Sabine Dessau

Details

Assistant Director of Culinary and Nutrition Services, St. Andrews Estates North
Boca Raton, FL
Age: 27
Education: B.A. in history from Florida Atlantic University
Years at organization: 11

Why Selected?

According to Virginia Ohanian, director of culinary and nutrition services, Sabine is transforming St. Andrews by:

Get to know

Q. What has been your proudest accomplishment?

Becoming an assistant director at age 25, which was a record for ACTS Retirement-Life Communities. I began with the company at the age of 15 as a dining room server. That is when I truly fell in love with the continuing care retirement community environment.

Q. What would you say you excel at over more seasoned colleagues?

I am organized and am able to help others create order in their workday. I am technologically savvy and have developed several performance-measuring tools. I also possess a creative streak, which, along with my attention to detail, gives me room in my day to fill all the cracks that would otherwise not be filled.

Q. What's the best career advice you've been given?

Select a career path that would enable me to pursue my passions, including serving others. 

Q. What's been the biggest challenge you've had to overcome?

In one year, we opened six country kitchens, three in our skilled nursing facility and three in our brand new assisted living facility. We spent at least $20 million enhancing the overall environment of these areas and we created six neighborhoods with home-centered care as part of our culture change initiative.

Q. What's been your most rewarding moment?

The tremendous success of our pop-up restaurants. We were able to completely transform one of our dining rooms with special décor, centerpieces, uniforms, music and menus, which were all tied to countries around the world. We have reaped tremendous rewards from making our residents happy with these special dining offerings.

Q. What's been your funniest on-the-job disaster?

This occurred during my first beachside barbecue. There was a lot to set up. I started to set up the ketchup bottles. I wanted to make sure all the bottles were open without the protective seal. Instead of unscrewing the cap off the bottle, I decided to just squeeze it. Of course, the bottle had been already opened and my white polo shirt was covered in ketchup. Right after that I unpacked the chocolate éclairs for dessert and dropped the whole tray in the sand. Needless to say, my view of the beach has changed dramatically these days.

Q. What can you look back at now and laugh at?

My first experience with a weeklong American Health Care Association survey was quite an ordeal for me. The first day was a comedy of errors, beginning with being stuck on I-95 in terrible traffic. Of course, I wore all black and I have a white dog. On top of that, I had misplaced my name tag and had to create a temporary paper one. What a great first impression!

What would you like to accomplish in your career short term?

To continue down the path of changing the culture of eldercare by making our elders feel at home.