From the Ritz to retirement

BETHESDA, Md. — Senior living dining has taken a turn in recent years—for the better. Cafeterias are no longer cutting it for the sophisticated and well-traveled residents of today’s senior living communities, and they are making way for restaurant-style dining and highly trained professional chefs.

One of those communities is Fox Hill, in Bethesda, Maryland. Showing its commitment to high-end cuisine, Fox Hill recently announced the hire of former Ritz-Carlton chef Quang Duong.

Chef Duong’s resume spans restaurants and hospitality, having been trained in France, and under world renowned chef Alain Ducasse—a Michelin Star-rated chef and restaurateur. He anticipates his work in luxury hotels will prepare him well for a more personal approach to the residents at Fox Hill.

The change for Chef Duong will be met with some challenges, he acknowledges, but they are challenges that he welcomes. Plus, he says, his work at Fox Hill will still be “very much like the Ritz-Carlton.”

SHN asked Chef Duong about his transition to senior living dining, from ethnic food flair, to a lot less email.

Dished: From Ritz to Retirement Dining, A Chef’s Perspective
February 11, 2015 by Elizabeth Ecker Comments (0)

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Senior living dining has taken a turn in recent years—for the better. Cafeterias are no longer cutting it for the sophisticated and well-traveled residents of today’s senior living communities, and they are making way for restaurant-style dining and highly trained professional chefs.

One of those communities is Fox Hill, in Bethesda, Maryland. Showing its commitment to high-end cuisine, Fox Hill recently announced the hire of former Ritz-Carlton chef Quang Duong.

Chef Duong’s resume spans restaurants and hospitality, having been trained in France, and under world renowned chef Alain Ducasse—a Michelin Star-rated chef and restaurateur. He anticipates his work in luxury hotels will prepare him well for a more personal approach to the residents at Fox Hill.

The change for Chef Duong will be met with some challenges, he acknowledges, but they are challenges that he welcomes. Plus, he says, his work at Fox Hill will still be “very much like the Ritz-Carlton.”

SHN asked Chef Duong about his transition to senior living dining, from ethnic food flair, to a lot less email.

quang

Senior Housing News: Have you ever worked in senior living dining before?

Chef Quang Duong: No.

SHN: What are you most looking forward to in transitioning to senior living from your work in hospitality dining?

QD: The personal service and becoming more like a personal chef.

SHN: What is the biggest difference in making that transition from hospitality to senior living?

QD: It is a very big difference. In senior living, it is the same customer every meal!

SHN: What menu items are you looking forward to introducing to the residents?

QD: For the River Room, Fox Hill’s main dining room, we change the menu every two weeks to introduce seasonal items and those that are market available daily. Here we offer Contemporary French/American with Asian flair and Latino cuisine.

Also, every Sunday we have different buffets: Prime Rib night, Pasta Night, Asian and Local (American, South American). There’s also monthly Sunday brunch with holiday themes. That might be Chinesse New year, a Valentine’s Day 4-course prix fixe, Mardi Gras …

For the Grill, we will change the menu by season. That’s more casual and seasonal.