Giving people choice
When trained chef Marie arrived at Shaftesbury Brookside last year, she was determined to make meals enjoyable, tasty and healthy for the 23 people who live at our north London residential home.
Deputy Manager Shukri said Marie’s passion and commitment shone out from the start: ‘Marie came to our residents’ meetings and listened to what people wanted.’ She devised a three-week menu, using fresh ingredients for main meals such as mushroom, spinach and bacon tagliatelle, a vegetarian option, and of course, a Sunday roast. A cooked breakfast is available if ordered the night before and supper is a lighter, healthy meal, by request of the residents. Brookside’s favourite lunch? ‘Sweet and sour chicken!’ said Marie. ‘Everybody loves that.’
Accessible menus
One request was for more vegetables to be served, but Marie found that even when available vegetables were left on the side of people’s plates. ‘So I found ways of including more veg in the dishes themselves, including vegetable stroganoff, for instance,’ Marie said Homemade soup replaced the tinned variety and a beautifully presented salad with egg, ham, cheese and tuna salad is a popular teatime choice.
‘It’s not just lettuce, tomato and cucumber, I change it up all the time with carrots, avocados, beetroot etc’ said Marie. Half the residents frequently choose this salad option. For the four people on a puréed diet, Marie makes sure the food is flavourful and well-presented. At the request of residents, every dining table has a menu card with a photo of each meal for anyone who prefers to use pictures.
What’s your favourite Brookside meal?
Jason: ‘Pasta and meatballs’
Alison: ‘Roast dinner’
Harriet: ‘I love everything that Marie cooks!’
Shukri was so impressed by the huge difference Marie’s approach had made to the people who live at Shaftesbury Brookside, both in what she cooked and the dining experience itself, that she nominated Marie for a local council catering award – and she won! Consulting the residents for their choices, improved health and better nutrition were reasons cited for her success. She was presented with a certificate by the Mayor of Barnet and said: ‘I was surprised! I didn’t expect it. I try to cook food that people really enjoy.’
Improving health and wellness
Being given a choice of delicious and nutritious food has brought all sorts of benefits to the Shaftesbury Brookside community. ‘People’s digestive and overall health has improved, with a better intake of vitamins and nutrients,’ said Shukri. ‘Many of our people are wheelchair users and some have lost weight or are just feeling better.’
A valuable outcome has been a change in people’s social habits: ‘People are choosing to come and eat together in the dining room, rather than eating in their rooms,’ said Shukri. ‘They sit and chat afterwards too.’ Marie will often come out of the kitchen and chat to the diners about what they think of the meal, something they much appreciate.
Another benefit at mealtimes has been a makeover of the spacious dining/social area, with support from Shaftesbury’s fundraising team. The update was driven by the people we support, who chose fabrics, colours and lighting.
What does Marie gain from her work? ‘I find it very rewarding when residents come to me and say they really enjoyed their dinner, especially when it’s someone who is perhaps quite fussy and difficult to feed. They do give me lovely feedback.’