CALA News & Views | Issue 50 | Dining

Mikah Montoya, senior director of dining and nutrition at The Oars Senior Living , recognizes a shift toward regional specialties from around the world. “We actively survey our residents to understand their culinary preferences and needs,” he said. “While some residents still appreciate classic meat and potato dishes, there’s a growing demand for regional specialties. Serving a population with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) can pose challenges, but understanding their histories and identifying their native foods allows us to create a diverse and culturally rich dining experience.” At SRG - La Vida Real, executive chef William Creen incorporates ancient grains and superfruits into daily menus, ensuring a variety of choices. They host an event for residents to sample and provide feedback, which helps them continuously refine their offerings. “Our daily Fresh Zest offering includes healthy plant-based protein options like our Buddha Bowl with lemongrass and coconut milk broth, shitake mushrooms, pressed tofu, vermicelli noodles, bean

sprouts, carrots, chives and cilantro,” Creen said. They also have themed days, such as Asian fare on Mondays, Mexican food on Tuesdays, Mediterranean dishes on Wednesdays, and so on, to provide variety. Overcoming Culinary Challenges Despite the innovative approaches, culinary leaders face several challenges in meeting residents’ dietary needs. For Balderas, balancing variety and consistency is a significant challenge. “While offering a diverse menu is essential, maintaining consistency in quality and taste can be challenging,” he said. We strive to ensure every dish meets our high standards. Additionally, some residents may be hesitant to try new foods or switch from their traditional diet, making it challenging to introduce new menu items.” Quinn points out the difficulties in balancing dietary needs with quality. “Balancing the multitude of dietary needs and preferences while upholding our standards for taste and presentation poses a significant challenge,” she said. “Sourcing high-quality ingredients for specialized diets can be another hurdle. Despite potential cost implications and availability constraints, we remain committed to procuring the finest ingredients to meet the unique needs of our residents.” Hill highlights the delicate balance between accommodating individual preferences and ensuring overall resident satisfaction. “The only point that can be challenging is where you can draw the line, how far is too far,” he said. “You want to make every resident happy, but not at the expense of other residents.” Mago has faced challenges in catering to low-sodium diets without compromising taste. “One of the pain points I have experienced is catering to some clients with low sodium or no sodium diets without compromising the taste of the food for other clients,” he said. “I adjusted our menu and offer steamed or poached proteins like chicken, fish and shrimp, as well as daily steamed vegetables. I also made available in our pantry extra virgin olive oil and different vinegars so the client has the option to create their own vinaigrette for their salad without salt in it.” Another challenge Mago encountered was addressing residents' requests for rare and medium-rare proteins. “Senior people are an age group which is very risky of food borne illnesses and pathogens,” he said. “I had to explain the situation to residents during monthly meetings and refer them to food safety and ServSafe websites. Luckily, I was able to convince them that all I’m after is to provide them with safe food on their table. Now only medium to well done proteins are coming out of the kitchen.” Montoya underscores the ongoing challenge of managing costs while maintaining high-quality meals. “Cost remains a significant concern,” he said. “Especially over the last year, the cost of goods has increased, impacting our budget. As we strive to provide high-quality meals, managing costs while

JANUARY 2010, VOLUME 1 10 CALIFORNIA ASSISTED LIVING ASSOCIATION