At Beacon Hill, our employees continue training with the best and brightest in order to provide our residents with superior service. Our Dining Services Manager, Chelsea Moncion, recently completed a Chicago restaurant tour orchestrated by Chef Nicholas Everett with Gordon Food Service. She shared notes with us from her experience:

“The tour comprised of four restaurants (selected from an initial set of 50) recognized for producing premier cuisine while also keeping current with food trends. Other attendees included Chefs, Directors, and managers from other Continuing Care Retirement Communities across the United States.

The first stop was to a vegan and gluten-free restaurant named “Bloom,” which was easily everyone’s favorite restaurant.  The food was done beautifully and was full of flavor.  In the United States, plant-based cuisine is consistently on the rise, especially today with food costs increasing at a remarkable rate.  While produce costs have increase, they have not risen as dramatically as animal products. This allows restaurants like Bloom to offer delicious dishes for a reasonable fare.  I left feeling completely satisfied, which is not an easy feat when eating both vegan and gluten free dishes. 

The main theme we experienced at all four restaurants emphasized Mediterranean-influenced dishes.  Not just Greek cuisine, but from all around the Mediterranean – Spain, specifically the Basque region, Italy, Portugal, Turkey, Syria, Morocco, Tunisia, and southern France.   All these regions produce clean, fresh ingredients bursting with flavor from a variety of styles and spice combinations. 

I couldn’t help but notice the service aspects from each unique restaurant we visited.  One common denominator was a sense of community you felt with the styles and traditions of the food being served.  It was a complete experience.  The last restaurant at which we dined, LÝRA, focused on the natural Greek lifestyle rooted in the ethos of wellness.  Here, each dish was hand-tossed, dressed, or sliced table side reflecting authentic Greek household tradition.  This added level of detail showcased a new level of service and completely immersed the diners into the experience in both food and beverage.

I am so grateful for this opportunity to learn from highly regarded, talented individuals and am excited to see how it aids in the growth and unique experiences we can provide for our diners at all of our restaurants at Beacon Hill.”

Thank you, Chelsea! This week’s chef specialties are inspired by the trip, including swordfish, flat bread and olives, a Greek plate with baba ghanoush, and a Moroccan-style fish dish.