Today we’d like to introduce you to Elisha Vazquez.
Hi Elisha , it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
ELISHA VAZQUEZ –SENIOR DIRECTOR OF DINING SERVICES was born and raised in Eustis, a small Nebraska farm town of 500 people. At the age of eight she was already driving a John Deer tractor, learning to plant a garden, gathering fresh chicken eggs, and had just started raising her own herd of cattle. She was as the Nebraskans would say a corn and beef fed kind of girl. Elisha grew up with three younger sisters and they all were taught the importance of food value and where it came from. Farm life was the core foundation of making Elisha who she is today. It not only taught her to be tough, but that success was hard work you had to earn. Who knew that her love for food, cooking, menu writing, and costing would all start with a Little Tikes play Kitchen set that one of her sister’s had received one Christmas. Elisha couldn’t wait to use a real oven, but of course her mother could. So until she was old enough there was a lot of experimenting with bread & crackers, peanut butter & jelly, mayonnaise, ketchup & mustard. It wasn’t much to make a masterpiece, but back then beauty was definitely in the eye of the beholder. Her culinary journey had begun!
Elisha attended Culinary School in Omaha NE at Metropolitan Community College for one year. She then continued her culinary education in Scottsdale AZ at the Institute Le Cordon Bleu of Culinary Arts, where she graduated with honors. Her professional journey started at the J.W. Marriott Desert Ridge Resort and Spa as a Lead cook. Elisha’s dedication for excellence propelled her quickly to the position of Executive Chef for Hilton Hotels. But it wasn’t until her desire to work with seniors at Brookdale Senior Living as a Dining Services Director, it was then did she discover a new kind of love within her culinary passion. She would also go on to receive The Rising Star Award for outstanding performance and above and beyond contributions made at Brookdale. And went on to also achieve the Brookdale Bakery and Pastry Culinary Arts Excellence Certification in Chicago. Elisha joined Glencroft Center for Modern Aging 8 years ago in 2017 and is now the Senior Director of Dining Services and manages eight dining areas on the Glencroft campus and was the first chef to kickstart the healthy Zoe Life menus within the dining program. Her culinary knowledge and creativity have brought an energetic “WOW” of enthusiasm back to the overall dining experience. Elisha has created Element 29, a fine dining experience that includes a 3-6 course upscale themed menu. A great opportunity for residents to break free from their normal dining routines and be adventurous! Amongst the awesome themes of Element 29 were “The Titanic Experience” which replicated the final 10 course meal that was served to the upper class on that fateful night of April 15th, 1912, before the Titanic began sinking at 11:40pm. Iceberg lettuce nor ice cubes were to be served that evening, assuring residents of a safe voyage. “Through the eyes of Vincent Van Gogh” Residents selected from 2 Vincent Van Gogh paintings not knowing the mystery menu that was individually inspired by color, sounds, and emotion in each. “Chef Table Classic Movie Edition” Residents selected from two classic movies, The Wizard of Oz or Jaws. Two completely different themed nights with mystery 6 course menus that were skillfully selected to bring out the description of characters and scenes in the movies.
“Knights of the Square Table a Renaissance Feast a reoccurring event that she created back in January 2024. Where everyone will be shouting Huzzah! All Ladies and Lords from lands far and away come to Celebrate, Dine, and be spectators of a five course Menu, Colorful flags, lively Medieval music, and colorful costumes set the scene of our square dining themed arena. Turkey legs are raised as the Knight’s Crème Pie Jousting commences on well-trained stick horses.
And we cannot forget the mystery that also can come with a memorable dining experience “A FORBIDDEN LOVE” Murder Mystery Dinner! Elisha writes a special script and menu while gathering the team to perform for a Valentine’s Dining Services Exclusive Event. Six love crazy ambitious women, a glorified handsome single man, and one deadly bullet in the dark! Who Killed the Famous Singer Manuel Garica? Was it Frida soon to be dramatic bride? Was she truly in love with Manuel? Or was it Fernanda who from the beginning was jealous of the so-called Peacock, Frida? Or could it have been the Cher wannabe acapella singer Isabella who faints at the thought of Manuel marrying another? Or Juanita who called war after the midnight marriage had been proclaimed? Could it be Rosa who claimed she was Manuel’s true first pick? Or the flirtatious Camila who confessed her dying love to Manuel profoundly? Residents got to select whom they thought committed the murderous act to win a prize. It was a night of great food, Cher songs, romance, jealousy, and laughter all in the name of a cold-blooded murder.
Elisha also helped design and manages the Therapeutic Dining Program which focuses on coordination, stimulation, and enrichment for our memory care residents. Food is a powerful tool for pulling memories and exercising the mind, and this new program is designed to harness this wonderful potential.
Most Senior Living facilities incorporate an always available menu, but for Elisha it had to provide more than just the standard template. She designed and wrote the menus all in favor of the residents. The Towers Always Available Menu which is obtainable to all IL and AL residents and a Gathering Café Always Available Menu for our skilled nursing residents. With only one meal option offered at service time it was important for her to bring back freedom of choice. The residents now have the option to swap out the meal plan’s original entrée for other entrees. They also have this ability with the side salads as well. Even if they dislike the whole meal entirely- on the menu there are complete cook-to-order meal options including the healthy Zoe Life options. For Towers dining room Elisha created the famous tableside salad bar production- which in short brings the whole salad bar flair experience to the table- for the residents to create their own salad. This not only aids diet restriction but provides an immense quality to resident lives.
Alongside the Towers dining venue Elisha manages Henry’s, a cook-to-order restaurant with menus that change every six months and bi-weekly specials that offer a customizable 3-course meal. These specials are often themed with holidays and create the best opportunity to be bold and showcase the latest food trends. Then there is also Fast Forward a Hollywood Blockbuster inspired menu with counter service gourmet sandwiches, salad, and wraps. She has items such as “Honey Hot Maple Chicken and Donuts”, a “French Onion Grilled Cheese Sandwich”, an “Off your Nut” Breakfast Sandwich, “Indiana Jones BBQ Crusade”, “Batman Returns BLT” and “Jerry Maguire Show Me the Cheese” Pasta. The menu options and creative ideas are endless!
There is no set value in setting the creative stage for incredible and unforgettable memories. As Albert Einstein once said, “Creativity is intelligence having fun.”
If you had to, what characteristic of yours would you give the most credit to?
Creativity
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