From kimchi to vegetable dumplings, fried rice to chow mein, cooking an alternative Asian cuisine at Bupa Parkstone Care Home is a collaborative experience for Kitchen Manager, Shafa Rahman.
The care home began serving simple Asian dishes with fresh flavours four years ago, after enquiries from the community who wanted to ensure their relatives were catered for with an Asian menu.
With the population of Asian residents increasing in the care home to more than 15, Shafa says the menu has continued to evolve over the years and the feedback has been integral to its evolution.
“We regularly receive suggestions and recommendations from both residents and their families which has really helped me to craft the dishes. Sometimes it’s as simple as suggesting adding ingredients like fresh ginger and garlic to increase flavours in certain recipes,” Shafa said.
The menu also went through extensive taste testing amongst the Bupa staff which provided Shafa with more feedback on what tasted good and wasn’t too spicy.
Shafa has also diversified her main care home menu with options for residents’ to swap potato for rice if they’d like something different. Having past experience in ethnic fusion food restaurants and working with skilled chefs across different cuisines, has helped Shafa to learn the basics and develop a love for Asian cuisine.
“Food quality is incredibly important to Asian culture, I’ve had family members say to me that their Mum or Dad has been putting on healthy weight and they really enjoy the food,” Shafa says.
Shafa’s favourite Asian meal to cook and eat has changed overtime but currently she enjoys making congee because it’s a traditional dish that’s a favourite of many in the home.
Bupa has 48 care homes and 33 retirement villages across New Zealand.
Lim Chin has been a Bupa Parkstone Care Home resident for almost three years and says the food satisfies her and provides a staple diet.
“The food tastes traditional and it makes me happy. It is also very filling too which I like,” Mrs Chin says.
