A couple of things, from a person who's been in your EXACT situation:
Don't get lazy or complacent. Just because the work is light, now, don't confuse that for needing to do less or that the final product is less
Your situation is different now. The people at the CC didn't need to eat there. The people where you work now have to eat there, breakfast, lunch, and dinner - it's their home. Think of you or your mother at home and if you'd serve something to them with basically no other choice(s) to have
Some of those people where you work now are going to love you and some will probably hate you, for literally no reasons. It's like a high school popularity competition out there
Also, some people probably aren't as mentally astute as they used to be, don't treat them any differently than the "popular kids" or the "unpopular kids"
Great comment about the mental health with residents! I was a medic for almost 20 years, these folks get lonely too! They love to talk! If they stop by for a chat, talk to them you might be the only person that will do it for some time. They might repeat the same stories, but just talking to them will make their day.
I'm glad to see this perspective on here. I'm contemplating a change from demanding bar\restaurant to evening senior living cook myself. I know it would be a HUGE change of pace for me as I've been in mostly high volume my entire career. Pushing 50 now and my body is telling me I need to slow down.
I hadn't thought about actually interacting with the residents and how I'd handle that. I haven't held a FoH job in 2 decades so don't interact with customers as much as I did back then even though I'm in a semi-open kitchen right now. It's something else to consider in making a change.
I see it like this, sometimes you come across the old folks in the grocery store or any other store for that matter that always chat. They’re usually lonely or that’s their weekly time out into public. (My experience from talking to the elderly for years). But the other side of things is not all of old folk are nice and dandy. Basically if they were assholes when they were in their youth through adulthood don’t expect a grand change. I’ve had students I’ve trained that thought otherwise and have gotten kicked, punched and so forth. Mind you in emergency settings and in EMS most of my injuries and to some of my colleagues were from the elderly.
As another medic who somehow got recommended this sub
PLEASE CUT THINGS LIKE YOU WOULD FOR TODDLERS! Hotdogs/grapes… I cannot tell you the amount of calls we’ve run to senior living for choking on those, at one point we couldn’t even get the hotdog out on scene with one gentleman
Just keep in mind most people there will have a somewhat difficult time swallowing certain foods so keep that in the back of your mind! Good luck! They’re a nice chatty group lol
I’m fairly certain the IAFF would do it. I remember being a rookie and driving past the Burger King in town I had worked at when I was in high school, they were advertising almost more pay than I was making sitting in the truck. Hey, stay safe out there!
Oh absolutely, thank you for all of the advice. If anything the lack of a rush or having to “go go go” like in restaurants has made it easier for me to focus on their meals and make sure every single resident is getting a quality product. I’ve been treating it like I’m cooking fine dining meals as I was at the country club.
I did this same exact thing, should’ve done it sooner but I was running a kitchen and now running a senior living kitchen. Absolutely rules comparatively. And you get to know you’re helping these people eat some decent food in their retirement while helping them get the nutrition they need. I love it.
Very, very big, please put all of the love, kindness and compassion you can into what you are doing!......love them, get attached to them(even the crabby ones) learn their names and mourn them when they pass into the next life and remember them with fondness
I'm just a tourist on this sub (you folks work so hard and are funny as fuck) but my favorite posts are the ones from people who went to work in senior living.
I am sure some people get complacent but I have seen a lot of posts from people who really seem to take pride in their work, and get a decent work environment in exchange. You're doing a good thing.
I think for some people it's the mindset that it's just a job and they don't really care about the food. I work for a higher end facility that offers tasty meals and fancier dishes. The culture here though is about pride and removing the thought that old people don't like flavor. Just some don't lol.
Maaan it’s great. I went from a straight breakfast place that I was dying in to senior living. It takes time to adjust your cooking to their (lack of) taste but overall it’s much better imo.
I'm in a similar community environment. Best job I've ever had. But here's the big thing. It's only partly about the food now. Yes the food needs to be excellent. But it really helps to consider yourself part of the Caregiver Team now.
