch is on us!