Carillon Chefs Whip Up High Satisfaction
Carillon of Hillsborough Chef Erin Yount’s famous cinnamon rolls.
Carillon’s outstanding dining service managers — make that chefs — are setting new standards in the kitchen and raising the bar on delicious dining. Dining satisfaction scores are at an all-time high across all 19 Carillon communities statewide, with a resident rating of 4.3 (out of a possible 5.0) on the most recent survey held in December 2014. In fact, dining satisfaction scores have risen steadily over the last 18 months.
“We’ve taken a more personalized approach to our dining program at Carillon, and I think you’re seeing the results of that in the resident survey,” said Carillon of Lincolnton Executive Director Cindy Shepherd. “Taking the time to talk to residents, as a group and individually, asking them what they would like to see on the menu, how they want dishes prepared — that is key to resident satisfaction.”
Chef Denise Stallings has long enjoyed high satisfaction scores from the residents at Carillon of Lincolnton, owed to her stubborn refusal to open a can when she can peel, dice, mash and shuck the way a “good Southern cook ought to.”
“Her Lincolnton style potato soup and grilled cheese is to die for!” says Shepherd. “It may sound simple, but it’s the comfort foods that we all love, and we love them even more as we move through life. And I would be remiss if I failed to mention her homemade gravy and mashed potatoes.”
In Hendersonville, chef Linda Allen wows the residents in her dining room with big plates packed with flavor — her chicken parmesan is wildly popular — but it’s the little touches that mean the most to residents.
“She takes the time to serve each meal with a special little something — fancy sliced oranges and strawberries, for instance,” said Carillon’s executive chef Bill Furnas. “Part of the enjoyment for the resident is, ‘Oh, what does Linda have for us today?’ and for Linda, I know she gets a big kick when the residents take the time to tell her how much they enjoyed something, which they often do.”
At Carillon of Hillsborough, chef Erin Yount knows that sharing her own favorite dishes with residents is bound to make for happy customers. Yount’s love of baking is obvious throughout the day, with homemade goodies appearing on the table from breakfast through dinner. One day last week, Yount served her famous cinnamon rolls for breakfast one day, and her made-from-scratch chocolate chip oatmeal muffins the next. Traditional fare such as scrambled eggs and bacon may be the staples of a morning diet, but Yount believes adding that “extra little something to the table” helps start the residents’ day off right.
We couldn’t agree more.
Posted in Sage Stories on January 30, 2015