Aurem Care Appoints Head Of Food Experience
Aurem Care has appointed experienced chef and care catering specialist Chelsea Jeffery as its new head of food experience, supporting the food and dining provision across the organisation’s care homes nationwide.
She brings extensive experience from her previous role as head chef at a 134-bed nursing home, where she oversaw all aspects of kitchen operations, including menu planning, food preparation, stock management, staff supervision and ensuring full compliance with health and safety regulations. Her passion for delivering a personalised, resident-focused dining experience was central to her work.
Chelsea will work closely with kitchen teams across all Aurem Care homes, supporting menu development, staff training, food quality, and the ongoing enhancement of residents’ dining experiences.
She explained: “I’ve always believed that mealtimes are pivotal to a resident’s mood and the whole atmosphere within a care home. Food is about far more than nutrition; it’s comfort, choice, dignity and joy. To get it right, chefs must speak to residents and their relatives, understand what they want from their meals, and cater for the diversity that exists in every home.”
Her approach includes adapting meals for cultural preferences, dietary needs, fortified diets, and modified textures, ensuring that residents with conditions such as dementia, arthritis or swallowing difficulties can still enjoy flavourful and nourishing dishes.
“Every resident is different,” she added. “From cultural backgrounds to mobility issues, dietary requirements to personal preferences we have to look at the whole person. It’s a whole-home approach that starts in the kitchen and my mission is to empower chefs to be proud of their craft and to help create dining experiences that genuinely enhance residents’ quality of life.”
Chelsea’s journey to Aurem Care began after a brief period working in a school kitchen. She took on a series of chef shifts at one of Aurem’s homes and quickly found her passion for care reignited. A conversation with Aurem Care chief executive Mike Smith played a pivotal role in her decision to join the organisation.
Mike said: “From the moment I met Chelsea, it was clear that her values completely aligned with ours. She has an exceptional understanding of what an outstanding food experience looks like in a care setting. Her commitment to quality and to seeing each resident as an individual shines through in everything she does. Chelsea will play a central role in our mission to raise standards and deliver an exceptional food experience for all our residents.”
