By Mark Abromaitis
THE ERICKSON TRIBUNE

Marvin Wilson has spent plenty of time in the kitchen. He has been a sous chef at elegant country clubs, a cook for catering companies, and he has even been a personal chef. But he says his best experiences with cooking have come as Maris Grove’s executive chef.

From the ability to stay creative when preparing the menu for the week to the interaction with coworkers and residents, working at Erickson communities has been the high point of his fine-food career.

Established career
“It’s an absolutely great place to work,” Wilson says. “In the cooking industry there’s almost no such thing as quality of life. But at Maris Grove, I’m able to be creative, work with and meet the nicest people, and do what I love. I always look forward to going to work.”

Wilson had a long established career as a chef before coming to work for Erickson, the company that builds and manages communities like Maris Grove.

But five years ago Wilson got a job at Oak Crest Village, an Erickson  Community in Baltimore, Md. After working there for just a few years, his talent in the kitchen and as an instructor became apparent, and he was promoted to executive chef at Maris Grove.

“When I’m cooking for myself, I love home-style meals. But my favorite to prepare is the more upscale fare.” He adds, “I like to try and showcase my skills.”

Leaving it up to the pros
“I prefer not to cook unless I have to,” says Ted Kerwin, who moved to Maris Grove a year ago and quickly started enjoying the food at the community restaurants. “I’m always taking advantage of the restaurants and cafés,” he says. “And I’ve been so impressed with the quality of food and friendliness of the service. Everyone is so nice. It’s good food and really convenient.”