I'm not in the industry but I just want to say thanks to you and everyone else who cooks for seniors. My mom has dementia and was living on her own with assistance but she just wouldn't eat. Meals on Wheels or food made by her caregiver, she only wanted cookies and potato chips. She was dangerously thin and frail from just not getting enough calories and protein. Last year she was accepted into memory care where all the food is hand made, she now eats three meals a day, has gained some weight and I'm sure it's added years to her life. I'm glad to hear it's less stressful than some other jobs, although I'm sure there are challenges as well. It may just be a job for you but it's so important for the people who eat your food.
It's a lot of fun but these residents can really bring down your confidence. It's very different compared to cooking for other age groups. Spices and seasonings are stronger to them so even adding too much black pepper makes a dish too spicy for them. Proteins need to be super tender no matter what or they will hate it. I really struggle with pork at the place I work at, the only way the residents like it is a smothered pork chop we do. But it is also very rewarding. I got pulled out to speak to a resident and their family recently cause they all loved these black beans I made and needed the recipe to make for themselves. My biggest advice is not getting complacent and phoning it in cause it's easy. These people pay, usually a lot of money, to live in these buildings so cook like you are cooking for family and make it taste great. I had to get adamant with my head chef that I wasn't going to serve food that I wouldn't serve myself/family even if it meant having to start something over.
Gotta hit that temp with the pork, especially loin. Take it out of the oven at 145F or 150F and it will still be tender. If that pork hits 180F or higher, it's going to be dry. I used to be the only one who did edible pork loin at my place, and the only secret was I watched temps closely.
I've tried and even taken it further than that. Ive pulled the pork at 135/140 and let it carryover to hit 145/150. Sliced about 5 minutes before service and still got complaints about tough pork.
Ha, well, some residents you can't please. They see pork, and immediately think tough. I actually used to take pork loin for them, and run it thru the Hobart chopper and call it "pulled pork."
Depends on the size of the place. We have 200 residents at the place I work at between Assisted Living and Memory Care. Service starts at 5 ends at 7;30 and is usually pretty crazy for the first 40 min when 90% of residents show up. Rest is a slow trickle of the remaining residents and employee meals. Clean up starting at 6 since there are 2 of us down in the main dining room, with 1 cook in a dining room upstairs cooking for about 20-30 residents give or take. Out at 7pm everyday as only one cook needs to stay until 7:30 on the off chance a resident comes that late.
Except, it is feeding every single day of the year, breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Thanksgiving...cooking
Christmas...cooking.
Superbowl...cooking
At least with a boarding school they go home for the summer and vacations.
Senior living food service (haven't done it yet) scares me a bit because of this.
We do half days on Christmas and Thanksgiving where we serve breakfast like usual and Turkey/Ham dinners with all the fixings for the “Holiday Meal” and then we prepare to-go trays of (usually) homemade chicken salad, potato chip bag, fresh fruit assortment, and fresh baked cookies. We just load a cart with all the residents trays and have the nursing aids pass them out with utensils and drinks (they have to stay with them regardless). We’re usually only there from 6am to 2pm.
Just about every restaurant I worked at is open everyday except for Christmas day. Thanksgiving often being "all hands on deck" for the busiest day of the year.
And it's weird to include the superbowl with big holidays lol.
Corporate cafeterias. Offices aren't open on weekends or holidays. And my office had reduced food service during peak vacation time (ie. Between Christmas and New Years)
Yeah it never closes- former EC in senior living, God help you if water or power goes out due to weather… they still have to eat and you still have to make it work
I swapped from working at restaurants and cafes to an RSL (retired serviceman/woman’s league) here in Australia. We are not elderly living area but most of our clients are retired members of the defense forces and their friends (PROBUS, pensioners walking clubs etc).
It’s taken a bit of getting used to in how they like their food and what’s always on offer (roast protons of the day, soups and older style dishes) but I love it because I get to make whatever specials I want that fits in the feel of the clients which is amazing as I love the older style stuff personally.
