NFEF Announces 2022 Award Recipient
Released: 14-July-2022
Contact Information
Mackenzi Butson
Association of Nutrition & Foodservice Professionals
Marketing Coordinator
mbutson@ANFPonline.org
Phone: 800.323.1908 x234
St. Charles, IL – The Nutrition & Foodservice Education Foundation (NFEF), the philanthropic arm of the Association of Nutrition & Foodservice Professionals (ANFP) promotes two awards – The Foodservice Education Innovator of the Year Award and the Foodservice Department of the Year Award. NFEF is pleased to announce the 2022 award recipient for the Foodservice Department of the Year.
2022 Foodservice Department of the Year Award – Vinson Hall Retirement Community
The Nutrition and Foodservice Education Foundation (NFEF), the philanthropic arm of the Association of Nutrition & Foodservice Professionals (ANFP), has announced the recipient of the 2022 Foodservice Department of the Year Award.The purpose of this award is to recognize and honor an entire team for innovative practices or excellence in foodservice management. Nominees are evaluated in the following four areas:
Teamwork – How well department staff members communicate, cooperate, and work together to make the department collectively greater than the sum of its multiple functions.
Innovation – How the department approaches day-to-day operations for internal customers that highlight and reinforces its importance to the organization.
Customer service – How the department’s operational activities directly and indirectly influence high-quality service. How the department contributes to the well-being of their clients, residents, or patients.
Operational Contribution – How specifically the department has contributed to the overall operation of the organization. (This could include financial operations, enhanced marketing efforts, staffing, surveys, etc.)
The foodservice department chosen to receive this prestigious award due to their contributions in the established areas of foodservice management is Vinson Hall Retirement Community located in McLean, Virginia. VHRC is a life plan community that offers independent living plus long-term care for seniors.
Effective communication is essential to the success of the daily operations at VHRC. The dining team’s practical style of communication starts with “first impressions.” Bishal Pandey, CDM, CFPP says that whether it be on the telephone, in-person, making deliveries, sharing a smile, or simply making direct eye contact, all interactions play a crucial part and have long-lasting impressions.
Knowing residents by name and their dining preferences is key to having an enjoyable stay at VHRC. The dining services team prides themselves on creating good tasting food and providing a memorable experience for their residents. The pandemic has taken a toll on the senior living population, and VHRC’s dining services team has gone beyond, not only doing their part, but has kept residents informed and provided support, good food, and friendship.
The dining services team is focused on the “Mind, Body, and Spirit” of every single person they meet. Each month, VHRC’s dietitian along with VHRC’s executive chef present an educational nutrition seminar called Eating Well=Aging Well. This seminar and cooking demo was designed to provide nutritional recommendations and smart meal options. Every morning, numerous hydration stations with seasonal, fruit-flavored water that provides full nutrition is offered to residents.
The dining services team participates in various departmental activities and collaborates with members of the Residents Dining Committee to provide quality, resident-driven programs and activities that increase resident engagement, and dining-related assistance. These beneficial programs directly influence the high-quality services the residents deserve at Vinson Hall Retirement Community.
When seniors are exploring retirement community options, perhaps the highest on their list is finding a facility that provides a worry and care-free lifestyle, offers a variety of services and of course, great food! VHRC allows residents to enjoy peace of mind knowing their needs will be met at each of these levels. The dining services team actively engages prospective residents by inviting them to dine in on-campus to see for themselves.
About Vinson Hall Retirement Community
Vinson Hall Retirement Community is a true-Life Plan Community located on a park-like oasis in vibrant McLean, Virginia and just miles from our nation’s capital that offers independent living plus long-term care for seniors.
About NFEF
The Nutrition & Foodservice Education Foundation (NFEF) was originally founded in 1994, as the Dietary Managers Association (DMA) Foundation. It was re-configured as a part of the DMA’s re-branding and name change to the Association of Nutrition & Foodservice Professionals (ANFP) in 2012. NFEF engages in innovative research, education, and charitable causes that promote the vital role of the Certified Dietary Manager as the expert in the profession of foodservice management and food safety. NFEF supports the goals of ANFP and works to strengthen the overall nutrition and foodservice profession. As ANFP’s philanthropic arm, the Foundation is organized to advance the foodservice and nutrition profession to stay ahead of rapid change by fostering innovative thinking, cutting-edge research, and new ideas. The Foundation’s highest priority is research and education for the future.
About ANFP - ANFP is a national not-for-profit association established in 1960 that represents more than 15,000 professional members dedicated to the mission of providing optimum nutritional care through nutrition and foodservice management. ANFP members work in hospitals, long-term care facilities, correctional facilities, and other non-commercial food settings.