By Mark Abromaitis
THE ERICKSON TRIBUNE

“Our staff takes pride in what we do. It’s like we’re cooking for our own families,” says Mark Diller, executive chef at Ann’s Choice, a retirement community in Bucks County. “We put our heart into each meal we prepare, and we hope it shows.”

Diller runs the community’s four on-site restaurants, which range in style from a full-service dining room to a casual café. And while servicing nearly 1,500 patrons daily, Diller and his team still manage to deliver high quality, tasty food that pleases their customers. So how do they do it?

Three squares and dozens of choices
“Our goal every day when we are developing menus or preparing something is to give our patrons a choice,” he says. “We like to let them always have a choice between a tasty, home-style meal or something more high-end like filet mignon or crab cakes if that’s their preference.

“We never know what our residents’ schedules or preferences will be,” Diller explains. “We have some residents who want a sit-down meal every day and others who want to grab something quick before hitting the golf course or going to a club meeting. Others like to bring a meal back to their homes and eat with guests or friends.”

Letting the pros do it
Retirement Counselor Donna Donohue says one of the best features about Ann’s Choice is that one meal a day at any of the community’s restaurants is included in  the monthly service package, which also includes 24/7 maintenance on their home, all utilities except phone, and other amenities.

“We have people move here who love to cook and still say how nice it is to simply have one less meal to shop and prepare for. It opens their day up. And with the quality of food at Ann’s Choice, many times that one meal a day turns into two or three.”