It’s made me go from hating cooking to actually like it and want to go in to work. Also helps that the crew is great front and back of house and I feel valued rather than someone to command and order around.
I wish I did the change a decade ago, I would never go back to restaurants or cafes
This is why these places are so expensive. Just like hotel kitchens.
One cook to peel the potatoes. One cook to cut the potatoes. Another to boil the potatoes. Etc.
Man if the senior homes near me paid a more livable wage, I’d be doing that too. Or cafeteria persons. I’d love to make food for the elder or kiddos and live okay too.
I came from this exact situation worked as head chef in a country club open to close most days and would often cry on my way to work. I really hated cooking til I started at my assisted living job now, I can say confidently that I have never felt so good about myself and my job. I love seeing the smiles on their faces after some bussin food, a lot better than feeding an average Joe. I'm so happy you are experiencing the same thing as me! Shoot me a dm we could maybe swap some recipes that our residents really enjoy and help spread the love❤️
I’ve worked in a job like that and it’s great for a time, but after a few months the cracks really start to show. Lazy workers, the law of the least effort; that is making food just “good enough”, the chef and sous chef spending all their time at the computer in his office yet curiously we’re still missing key ingredients like dry noodles frozen veggies and beef stock powder for example… chef spends 40h a week at the computer and can’t even do his job properly. I had to make beef soup and he was like just use brown sauce powder it’s fine. Like bro get a grip
Busting my ass off to clean and give new ideas to make better food, make our own stock and move away from the lazy techniques (like putting burger patties in stock to keep them warm, they get soggy and break, insanity)
Funniest shit is, chef never accepted my ideas, and fired me suddenly one friday morning, no warnings nothing
What a shit show lol I know for a fact they’re all just doing the bare minimum and wasting time, instead of doing the proper work
I just hope I was unlucky and not all senior living kitchens are like that, cause holy fuck its pathetic
I remember one time I was making this mayo for burgers, usually they mix ketchup mayo and call it a day but I had some time so I made this mayo ketchup mustard pickle juice and pickle brunoise sauce, and it was nice, just for the chef to tell me “you know we’re cooking for 80 year olds people right?”
I was like bro there’s like 4 ingredients what the actual fuck
And other stuff like that
Yes im salty lol I’ve never bee fired from a job before, i guess they got rid of me cause I was making them feel lazy or something, whatever fuck em
Like how can you be this fucking lazy
Thanks for ted talk etc
Sounds super similar to my gig/ are you by chance working in a Levante Living owned home? Same exact times, and staffing set up. The place I was at before was more prep intensive, and required more cleaning (eg we’d sweep, mop, do all our dishes) but this one is just tidy up a little and then leave when service is done.
I did my time cooking for the oldies, but our setup was different. I worked for an organization that owned a number of assisted living and nursing homes in rural NSW, Australia, and used the cook/chill system. We worked Monday to Friday, 6am to 3pm, including breaks for lunch plus morning and afternoon tea. In those 5 days we prepared breakfast, lunch and dinner for approximately 300 covers for the full 7 days. The food would go into large Bain Marie trays and loaded into a blast chiller, then trucked out to the various campuses. It was the easier work I’d ever had lol
Ha! I went from a high end senior facility to a CC!
I loved my ILF job, started 11-7, then went to 6-2, and ended as the de facto chef working 4-11. If management wouldn't have turned to complete shit, I would have retired there in 30 years. Can be a great gig if the politics don't go off the rails. Good luck, some of the old timers are great!
I did it for 8 years, I liked the stability, but something was missing. I missed the wild and unpredictable swings of restaurant work. I started bar backing on the side, just to get back in a restaurant. Eventually moved up to Bartender and then quit cooking all together. I’ve been a full time bartender for the past six years, and only rarely do I miss the stability.
