CDM, CFPP of the Month - October 2023
Job Title: Culinary Services Director
Employer: Thomas Cuisine/Pleasant View
Job Location: Ottawa, IL
Years at Current Facility: 20
Years in Current Position: Over one year
CDM, CFPP Since: 2018
Why did you decide to become a CDM, CFPP?
When I first started in the foodservice industry, I had no intention on staying in foodservice long term. I started to get familiar with the residents and truly realized how much the job I was doing made an impact in these residents lives through food. After a decade of being at the same location I decided I wanted to advance and make this my career. So, I took it upon myself to enroll in the CDM course because I knew that would definitely help me grow within my career.
What are your main responsibilities in your current position?
I oversee all daily operations of the culinary department, including the team members which consists of an Executive Chef, Dining Services Manager, 4 Cooks, 1 Prep Cook, 2 Bakers and 20 Diet Aides. I ensure compliance of all policies and procedures, state and country regulations. I manage the budget, assist with ordering of food and attend all food committee and resident council meetings to listen to their feedback to ensure we are providing a dining experience they enjoy.
How do you organize your time at work to make sure you accomplish all your responsibilities?
Organizing my time is probably one of my biggest struggles. At any given time, I can be pulled away to fill a line shift due to short staffing, pulled away to deal with staffing situations, or dealing with resident concerns. There’s always something that distracts me from my tasks at hand but that’s part of the job, dealing with issues as they arise. I just started doing this and find it truly helpful to write all my tasks I need to accomplish in a notebook so that way I don’t forget what I need to do and just cross them off as I get them done. This way if I get pulled away, I know where I left off.
What is an example of an innovative way you have made change at your facility and how did you implement it?
I went from majority convenience foods to more from scratch cooking for our menu items. It took a lot of patience and understanding and training with the team. Through it all the team appreciated the change and saw the impact it made on the quality of the food that we serve. The team got such gratification out of learning news ways and techniques of cooking. Now with my Executive Chef in place we continue to go even further with our mission to provide real food with fresh ingredients whenever possible.
What was your first job in the foodservice industry?
My first job in the foodservice industry was waitressing. I enjoyed waitressing because you got to interact with different people daily.
Who has been your biggest mentor in food service and how have they helped shape your career?
My biggest mentors are two ladies who have truly made an impact in my life. The first is my previous corporate manager Angie Zamora and the other is my current Senior Culinary Director Kim Mahony. Both ladies believed in me even when I tried giving up on myself and if it wasn’t for them, I wouldn’t have completed the CDM course nor would I be in the position I am today. Kim continues to push me daily to challenge myself to learn new things and be the best I can be in my role. I truly owe both ladies a debt of gratitude for believing in me.
What are the biggest challenges you face in your position and how do you handle them?
The biggest challenge I face is all the different personalities I must deal with when overseeing a whole team. I do my best to always stay neutral in all situations and not let my personal feelings or thoughts get in the way, which can be extremely challenging at times. I try to handle every situation to the best of my ability and reach out for support if I feel it is beyond my expertise.
What is your favorite part of your job?
The favorite part of my job is the residents. Some of my residents have become like family to me. Being able to make them smile or to just talk and listen to what they have to say is what makes every day coming to work worth it.
How do you stay up to date with current innovations and trends?
With the help of our team, we try to communicate anything new that may benefit our community. I also read the EDGE magazine and that helps also.
How do you envision the foodservice industry changing in the next few years?
As far as for Senior Living Community I see us moving to more technology and ways to speed up ordering and service. I also feel that as most places are moving more towards self-service, I don’t feel that will work within this community. As for the senior living population they enjoy the interaction with their server. That will mean we need to provide superior customer service as that would be a service that a self-service option could never provide.
What is your advice to those just getting started in the foodservice industry?
My only advice is that this industry can be challenging in so many ways. Never give up, strive for excellence, and learn from every challenge. Have the drive and you will succeed!