My Recipe for Success
Stacey Sheerin, CDM, CFPP, MBA
Wyoming, MI
ANFP Member Since: 2003
Stacey Sheerin, CDM, CFPP, MBA serves as Senior Regional Director of Dining Services for Charter Senior Living, where she supports communities across multiple states with a focus on operational excellence, food safety, and leadership development. Sheerin completed her degrees in Hospitality Management, Culinary Arts and Baking & Pastry Arts, and earned her BBA in Hospitality and her MBA in leadership. She recently started a doctoral program in Business and Organizational Leadership.
Stacey's Recipe for Success
- Start with the right base: purpose. Every great dish starts with a solid base, and so does a great dining program. Our work goes far beyond serving meals. We create moments of comfort, connection, and dignity for residents every day. When you lead with purpose and remember why this work matters, it becomes easier to make decisions that support residents, your team, and your community. Purpose is the foundation everything else builds on.
- Practice mise en place: the leadership edition. In professional kitchens, mise en place means having everything prepped, organized, and ready before service begins. The same philosophy applies to leadership. Successful CDM, CFPPs know their operation inside and out: schedules are posted, systems are organized, equipment is maintained, and documentation is up to date. Preparation prevents chaos—and occasionally prevents burnt chicken.
- Prioritize food safety as the nonnegotiable ingredient. Menus evolve. Trends change. But food safety is timeless. Temperature logs, sanitation practices, staff training, and strong systems are the backbone of every successful dining department. When food safety becomes part of the culture—not just a checklist—you create a kitchen that is both safe and professional.
- Build a team, not just a schedule. Anyone can fill a shift on a schedule. Great leaders build teams. Strong dining programs invest in their people by mentoring, teaching, recognizing hard work, and creating an environment where staff feel respected and heard. When people feel valued, they bring their best energy to the residents we serve.
- Remember communication is the secret ingredient. If something goes wrong in a kitchen, it’s rarely just a cooking problem—it’s usually a communication problem. Clear expectations, consistent follow-through, and open dialogue make all the difference, and sometimes leadership simply means repeating yourself with patience and a smile.
- Keep the menu fresh with creativity. Food is deeply personal. It’s memory, culture, comfort, and celebration all wrapped into one experience. Creative dining programs keep things exciting with theme meals, seasonal menus, chef features, and special events. When residents look forward to meals, you know you’re doing something right.
- Know your numbers. Great culinary leaders understand that food service is also a business. Food cost, labor management, and purchasing strategies are essential tools for running a successful department. Knowing your numbers allows you to operate efficiently while still delivering quality and creativity. Data isn’t the enemy; it’s the recipe card for better decisions.
- Stay curious. The best leaders are lifelong learners. Surveys, audits, and feedback shouldn’t be viewed as criticism—they’re opportunities to grow and improve. Curiosity keeps you evolving, and evolving keeps your program strong.
- Celebrate the wins. In healthcare dining, the work never really stops. Take time to celebrate your team’s successes—whether it’s a great sanitation score, a successful event, or a staff member achieving certification. Recognition fuels motivation, and motivated teams do extraordinary work.
- Don’t forget the joy. Dining is one of the few departments that touches every resident, every single day. Bring joy into your kitchen. Laugh with your team. Celebrate the holidays. Try new recipes. Be willing to have fun with the work, because when people enjoy what they do, it shows in every plate that leaves the kitchen.
Great dining programs are not built by one person. They are built by teams of passionate professionals who care deeply about the people they serve. If you lead with purpose, stay curious, support your team, and never forget to enjoy the journey, you’re already well on your way to success. That is the most important ingredient of all. Like Julia Child said, “Learn how to cook – try new recipes, learn from your mistakes, be fearless, and above all, have fun.”
View the archive of My Recipe for Success articles at www.ANFPonline.org/myrecipeforsuccess.
Nominate Yourself or a Fellow ANFP Member
Have you spent a career in foodservice? Share your wisdom and advice in a new feature from ANFP. My Recipe for Success is aimed at retired members or those who have spent a long career in foodservice. Share the biggest lessons you’ve learned to a lengthy, fruitful, and successful career in the non-commercial foodservice industry.
My Recipe for Success Archive
January 2021 - Dorothy Radermacher, CDM, CFPP
March 2021 - Wanda Dickson, CDM, CFPP
May 2021 - Tom Thaman, CDM, CFPP
July 2021 - Chef Richard "Nick" Nickless, CEC, CCA, AAC, CDM, CFPP
September 2021 - Karen Swift, CDM, CFPP
November 2021 - Paula Bradley, CDM, CFPP
January 2022 - Deborah McDonald, CDM, CFPP
March 2022 - Trish De Leo, CDM, CFPP
May 2022 - Deb Dawson, CDM, CFPP
July 2022 - Rosalind Davis, CDM, CFPP
September 2022 - Ken Owens, CDM, CFPP
November 2022 - Janice Hemel, CDM, CFPP
January 2023 - Bonna Brown, CDM, CFPP
March 2023 - Becky Massey, CDM, CFPP
May 2023 - Colleen Zenk, CDM, CFPP
July 2023 - Joey Rost, CDM, CFPP
September 2023 - Milton McGowian, DBA, FMP, CDM, CFPP
November 2023 - Robert McKeon, CDM, CFPP
January 2024 - Hunter Hying, CDM, CFPP
March 2024 - Kim Kyle, CDM, CFPP
May 2024 - Sharon Vermeer, CDM, CFPP
July 2024 - Regina St. Clair, CDM, CFPP
September 2024 - Ken Hanson, CPM, CDM, CFPP
November 2024 - Barbara Thomsen, CDM, CFPP, RAC, QCP
January 2025 - Michael Kopec, CDM, CFPP
March 2025 - Preeti Padmanabhan, CDM, CFPP
May 2025 - Chef Louie Prantil
July 2025 - Rosemary Aho, CDM, CFPP
September 2025 - Mark Budd, CDM, CFPP
November 2025 - Steve Owen, CDM, CFPP
January 2026 - Felix Jones, CDM, CFPP
March 2026 - Jose Brito, CDM, CFPP