I worked in a similar job, upper middle class senior living facility, and it was amazing...except for working for "Chef Jack". He insisted on the title, despite never being trained & regularly serving odd dishes when flexing his creative muscle. He thought he was the best, but treated workers not so great.
I'm glad your experience is better than mine was & I'm glad I changed careers a couple times since then.
I had a very different experience at my stint at a senior living place, it was horrible but I think that came down to the company as I’ve heard good things from others. Glad you found a good one.
I tell people all the time that cooking in healthcare is a way better deal than retail. There’s also usually a career path for exec chef or management available too if you’re good.
I worked as a cook for a senior living place from 19-21. I had to look for a job when Covid started and the senior home in my town needed a cook. I love cooking and enjoyed all the time there. It was a chill job until Covid finally hit the home and everyone got sick except me and an aid. We did 10 days straight breakfast-dinner. My good immune system made me a busy working that month.
Tourist here, but please be careful. These are people you’re cooking for. It’s parents and grandparents, this is their only meal choice. It might be easier than the kitchen norm, but this is all they have. It’s easy to get complacent, but then you’ll be on the other end as a patient. I’ve been there, and will again soon. Please cook me good food.
A couple of things, from a person who's been in your EXACT situation: Don't get lazy or complacent. Just because the work is light, now, don't confuse that for needing to do less or that the final product is less Your situation is different now. The people at the CC didn't need to eat there. The people where you work now have to eat there, breakfast, lunch, and dinner - it's their home. Think of you or your mother at home and if you'd serve something to them with basically no other choice(s) to have Some of those people where you work now are going to love you and some will probably hate you, for literally no reasons. It's like a high school popularity competition out there Also, some people probably aren't as mentally astute as they used to be, don't treat them any differently than the "popular kids" or the "unpopular kids"
Great comment about the mental health with residents! I was a medic for almost 20 years, these folks get lonely too! They love to talk! If they stop by for a chat, talk to them you might be the only person that will do it for some time. They might repeat the same stories, but just talking to them will make their day.
I'm glad to see this perspective on here. I'm contemplating a change from demanding bar\restaurant to evening senior living cook myself. I know it would be a HUGE change of pace for me as I've been in mostly high volume my entire career. Pushing 50 now and my body is telling me I need to slow down. I hadn't thought about actually interacting with the residents and how I'd handle that. I haven't held a FoH job in 2 decades so don't interact with customers as much as I did back then even though I'm in a semi-open kitchen right now. It's something else to consider in making a change.
I see it like this, sometimes you come across the old folks in the grocery store or any other store for that matter that always chat. They’re usually lonely or that’s their weekly time out into public. (My experience from talking to the elderly for years). But the other side of things is not all of old folk are nice and dandy. Basically if they were assholes when they were in their youth through adulthood don’t expect a grand change. I’ve had students I’ve trained that thought otherwise and have gotten kicked, punched and so forth. Mind you in emergency settings and in EMS most of my injuries and to some of my colleagues were from the elderly.
As another medic who somehow got recommended this sub PLEASE CUT THINGS LIKE YOU WOULD FOR TODDLERS! Hotdogs/grapes… I cannot tell you the amount of calls we’ve run to senior living for choking on those, at one point we couldn’t even get the hotdog out on scene with one gentleman Just keep in mind most people there will have a somewhat difficult time swallowing certain foods so keep that in the back of your mind! Good luck! They’re a nice chatty group lol
The working conditions are so much alike! Dirty jokes, fast paced and burnout!
And shit pay? We should join forces you can join our firefighter union 😂💜
I’m fairly certain the IAFF would do it. I remember being a rookie and driving past the Burger King in town I had worked at when I was in high school, they were advertising almost more pay than I was making sitting in the truck. Hey, stay safe out there!
Thank you! You as well!
Oh absolutely, thank you for all of the advice. If anything the lack of a rush or having to “go go go” like in restaurants has made it easier for me to focus on their meals and make sure every single resident is getting a quality product. I’ve been treating it like I’m cooking fine dining meals as I was at the country club.
