Austen HouseBarchester Healthcare

Food at Austen House Care Home

We understand that food is vital to the health and well-being of those we support. Our trained chefs are passionate about creating food that is delicious, nutritious, nourishes the body and soul, and tailored to personal tastes.

At Austen House we take food seriously! Our menu's are planned to offer a wide choice of delicious and nutritious meals and snacks, with staple favourites and tempting culinary offerings that are sure to suit the palette of everyone.

Our chefs meet with all of our new residents to fully understand their likes and dislikes and also work in partnership with our clinical team to ensure that we fully meet the dietary and nutritional needs of our residents.

In addition to our seasonally changing daily menu's at Austen House we also offer additional choices that are available everyday and will also endeavour to fulfil any special requests.

Additional light snacks are available throughout the day and night and we welcome visitors and relatives to join our residents at mealtimes. Please see below for our example menus.

Ainsworth Brown

Ainsworth Brown

Head Chef

Ainsworth started working in the hospitality industry in 2004 as a second chef at a different care home. He gained further experience as a Chef De Partie, preparing various English, Asian and French authentic dishes, before being promoted to Head Chef.

Ainsworth started at Austen House in 2015 and has gained experience in elderly care and understands about the nutritional welfare of those we support, catering for varying diets, including vegan, diabetic, celiac and authentic cultural cuisines.

Sample menus

Breakfast menu

Breakfast menu

Breakfast menu

From your choice of cereals to a full English breakfast. We serve everything you need to start the day right.

Download sample menu
Lunch menu

Lunch menu

Lunch menu

There's something for everyone on our daily 3-course lunch menus. For smaller appetites, there's also our Light Bites Menu to choose from.

Download sample menu
Light bites menu

Light bites menu

Light bites menu

Fancy something that's not on the daily menu? These lighter bites and snacks will keep your tastebuds excited.

Download sample menu
Supper menu

Supper menu

Supper menu

Using the freshest, seasonal ingredients there's always something delicious and nutritious for supper, and our chef will happily cater for any special requests.

Download sample menu

Seasonal and nutritious meals

Relax and enjoy our seasonal, delicious, and nutritious meals as well as modified textured dishes that we serve daily to our residents, depending on their wants and needs. Everyone is welcomed and included, and our residents and families are part of our regular meetings to ensure that they have a say in the choice of the food that they will be eating. Mealtimes are delivered with pride, from our chefs and care teams.

Dietary requirements

For those residents who have a dietary requirement, our chefs are fully trained to cater to any request. Regardless of the needs; clinical, religious or ethical, our chefs are fully trained and happy to suit any requests with dignity. This allows your loved ones to keep their own diet safely without feeling excluded. Monthly dietary reviews for each of our residents take place to ensure that your love ones likes and dislikes are always respected.

Seasonal and nutritious meals
Seasonal and nutritious meals
Seasonal and nutritious meals
Seasonal and nutritious meals

Café areas

Our cafes are often a hub of activity and residents and friends and family can while away the day watching the comings and goings of the home with hot or cold drink whilst they read a book or catch up with friends. We have a beautiful selection of home baked biscuits, cakes and pastries for everyone to try, which are available throughout the day. If you feel hungry in between meals there is always fresh fruit, smoothies, and snacks prepared fresh to order. We also have fitted life skill kitchens for our active residents and patients who enjoy to prepare their own snacks and bake their own cakes.

Dining experience

It is always a social occasion in our beautiful dining rooms, with soft background music suitable to our residents’ choice with pleasant surroundings. They can choose where they would like to sit and have their meals with friends, or alternatively, if they would prefer to dine alone, it can be delivered to their bedroom. Families are always welcome to join their loved ones for a meal, and we offer a private dining area, where residents and patients can have a personal celebration or just have a family catch up in a more private setting.

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'.
Watch our video and learn more about our Chef academy

Useful guides and information

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Care & Facilities

Care & Facilities

Our facilities are designed to the highest standards and the care we provide is delivered by passionate and highly-trained professionals.

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Reviews

Reviews

Hear what our wonderful residents and their families have to say about their experience with us.

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Your next steps to finding care

Our team are here to help you when you are ready to talk about the care and support you need. Please call our team to arrange a visit and come and take a look around our home.

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Call our team for more information about our care home and to arrange a visit. Phone lines are open 8am-8pm

01189 145 484
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Our fees and contract

We want to be as transparent as possible about how we charge for the different services we provide as well as what's included in our contract.

Kilnsea Drive, Lower Earley, Reading, RG6 3UJ

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Austen HouseBarchester Healthcare

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Working In Our Care Homes

When you join the Barchester family, we don’t just want you to feel valued, we want you to truly love what you do. This is your chance to make a difference every day.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Austen House Care Home offers Nursing care, Dementia care, Respite / Short stay, Services for under 65.

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