Korean BBQ Theme Meal at Riderwood Village

I can’t believe our 6-week foodservice rotation at Riderwood Village is almost over!  A large portion of our time was dedicated to creating a Korean BBQ theme meal for the seniors, which was particularly exciting for me because my family is from South Korea.  Not only was I thrilled at the chance to cook my favorite dishes but many residents shared stories with me about living in Korea and loving the food.  Christina and I spent the past few weeks learning our way around the kitchen, bonding with the dining services staff, advertising our event and perfecting the menu for our theme meal. 

In the blink of an eye, our first four weeks were over and our production week began. We chopped, skewered, grilled, and marinated our way to the big day, and it was a huge hit!  More residents attended than we had anticipated, and more than once, we thought we were going to run out of food.  But with the quick thinking of the chefs and cooks and the great service provided by the RAs and wait staff, we were able to provide a taste of Korean cuisine to 160+ residents.

Now that the chaos and excitement is over, I can sit back and reflect on what a wonderful time I’ve had so far.  From the moment we started our rotation at Riderwood, Christina and I received an enormous amount of support and encouragement from the residents and staff.  I learned a great deal about planning ahead, preparing for the worst, and the importance of having strong communication skills.  I also learned a few new tricks in the kitchen that I look forward to using at home.  I couldn’t be happier with how our theme meal turned out, and I am so grateful for the opportunity to intern at Riderwood Village.