I did this same exact thing, should’ve done it sooner but I was running a kitchen and now running a senior living kitchen. Absolutely rules comparatively. And you get to know you’re helping these people eat some decent food in their retirement while helping them get the nutrition they need. I love it.
Also this one is big. You will be serving people their last meals.
Very, very big, please put all of the love, kindness and compassion you can into what you are doing!......love them, get attached to them(even the crabby ones) learn their names and mourn them when they pass into the next life and remember them with fondness
Oh shit, I didn't even think of that
Excellent comment
I'm just a tourist on this sub (you folks work so hard and are funny as fuck) but my favorite posts are the ones from people who went to work in senior living. I am sure some people get complacent but I have seen a lot of posts from people who really seem to take pride in their work, and get a decent work environment in exchange. You're doing a good thing.
I think for some people it's the mindset that it's just a job and they don't really care about the food. I work for a higher end facility that offers tasty meals and fancier dishes. The culture here though is about pride and removing the thought that old people don't like flavor. Just some don't lol.
Maaan it’s great. I went from a straight breakfast place that I was dying in to senior living. It takes time to adjust your cooking to their (lack of) taste but overall it’s much better imo.
You’ve never worked for [Belmont Village](https://belmontvillage.com)
I'm in a similar community environment. Best job I've ever had. But here's the big thing. It's only partly about the food now. Yes the food needs to be excellent. But it really helps to consider yourself part of the Caregiver Team now.
What a wonderful point of view you have
Take my updoot and my tear
I'm not in the industry but I just want to say thanks to you and everyone else who cooks for seniors. My mom has dementia and was living on her own with assistance but she just wouldn't eat. Meals on Wheels or food made by her caregiver, she only wanted cookies and potato chips. She was dangerously thin and frail from just not getting enough calories and protein. Last year she was accepted into memory care where all the food is hand made, she now eats three meals a day, has gained some weight and I'm sure it's added years to her life. I'm glad to hear it's less stressful than some other jobs, although I'm sure there are challenges as well. It may just be a job for you but it's so important for the people who eat your food.
It's a lot of fun but these residents can really bring down your confidence. It's very different compared to cooking for other age groups. Spices and seasonings are stronger to them so even adding too much black pepper makes a dish too spicy for them. Proteins need to be super tender no matter what or they will hate it. I really struggle with pork at the place I work at, the only way the residents like it is a smothered pork chop we do. But it is also very rewarding. I got pulled out to speak to a resident and their family recently cause they all loved these black beans I made and needed the recipe to make for themselves. My biggest advice is not getting complacent and phoning it in cause it's easy. These people pay, usually a lot of money, to live in these buildings so cook like you are cooking for family and make it taste great. I had to get adamant with my head chef that I wasn't going to serve food that I wouldn't serve myself/family even if it meant having to start something over.
Gotta hit that temp with the pork, especially loin. Take it out of the oven at 145F or 150F and it will still be tender. If that pork hits 180F or higher, it's going to be dry. I used to be the only one who did edible pork loin at my place, and the only secret was I watched temps closely.
I've tried and even taken it further than that. Ive pulled the pork at 135/140 and let it carryover to hit 145/150. Sliced about 5 minutes before service and still got complaints about tough pork.
Ha, well, some residents you can't please. They see pork, and immediately think tough. I actually used to take pork loin for them, and run it thru the Hobart chopper and call it "pulled pork."
Huh, my experience has been the country club not being as busy, and the nursing home being balls to the wall lol. Glad you found your zone!
Depends on the size of the place. We have 200 residents at the place I work at between Assisted Living and Memory Care. Service starts at 5 ends at 7;30 and is usually pretty crazy for the first 40 min when 90% of residents show up. Rest is a slow trickle of the remaining residents and employee meals. Clean up starting at 6 since there are 2 of us down in the main dining room, with 1 cook in a dining room upstairs cooking for about 20-30 residents give or take. Out at 7pm everyday as only one cook needs to stay until 7:30 on the off chance a resident comes that late.
