This summer, HC-One chefs from across the UK came together for a series of Chef Development Days, designed to enhance skills, spark creativity, and share best practice in care catering. These events highlight our commitment to chef training in care homes, with workshops on texture-modified foods, plant-based innovation, sustainability, and foraging, all focused on enriching the dining experience for residents.
Yorkshire: Foraging and sustainability
In Yorkshire, chefs took part in a unique foraging day, run by Taste the Wild. The experience connected ESG principles to everyday catering, teaching chefs how to identify and responsibly use wild ingredients.
From identifying edible plants to learning how to use nature’s ingredients responsibly, it was a fantastic opportunity to broaden skills and perspectives.
North East: Texture-modified innovation and food waste awareness
At Leeds City College, 11 talented chefs from across the North East took part in a hands-on day of learning and collaboration. Sessions included:
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An IDDSI demonstration to help chefs understand how to prepare texture modified foods for residents who have difficulty swallowing, and a dessert challenge using store cupboard ingredients
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Workshops on food waste reduction in care catering, led by Jamie Clews
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A plant-based cookery demonstration from Garden Gourmet
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A wellbeing session on mental health in hospitality, delivered by The Burnt Chef Project
The creativity on display showed how our chefs are pushing the boundaries of care catering while keeping residents’ safety and enjoyment at the heart of everything they do.
Midlands: Safety, compliance and creative care catering
Chefs from the Midlands joined together for a day focused on texture-modified foods and Catering Safely standards. Highlights included:
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Demonstrations on how to make appealing and safe texture-modified meals
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Refreshers on kitchen compliance and food safety
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A showcase of vegetarian and vegan menu options from Garden Gourmet
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Inspiring talks on sustainability and wellbeing in catering
The passion, energy and ideas shared showed the vital role our chefs play in delivering nutritious, safe and creative dining experiences in care homes.
Investing in our chefs, enriching residents’ lives
These summer Chef Development Days demonstrate how HC-One continues to invest in chef training and development, supporting colleagues with the tools and knowledge they need to deliver exceptional care catering.
From catering innovation and sustainable cooking to nutrition and wellbeing, our chefs are helping ensure residents enjoy meals that are nutritious and full of flavour.
Find out more about food and dining at HC-One, or to find our more about joining our team, visit our careers website.