So many of our best memories are anchored around food and meals with friends and family. The Art of Delicious is a philosophy that celebrates both the preparation of great food and the dining experience itself. At The Springs Living retirement communities, The Art of Delicious means partnering with and purchasing from local farmers and producers with a focus on fresh, seasonal foods and delivering meals that are both nutritious and delicious.

At The Springs Living, dining can be an adventure. 

“Making and sharing food with people every day is ultimately about creating community,” explains Sam Currie, Director of Culinary Services of The Springs Living. Every day, residents enjoy the Art of Delicious while sharing their meals in various dining venues. Many of The Springs Living communities have formal dining rooms and  Fancho’s Public House® - a casual gathering place - plus outdoor courtyards with covered verandas.

Meals are made from scratch and feature seasonal favorites throughout the year. The Art of Delicious is also responsible for educational food experiences, such as tastings, guest speakers, on-site farmers’ markets and community kitchen tours.

“Some residents prefer to be surprised with new dishes, while others enjoy familiar options on their menus,” continued Currie. That said, residents’ appetites can change and even expand, and The Springs Living chefs are keen to adjust by getting input from residents, their family members, friends, servers and onsite healthcare professionals. For example, chefs can create meals for residents with food preferences such as gluten-free, dairy-free, or vegan; or dietary restrictions due to health conditions such as diabetes or heart disease.

The Art of Delicious celebrates twelve seasons

Choosing fresh, local, in-season ingredients is core to The Art of Delicious. The Springs Living chefs select foods and create menus based on twelve seasons. Currie defines seasons around what’s freshest at the local farmer’s market. He explains that “Every four weeks or so there will be a new crop of fresh produce, such as radishes, corn, stone fruits, berries and so on.” Strong relationships with suppliers and farmers fuel delicious and nutritious meals with the best ingredients year-round.

Currie has also led the creation of “Meet the Farmers,” a farmers’ market brought to the residents at their community where they can sample fresh fruits and vegetables and meet some of their local food suppliers.  Other popular activities include classes in the demonstration kitchen, oyster and wine tastings and educational lectures.

To learn more or experience the Art of Delicious for yourself, contact The Springs Living. Visit www.thespringsliving.com for a community near you. 

The Art of Delicious Food Values

• Farms are local, sustainable and/or organic
• Partners follow fair trade principles
• Seafood suppliers are aligned with Seafood Watch and/or MSC-certified seafood
• Poultry is produced without the use of antibiotics as a feed additive
• Fresh ground beef is produced from cattle raised with no trace antibiotics or hormones
• Dairy is produced without the use of rBGH/rBST
• Shell eggs come from certified cage-free chickens

The Art of Delicious Kitchen Principles

• Plan menus based on fresh, seasonal regional foods
• Provide vegetarian and healthy/fit options at every meal
• Fresh vegetables are always the first choice
• Use olive and canola oil for dressings and cooking
• Make stocks from scratch or purchased from an approved source
• Never use trans fats, peanut oil, MSG or products containing MSG