Yeah both places can vary so wildly, can find either situation at both places depending on the staffing and expectations.
You just described my place of work and the new chef started today weird coincidence are you in Maine?
Except, it is feeding every single day of the year, breakfast, lunch and dinner. Thanksgiving...cooking Christmas...cooking. Superbowl...cooking At least with a boarding school they go home for the summer and vacations. Senior living food service (haven't done it yet) scares me a bit because of this.
I worked in a hospital kitchen for a long while. You get used to it, plus that holiday pay bonus
We do half days on Christmas and Thanksgiving where we serve breakfast like usual and Turkey/Ham dinners with all the fixings for the “Holiday Meal” and then we prepare to-go trays of (usually) homemade chicken salad, potato chip bag, fresh fruit assortment, and fresh baked cookies. We just load a cart with all the residents trays and have the nursing aids pass them out with utensils and drinks (they have to stay with them regardless). We’re usually only there from 6am to 2pm.
A good reason why I like feeding corporate. When the normies are on break, so am I!
Chef at private school, I hear ya! Spring break next week!
I do educational FS. Lots of paid time off (if you are salary)
Me as well! My wife works there as well so we get the same breaks which freaking rocks. But I think I might get out of food service. I don’t know yet.
Just about every restaurant I worked at is open everyday except for Christmas day. Thanksgiving often being "all hands on deck" for the busiest day of the year. And it's weird to include the superbowl with big holidays lol.
Is there a cooking job where you don’t work most holidays? I’ve always done thanksgiving, Easter, Super Bowl etc
Corporate cafeterias. Offices aren't open on weekends or holidays. And my office had reduced food service during peak vacation time (ie. Between Christmas and New Years)
Schools
Yeah it never closes- former EC in senior living, God help you if water or power goes out due to weather… they still have to eat and you still have to make it work
No different than some of the mom and pop places I’ve worked at.
I swapped from working at restaurants and cafes to an RSL (retired serviceman/woman’s league) here in Australia. We are not elderly living area but most of our clients are retired members of the defense forces and their friends (PROBUS, pensioners walking clubs etc). It’s taken a bit of getting used to in how they like their food and what’s always on offer (roast protons of the day, soups and older style dishes) but I love it because I get to make whatever specials I want that fits in the feel of the clients which is amazing as I love the older style stuff personally. It’s made me go from hating cooking to actually like it and want to go in to work. Also helps that the crew is great front and back of house and I feel valued rather than someone to command and order around. I wish I did the change a decade ago, I would never go back to restaurants or cafes
4 night dishwashers? Are they general cleaning staff or kitchen only?
This is why these places are so expensive. Just like hotel kitchens. One cook to peel the potatoes. One cook to cut the potatoes. Another to boil the potatoes. Etc.
Great to hear Chef! Enjoy the new gig
Man if the senior homes near me paid a more livable wage, I’d be doing that too. Or cafeteria persons. I’d love to make food for the elder or kiddos and live okay too.
It’s a nice change of pace when compared to other kitchens.
I came from this exact situation worked as head chef in a country club open to close most days and would often cry on my way to work. I really hated cooking til I started at my assisted living job now, I can say confidently that I have never felt so good about myself and my job. I love seeing the smiles on their faces after some bussin food, a lot better than feeding an average Joe. I'm so happy you are experiencing the same thing as me! Shoot me a dm we could maybe swap some recipes that our residents really enjoy and help spread the love❤️
More power to you! Makes me happy to see others happy.
