Eye chef up for national award

An Eye care home chef has been shortlisted for a coveted national award. 

Daniel Street, Head Chef at Care UK’s Hartismere Place, on Castleton Way, has been named a finalist in the ‘Care Chef of the Year’ category at the National Care Awards 2023.

The National Care Awards celebrate talent and excellence within the care home sector, rewarding those who go above and beyond to provide outstanding care. 

 

Daniel, who joined the home just over a year ago, and who has previously cooked for royalty and diplomats at state dinners at Windsor Castle and Buckingham Palace, has already made a memorable impression on both residents and the team. Ensuring that residents have plenty of choice, Daniel is praised for serving food that looks, tastes and is of the same standard as fine dining – from his daily homemade bread to the individually handpicked glassware.  

His colleagues have praised him for his holistic approach to cooking, putting the residents’ nutritional needs and preferences at the centre of everything he makes. Going above and beyond in his role as Head Chef at Hartismere Place, Daniel spends time getting to know each resident and their individual personalities. For example, Daniel bought foods from around the world to create meaningful dishes for residents that they mentioned held special memories for them. 

With a special passion for baking, Daniel’s talent has seen him design innovative cakes which include an impressive three-tier Coronation-themed cake and a creative motte and bailey cake for the home’s Anglo-Saxon themed festival, as well as helping make residents’ birthdays extra special. Throwing himself into every aspect of life at Hartismere Place, Daniel serves tea and cakes in the home’s café, and has also been known to take part in the odd sing-along.   

Daniel added: “Whether we’re creating appetising dishes or baking cakes for the Coronation for residents to enjoy with a cup of tea, we strive to make a positive impact on residents’ health and wellbeing through nutrition and hydration.  

“I’m over the moon to be shortlisted for this award – I’m keeping my fingers crossed for a win!” 

Claire Martin, Home Manager at Hartismere Place, added: “We’re delighted to have been shortlisted in the ‘Care Chef of the Year’ category at this year’s National Care Awards. Daniel and the wider catering team work incredibly hard to ensure that mealtimes are enjoyable, and that there is always a variety of tasty and nutritious meals on offer each day. 

“I’d like to take this opportunity to say a big thank you to Daniel for the past year, and the whole catering team at Hartismere Place. I’m so proud of what we achieve every day, and it’s fantastic that everyone’s hard work has been recognised nationally.”  

The finals, where the winner for the NCA awards will be announced, are taking place on 24^th November.

Hartismere Place has been designed to deliver the very best standards of care and to enable residents to live active and fulfilled lives. The home provides full-time residential, residential dementia, as well as short term respite care. Now officially open, the Hartismere Place Day Club will be open to the community on Tuesdays and Thursdays.