As far as impressionable moments go, I’m still amazed that an experience I had at eight years of age can still inform my thinking to this day. I was in London, England for my great grandmother’s 100thbirthday celebration when my family spent an evening at an upscale hotel. After the main course, the waiter approached pushing a dessert trolley that was laden with wondrous treats. Though cakes, pastries, tarts and cheeses all looked enticing, it was the fresh raspberries and cream that won me over.
I can still see the raspberries fall from the spoon into the bowl, the cream slowly drizzled over the fruit and a sprinkle of sugar to complete the marvel. The taste in that moment seemed so foreign to me at the time, but also incredibly comforting. It made me feel special and that’s the sensation that has remained with me for decades.
Years later, as I pursued my career in the industry, I found myself working in a prestigious hotel restaurant that specialized in French service. One of the hallmarks of that style is effectively ‘finishing’ dishes tableside. Once again, the dessert trolley (known as a gueridon) appeared and each night it was laden with the same variety of treats.
For servers, it was easy to set up and clean while, production-wise, the pastry chef only needed to make sure the kitchen was properly stocked in advance of service. The consistency of selections, the freshness of ingredients and the personalized table service all combined to create a powerful, everlasting impression that drove high customer satisfaction and perceived value. In short, it was the pinnacle of raspberries and cream.
The Bowl is Still Only Half Full
As I have since transitioned to providing equipment solutions to the healthcare sector, I look at the opportunity that presents itself to so many of my clients. Over 40% of them offer some form of table or dining room service, while the balance provides bedside tray service. As you are likely aware, this industry is characterized by an incredibly hard-working staff who have to perform every day of the year. That they have to meet the requirements for a variety of diets is astounding in its own way. But still – and this isn’t intended as a criticism – where are the raspberries and cream?
Let’s look at the example of a common long-term care home, which tends to opt for a 28- day food cycle. Consider a single day on that cycle and you’ll find that lunch offers a fruit cup and dinner comes with apple pie for dessert. Under that menu cycle, the fruit cup will not appear for another 10 days and the apple pie is scheduled to show up again three weeks later.
Ready that Dessert Trolley
My question is, why not offer these options every day? Provide a selection of desserts on a trolley that can be wheeled through the dining room so clients can choose right there at the table. If a resident wants apple pie three nights in a row, so be it. A few more sections of orange on that fruit cup this time around? By all means!
Do we typically impose a 28-day dessert cycle on ourselves? Hardly – we tend to eat what we want or prefer. The point is, giving residents a sense of control will translate into a more positive dining experience. There’s no denying that the influence of such a dining
experience for a patient will likely mean a more affirmative mood following the mealtime, and possibly carry throughout the day. Further, that contributes to improved staff satisfaction and morale.
Also consider that the efficiency of preparing similar desserts should reduce waste and allow for greater economies and menu flexibility. It’s a simple strategy that can be adopted with a minimal of fuss and the results point towards a win-win scenario. Positive impressions all around! So, who’s ready to give it a try? It all starts with a fresh bowl of raspberries, a drizzle of cream and a sprinkle of sugar.
