Food at Appletree Grange Care Home
Our Head Chef has been at Appletree Grange for over 10 years and he takes great pride in cooking fresh, tasty and wholesome food for our Residents. He ensures all the catering team are trained to a high standard and conducts regular training with the team. We are regularly audited by external companies on all aspects of the kitchen including food quality, cleanliness, records etc. and we have always achieved 100%. The menu at Appletree Grange is reviewed on a regular basis to ensure that all of our residents are getting nutritious and delicious foods. We offer a good variety of food but we can also cater to special requests if the resident decides they want something a bit different. Maintaining the health of our residents through a good balanced diet and making sure they enjoy their food is at the heart of everything we do in the kitchen. For a taste of what we offer, please see the example menus below.
David Scott
Hi, my name is David and I am Head Chef here at Appletree Grange. I bring a wealth of experience and knowledge to the home and have worked in the hospitality sector since I was 17-years old. I have previously cooked in hotels, restaurants, and in the army. Cooking is a passion of mine and I love seeing our lovely residents enjoying their meals. Here at Appletree Grange, we provide a wonderful choice of delicious and wholesome dishes. The food and the dining experience at Appletree Grange is recognised as an integral part of the lifestyle here at the home and I am responsible for managing the catering team, ensuring they provide a quality catering service to all our residents, guests and visitors.
Dietary requirements
For residents who have difficulties swallowing, we modify the menu of the day so that the dishes are more palatable for them. To support our chefs in producing these dishes, our hospitality team and our Chef Academy organise theory and practical workshops. The chefs work with the chef trainer to prepare tasty, modified meals safely and according to IDDSI frame work. This encourages residents to eat and enjoy their food. All our chefs have been trained in IDDSI food descriptors.
Attracting top chefs
Our chefs are recruited on the basis of an interview with the regional hospitality support team and the manager of the home. Selection also involves a practical element, where potential chefs are asked to cook for and meet a panel of people living in the home. Chefs take their job extremely seriously and the annual Barchester Chef Competition sees our chefs battle it out in regional heats and then at a national final for the accolade of 'Barchester's Chef of the Year'.
