With 12 nursing homes across Ireland, Evergreen Care is committed to delivering high-quality, nutritious meals that enhance residents' daily experience.
In partnership with Avendra International, the group is bringing fresh energy and expertise to its kitchens, starting with an inspiring Chefs Day event. The day brought together Evergreen's culinary leaders to spark innovation, strengthen collaboration, and explore sustainable food trends shaping the future of care catering.
Chefs Day Innovation Event
Held at the BWG Foodservice Academy near Dublin Airport, Evergreen Chefs Day brought together 12 head chefs from across the group.
The event was organised by Avendra International in collaboration with Evergreen Care's Group Head Chef, Shirley O'Connor, and supported by supplier partners BWG Foodservice and Unilever.
Culinary Insights
Paul Bloxham, Avendra International's Head of Culinary, delivered a session on care home food trends, offering practical ideas for transforming everyday ingredients into elevated, sustainable dishes.
Paul shares, "This is about showing that food in care can be exciting, nourishing, and sustainable. With small tweaks and a creative mindset, we can drive big improvements in quality and impact."
From turning day-old vegetables into pesto to transforming breadcrumbs into gourmet garnishes, Paul shared examples that combine sustainability, flavour, and presentation, including a stand-out high-protein banana cake made with yogurt and coconut oil.
In addition, Audrey Crone, Executive Chef Ireland at Unilever Food Solutions, led a session on time and cost-saving kitchen ideas for soups, desserts and more.
The programme also featured a presentation from Dysphagia Chef Niamh Condron of Ocras, showcasing nutritious, texture-modified meals designed to support residents with various levels of swallowing difficulties.
Hands-On Collaboration
One of the day's highlights was a team-building mystery box challenge, where Evergreen chefs worked in small teams to create dishes using local and sustainably sourced ingredients.
Paul says, "The teams gave it their all, creating thoughtful dishes that celebrated seasonal produce and clever use of ingredients."
Celebrating the Power of Partnership
"We appreciate the strong collaboration with Avendra International in co-creating this fantastic day together. Their ongoing support, along with the involvement of BWG, Unilever, and Ocras, made the event a real success - helping us inspire and connect our chef community with the latest trends and innovations in the industry."
— Shirley O'Connor, Group Head Chef, Evergreen Care
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If you’re looking to elevate your care facility’s culinary offering with sustainable, nutritious, and cost-effective solutions, we’re here to help.
