Care UK Chef Has Recipe For Success At Great British Care Awards

Lisa Morris, head chef at Care UK’s Ambleside care home in Stratford-Upon-Avon, is celebrating after scooping a top award at the annual Great British Care Awards.

Lisa was announced the winner of the Nutrition and Hydration Award at the Great West Midlands Care Awards 2014 after being nominated by her colleagues following countless compliments from residents and family members about the professional chef’s work.

Following a panel interview, Lisa was shortlisted for the award after demonstrating her commitment to delivering good quality food with high nutritional value at the home. The winners of the awards were announced on Friday 24 October in a ceremony which recognised outstanding and exceptional individuals in the West Midlands care sector.

Speaking about the nomination, Lisa Morris, head chef at Ambleside care home, said: “I was so thrilled to be shortlisted for such a prestigious award and was ecstatic to be in the final three. I’ve worked as a professional chef for over 25 years but I’m very new to the care sector and I’m grateful that my skills in fine dining have been recognised, and most importantly, loved by the residents at Ambleside.

“I always strive to create meals suitable for all our residents and I have a book of each resident’s likes and dislikes that I refer to when I plan my menus. Food tastes can change when people grow older and dementia can affect the way people taste and see food, so it’s really important to me that I offer great tasting healthy food on a day to day basis to all our residents to help them maintain a good quality of life.”

Following the award win, Lisa Morris is now shortlisted in the Nutrition and Hydration category at the national Great British Care Awards, which will take place early next year.

Jason Osborne, customer relations manager at Ambleside and who nominated Lisa for the award, said: “I decided to nominate Lisa due to the exceptional work she has done since starting at Ambleside. Residents and their families provide feedback to me on a regular basis about all aspects of the home and constantly praise the food – so it was only right that Lisa should be recognised for her achievements. I’m thrilled that she has gone on to win the award for the West Midlands and hope she has the same success at the national awards next year.”

Dawn Leaver, home manager at Ambleside, said “When I first met Lisa at her interview over 16 months ago, I knew I had found a star in the making. Lisa is a very dedicated individual who is involved in all aspects of the safe delivery of food within Ambleside.

“Lisa has even met with the speech and language team and diabetic nurses who visit the home as well as specialist nurses at Warwick Hospital to obtain further information on all aspects of the resident’s diets. A very big well done Lisa we are all extremely proud of you.”