Seasoned Chef Brings 5-star dining to Senior Living in Vernon Hills
The dining experience has just gotten sweeter for Victory Centre of Vernon Hills residents with Chef Michael Sawin in the kitchen as the senior living community's new Culinary Experience Manager.
Sawin of McHenry County joined the team in September and is already cooking up palate-pleasing changes. Residents are being treated to a greater variety of ingredients, homemade soups, extra fresh herbs and spices, restaurant-style presentation and decadent desserts, such as chocolate-drizzled cheesecake and cream-filled red velvet cupcakes-all in right-sized portions of course!
"Today people want to eat lighter, but they don't want to sacrifice flavor," said Sawin, who gives residents a variety of healthy and delicious entrée options, so they can enjoy a guilt-free dessert now and then.
"Chef Mike is a breath of fresh air," said Jeff Altschul, the Lifestyle Specialist at Victory Centre of Vernon Hills. "Besides serving delicious food, he has excellent table manners. Chef makes a point to connect with each and every resident to discover their personal likes, dislikes and nutritional needs."
A Heaping Helping of Customer Service
A Victory Centre resident recently celebrated Yom Kippur with a 25-hour fast and couldn't eat until after sundown. Sawin had a plate of lox, bagel, raw onion and egg prepared and delivered to her for a 7:30 p.m. feast. "She told me it was wonderful in Yiddish," Sawin said. "It is my pleasure to take care of residents in their home. If there is something I can do to make them happy, then I will."
Fresh, homemade potato pancakes is the latest request Chef received from the community's food committee. Fulfilling this wish is a piece of cake with Sawin's training and experiencing.
A graduate of the Culinary Institute of America in New York, Sawin has trained with local legends Chef Bernard Cretier at Le Vichyssois and Chef Jean Banchet at Le Francais in Wheeling, IL. Sawin served as Executive Chef at Wyndham Northwest in Itasca, IL, Food and Beverage Manager at Wyndham Sugar Bay resort in the Virgin Islands and most recently as Executive Chef at the Grand Geneva Resort & Spa.
Sawin said he savors his new role in senior living at Victory Centre as a way to give back to others and that it puts him in touch with his caregiver side. When Sawin tells the residents, "I'm here to take care of you," they believe him.
About Victory Centre of Vernon Hills
Victory Centre of Vernon Hills, located at 97 W. Phillip Road, Vernon Hills, IL, offers independent and Supportive Living apartments, which feature call systems, three meals a day, support services as needed, activities and outings and other social opportunities at an affordable monthly rate. Amenities include a community dining room that opens up to an outdoor patio, living room, library, community room, therapy center, outdoor courtyard with a gazebo and a walking path to the local library. For more information, please call 847-549-6070 or visit the website at www.pathwaysl.com.