Hello Trilogy blog readers! I’m Chef Ray – Area Director of Food Services here at Trilogy. Over the years, I’ve had the privilege of serving Trilogy residents and families three times a day, seven days a week – getting to know likes, dislikes, and what makes for a truly savory dining experience.
I’ve been with Trilogy for a solid decade now – and boy, time sure does fly. I always joked that this was supposed to be a part-time job – but then I fell in love with the services we offer, the guests we care for, and the culture and environment of this workplace. After only a few weeks, I made the switch to full-time – and I’ve been with the company ever since.
As the Area Director of Food Services, I oversee our culinary experience from Sanders Ridge Health Campus and support several other campuses as needed. I keep a well-stocked spice rack and plenty of fresh herbs to help add more flavor to our meals without compromising nutrition. But where my creativity truly shines is bringing our special events to life – one of my favorite parts of the job. Working with team members to prepare a special new recipe is always a fun process that never feels like work; it’s just an enjoyable activity we have the privilege to do every day.
Earlier this year, I had the chance to participate in Trilogy’s Culinary Olympics – an interorganizational cooking competition that sees our Trilogy chefs face off for gold. This year, our campus came out on top!
For me, I just joined the competition purely for fun. I got to visit with other chefs from Trilogy, try different dishes, and push myself into a new creative space. I know all the stars and spices had to align just right this year – because let me tell you, the competitors are all great chefs. But I can’t lie – winning is awesome. I even built a shelf in my office to hold our trophy, The Golden Whisk. It is a traveling trophy, so I must work hard if I want to keep that shelf occupied next year! Winning was also humbling. I have been on the edge of my seat so many times, and not winning is always hard, so I am very grateful to be holding this trophy this year!
To learn more about our four-star chefs and the meals they serve, visit our lifestyle page located here.