Care Home and Hospital Catering Forum is back

For the second year running we are inviting nominations for the Care Home Catering Awards, which seek to recognise and reward best practice in delivering person-centred nutritional care throughout the residential care sector.

This year we have added a further category, so there will be five awards up for grabs. We will be looking for the catering managers, heads of hospitality, chefs and kitchen teams who regularly go the extra mile to make mealtimes not just good, but great!

“Last year’s inaugural Care Home Catering Awards brought in a really high standard of entries,” says Care Home Catering Editor Sue Dunk. “It was so inspiring to find out about all the excellent work that’s going on in the sector and get to know some of the individuals whose passion, skills and determination to provide the best experience for their residents really do make a difference to people’s lives.

“If you know someone in your catering department who deserves to be recognised for what they do, don’t hesitate to put them forward for one of our awards. It could be your care home celebrating at the Care Home and Hospital Catering Forum in November!”

Categories

Chef of the Year Award

This new award sets out to recognise the care home chef who has done the most to enhance their residents’ wellbeing with really great food, lovingly presented. Nominations are invited for head chefs, chefs or sous-chefs who have demonstrated innovation, excellence and dedication through their menus, plus a willingness to engage with their client group. The winning chef will be able to demonstrate their ability to cater for every dietary requirement, so that restaurant-quality food is available to all residents, whether they suffer from food allergies, dysphagia, dementia or have specific cultural or religious requirements. They will have a clear understanding of the IDDSI framework and be willing to accommodate individual preferences.

• Tell us what inspires you to create your menus and share with us your signature dish
• Give evidence to show you understand the nutritional needs of your client group and demonstrate how your food meets those needs
• Explain how you adapt and present menu choices to suit those living with conditions such as dysphagia or dementia

Independent Care Home Caterer of the Year

Nominations are sought for catering managers/head chefs of independently owned care homes who have made a significant contribution to residents’ health and wellbeing through the provision of person-centred nutritional care. They should be able to demonstrate a personal commitment, perhaps through training and engagement with the wider industry, which has resulted in an improved nutrition and hydration service in their care home. In particular the judges will be looking for an understanding of special dietary requirements, evidence of social interaction at mealtimes, an effective hydration policy, as well as nutritionally balanced menu options and appetising meal presentation. The award is open to individual care homes and small groups comprising no more than three care homes.

• Tell us about any training/qualifications/competitions you have engaged with
• Explain how you make mealtimes more pleasurable for residents living with conditions such as dysphagia or dementia
• Give evidence to show how theme days, family events, baking clubs, engagement with the local community, etc, are used to good effect

Group Care Home Caterer of the Year

This award seeks to recognise the care home group which best demonstrates a commitment to raising the standards of person-centred nutritional care across its entire estate. The judges will be looking for evidence of service innovation, the ability to manage special dietary requirements and personal preferences, ongoing staff training and development, a full range of menu options, appetising meal presentation, and meaningful engagement with residents and relatives. Nominations are sought for heads of hospitality/hotel services and catering managers working for groups operating in excess of three residential care homes.

• Explain what steps are taken to ensure dignity in dining for residents living with conditions such as dysphagia or dementia
• Tell us how you solicit and respond to feedback from residents and their relatives
• Tell us what support the group gives to catering staff who want to improve their skills

Care Home Catering Team of the Year

The winner of this award will be the catering team which most effectively works together to give its residents the best nutritional care, while enhancing the home’s reputation and standing within the local community. The winner will demonstrate outstanding teamwork both in the kitchen and in the wider care environment, working with management, care and nursing staff, activities co-ordinators, visitors and locals to boost health and wellbeing. Nominations in this category are invited for in-house teams and contract caterers working within a residential care environment.

• Tell us how your catering team engages with residents and visitors to make mealtimes matter
• Give examples of how your catering team supports each other and works with care and nursing staff to enhance residents’ wellbeing
• Explain how your catering team has reached out to the local community

The Above & Beyond Special Award

Nominations are requested for the person or team you believe really stands out from the crowd for their exceptional dedication to improving the nutritional wellbeing of elderly and/or vulnerable individuals in a residential care setting.

• Tell us why this individual or team deserves to be recognised for going above and beyond what would normally be expected in their day-to-day catering role
• Explain how this individual or team has become indispensible to your care home’s nutritional offer
• Provide examples to show how this individual or team has had an overwhelming impact on the wellbeing of your residents

Care Home and Hospital Catering Forum 2019

The theme of the Care Home and Hospital Catering Forum 2019, taking place on 18th November at The Royal Garden Hotel, Kensington, is Going from Good to Great.

Delegates will find out how to elevate their food service to the next level thanks to an inspirational and informative programme that will look at ways of delivering an outstanding meal experience through quality of food, staff training, personalised diets and technical innovations, and explore the importance of collaborative working and upholding dignity.

Sector experts and senior executives sharing key knowledge and best practice through a series of presentations that explore the challenges of meeting the individual nutritional needs of those in a care environment will be joined by a professional chef delivering live cooking demonstrations.

The business programme will conclude with a panel debate based on the issues raised during the day, featuring representatives from the NACC and HCA, and will be supported by an exhibition featuring some of the UK’s leading suppliers in healthcare catering, giving delegates the opportunity to view the latest products and services for the sector.