The Very Finest Dining at Friendship Village

Mosaic, Friendship Village senior living community's newest eatery opened last month to great fanfare and enthusiasm. The full-service restaurant defies the perception of traditional senior living cuisine, with menu offerings including tapenade stuffed mushrooms, Bloody Mary shrimp and linguine and Korean short rib tacos, representing the very best of regional American and world fare.

The launch of Mosaic is the culmination of a project that's been in the works physically for approximately a year, but conceptually for far longer. "This has been an important step towards achieving our dining strategy," said Ben Gilchrist, vice president of operations. "We've been partnering with Morrison Community Living since 2015, collaborating on providing the highest quality experience for our residents through enhanced dining offerings and venues. Through the completion of Mosaic and evolving menu choices, the expectations of our current and future residents are being met and exceeded."

One of the physical highlights of Mosaic is the 360-degree show kitchen, which is unique in senior living. "The main kitchen is in the middle of the dining room providing every guest a view of their food being prepared. This creates a different level of dining experience and ambiance, and our residents are really enjoying it," said Gilchrist. "We also have a state-of-the-art teaching kitchen where we'll be having cooking classes, marketing events and more." Mosaic also boasts a wood-burning pizza oven serving up customized pizzas and a multitude of other dishes.

"Flexibility in dining services is essential to us," said Gilchrist. "The design of Mosaic allows us to be nimbler in how we achieve the evolving needs of our residents. There are different possibilities for the space including sit-down meals, buffet brunches, private parties, resident events and more."

"Our commitment to flexibility in dining extends beyond the walls of Mosaic," said Gilchrist. Mosaic joins the campus' other full-service restaurant Seasons, and Herman's Bar and Grill.

In the not-too-distant future, Friendship Village's campus will also host a pub and a casual café.

Friendship Village

Friendship Village is a leading Life Plan retirement community offeringindependent living garden homes and apartment homes, as well as assisted living, memory support, skilled nursing care, and short- and long-term rehabilitation services. For more than 40 years, Friendship Village has been providing Chicago area seniors with exceptional retirement living options. For additional information visit www.FriendshipVillage.org.