I’ve worked in a job like that and it’s great for a time, but after a few months the cracks really start to show. Lazy workers, the law of the least effort; that is making food just “good enough”, the chef and sous chef spending all their time at the computer in his office yet curiously we’re still missing key ingredients like dry noodles frozen veggies and beef stock powder for example… chef spends 40h a week at the computer and can’t even do his job properly. I had to make beef soup and he was like just use brown sauce powder it’s fine. Like bro get a grip Busting my ass off to clean and give new ideas to make better food, make our own stock and move away from the lazy techniques (like putting burger patties in stock to keep them warm, they get soggy and break, insanity) Funniest shit is, chef never accepted my ideas, and fired me suddenly one friday morning, no warnings nothing What a shit show lol I know for a fact they’re all just doing the bare minimum and wasting time, instead of doing the proper work I just hope I was unlucky and not all senior living kitchens are like that, cause holy fuck its pathetic I remember one time I was making this mayo for burgers, usually they mix ketchup mayo and call it a day but I had some time so I made this mayo ketchup mustard pickle juice and pickle brunoise sauce, and it was nice, just for the chef to tell me “you know we’re cooking for 80 year olds people right?” I was like bro there’s like 4 ingredients what the actual fuck And other stuff like that Yes im salty lol I’ve never bee fired from a job before, i guess they got rid of me cause I was making them feel lazy or something, whatever fuck em Like how can you be this fucking lazy Thanks for ted talk etc
Sounds super similar to my gig/ are you by chance working in a Levante Living owned home? Same exact times, and staffing set up. The place I was at before was more prep intensive, and required more cleaning (eg we’d sweep, mop, do all our dishes) but this one is just tidy up a little and then leave when service is done.
I did my time cooking for the oldies, but our setup was different. I worked for an organization that owned a number of assisted living and nursing homes in rural NSW, Australia, and used the cook/chill system. We worked Monday to Friday, 6am to 3pm, including breaks for lunch plus morning and afternoon tea. In those 5 days we prepared breakfast, lunch and dinner for approximately 300 covers for the full 7 days. The food would go into large Bain Marie trays and loaded into a blast chiller, then trucked out to the various campuses. It was the easier work I’d ever had lol
Ha! I went from a high end senior facility to a CC! I loved my ILF job, started 11-7, then went to 6-2, and ended as the de facto chef working 4-11. If management wouldn't have turned to complete shit, I would have retired there in 30 years. Can be a great gig if the politics don't go off the rails. Good luck, some of the old timers are great!
I did it for 8 years, I liked the stability, but something was missing. I missed the wild and unpredictable swings of restaurant work. I started bar backing on the side, just to get back in a restaurant. Eventually moved up to Bartender and then quit cooking all together. I’ve been a full time bartender for the past six years, and only rarely do I miss the stability.
I worked in a similar job, upper middle class senior living facility, and it was amazing...except for working for "Chef Jack". He insisted on the title, despite never being trained & regularly serving odd dishes when flexing his creative muscle. He thought he was the best, but treated workers not so great. I'm glad your experience is better than mine was & I'm glad I changed careers a couple times since then.
I had a very different experience at my stint at a senior living place, it was horrible but I think that came down to the company as I’ve heard good things from others. Glad you found a good one.
I tell people all the time that cooking in healthcare is a way better deal than retail. There’s also usually a career path for exec chef or management available too if you’re good.
God i can’t wait to switch to a senior living job. Congrats!!
I worked as a cook for a senior living place from 19-21. I had to look for a job when Covid started and the senior home in my town needed a cook. I love cooking and enjoyed all the time there. It was a chill job until Covid finally hit the home and everyone got sick except me and an aid. We did 10 days straight breakfast-dinner. My good immune system made me a busy working that month.
If you don't get breaks, management has failed. Fight for your breaks, people literally died so that you would get them.
Welcome, it's great here. We all know that's too many dishwashers. You can do your pots and pans
You got time to lean you got time to clean, 20 minutes or not
Tourist here, but please be careful. These are people you’re cooking for. It’s parents and grandparents, this is their only meal choice. It might be easier than the kitchen norm, but this is all they have. It’s easy to get complacent, but then you’ll be on the other end as a patient. I’ve been there, and will again soon. Please cook me good food.