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Something Amazing is Cooking at SummitCare Baulkham Hills

on Monday, October 16, 2017

With less than a week to go before his first residents arrive at SummitCare Baulkham Hills, executive chef Amit Nagpal is excited to be busily putting the finishing touches to his first mouth-watering menus. He and his team of up to 15 kitchen staff will be creating a wide range of delicious freshly cooked meals at the state-of-the-art residential aged care centre.

From breakfast to supper, Amit promises to serve up a wide range of delicious food created with the needs of his residents in mind and he understands the importance of dining as a social occasion for older people having worked in aged care for over 10 years, as well as the need to allow people to have freedom and flexibility in their meal choices.

Amit is a strong believer in the organisation’s vision that “by striving for excellence in all that we do, SummitCare is professional, respectful and supportive in caring for our communities as if they were our family”.  “I always put myself in the place of the residents – what would I want, what would I want for my parents – and it is the ability to control your own meals choices,” he says.

Amit has introduced a style of service to match SummitCare Baulkham Hills’ first class environment and atmosphere.

“Giving our residents choice and the options at each meal was key in designing not only the menu but also in the design of the kitchen and servery. For example we provide a breakfast buffet to allow residents to choose what they feel like eating, and for me there is no better start to the day than the delicious smell of hot toast and freshly brewed coffee followed by a hot breakfast,” he says.

There is a choice of hot menu options at lunch and dinner created using quality seasonal produce, as well as soups, salads, sandwiches and scrumptious desserts so there will be something on offer for everyone to enjoy

Amit laughs when asked if he has a chance he will start a vegetable patch within the centre’s beautifully landscaped garden areas.  “We are already growing plenty of fresh herbs and residents will be able to grow a variety of vegetables but it’s difficult to grow enough broccoli to satisfy nearly 200 people.”

Amit will be hosting series of cooking demonstrations in the Wellbeing Centre which is open to day centres clients, residents and family members, Caroline says, “Participation in activities such as this can increase socialization and also awaken the senses encouraging people to eat.”

Amit adds, “People love to talk about food and there are a lot of memories wrapped up with cooking and eating so it’s nice for them to be able to be included.  It’s also a great way to really get to know other residents,” he says.

He is a big believer in dining as a way to socialise with other people.

“While there is always the option request room service and dine in your suite, meals are an opportunity for residents to interact, get together with friends, or catch up with family members,” he says.  “It doesn’t matter whether you’re in one of the dining rooms, in the café or even hosting a dinner party in one of the private areas.”

Amit will offer a wide variety of styles of dishes guaranteed to satisfy almost any appetite or cultural preference from grilled salmon to traditional fish and chips, along with roasts, pastas, curries, and sensational desserts including Amit’s speciality deconstructed apple pie which is sure to be a favourite, alongside panna cotta served with berries.  

In addition Amit and his team will also provide a short-order menu for Café 117 including gourmet quiches, salads, sandwiches and a wide variety of home-baked treats to enjoy while sipping on a latte.

Amit enthusiastically talks about how much he loves cooking for older people and planning special events “Keeping my residents happy and contributing to their quality of life is really what it is about,” he says.  “This means really understanding their individual needs and working closely with the care team to ensure residents are getting the nutrition they need. This is achieved by offering choice and flexibility, conducting menu satisfaction surveys and monitoring what is being wasted and what is popular, so we can review menus to meets our customers’ needs.”

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