Care Home Chefs Benefit from Industry-Leading Training and IDDSI Masterclasses
Advance Your Career in Care Home Hospitality with Specialist Dysphagia Training
At Caring Homes, a career in care home hospitality is about much more than preparing meals, it’s about delivering safe, person-centred care through food, nutrition and dining experience.
Last week, our Head Chefs from across the Caring Homes Group came together for an advanced dysphagia training masterclass, reinforcing our commitment to professional development, clinical excellence and continuous learning within our care home chef jobs.
Investing in Healthcare Catering Skills
The interactive workshop was led by Andy Cullum, National Trainer for IDDSI (International Dysphagia Diet Standardisation Initiative). For chefs working in healthcare catering and care home environments, understanding the IDDSI framework is essential. It provides a standardised approach to preparing and testing modified texture diets for individuals living with dysphagia, a condition that causes difficulty swallowing.
For hospitality professionals building a career in care, this specialist knowledge is invaluable. It combines culinary creativity with clinical precision, ensuring residents receive meals that are not only nutritious and safe, but appetising and dignified.
Masterclasses That Elevate Care Home Chef Careers
Our Group Hospitality Manager, Ben Frizell and Group Executive Chef, Steve Wright, have already delivered dysphagia training across all 21 of our homes. However, as part of our wider chef development programme, they organised an advanced masterclass exclusively for Head Chefs, demonstrating how seriously we take ongoing training and career progression in care home catering.
Hosted at Atosa UK HQ’s Immersive Experiential Centre, the session gave our chefs the opportunity to refine their technical skills, exchange best practice, and collaborate with fellow hospitality professionals across the group.
For chefs looking for care home chef jobs with real progression opportunities, this level of investment sets Caring Homes apart.
Practical Training in IDDSI and Texture-Modified Diets
The masterclass focused on hands-on learning. Chefs created a full traditional meal, sausages, carrots, peas and mash, adapted across four IDDSI texture levels. The process involved careful measuring, blending, sieving and piping to ensure compliance with safety standards while maintaining flavour, nutrition and presentation.
Andy demonstrated how to test food using simple but critical methods such as fork pressure and spoon tilt testing, reinforcing the importance of consistency in dysphagia safety. In healthcare catering, precision isn’t optional, it protects residents and supports clinical best practice.
The afternoon session expanded into sandwiches and desserts, with practical guidance on:
- Enhancing flavour safely
- Increasing nutritional value when thickening food
- Creating appealing colours and textures
- Safe storage and preparation techniques
- Maintaining accurate documentation and compliance
For chefs passionate about developing specialist skills within the care sector, this kind of training offers a rare combination of culinary artistry and life-saving responsibility.
Creativity, Compliance and Person-Centred Care
Working as a chef in a care home requires creativity and compassion alongside technical knowledge. Presentation remains vital, residents should recognise and enjoy their meals. But in a healthcare environment, safety and consistency are paramount.
A key message of the day was that accurate testing, record keeping and standardisation can quite literally save lives.
At the end of the workshop, each Head Chef received certification and a specialist dysphagia cookbook to support ongoing learning within their home. The feedback was overwhelmingly positive, with chefs valuing the opportunity to learn from an industry-leading trainer while sharing ideas with peers across our group.
Why Choose a Hospitality Career with Caring Homes?
If you are exploring care home chef jobs, hospitality manager roles in care, or healthcare catering careers, Caring Homes offers:
- Structured training and CPD opportunities
- Specialist masterclasses led by industry experts
- Clear career progression pathways
- A collaborative, supportive hospitality network
- The opportunity to make a genuine difference through food
We believe in developing our people so they can consistently deliver the highest standard of person-centred care. From entry-level catering roles to Head Chef positions, we provide the tools, training and mentorship needed to build a rewarding long-term career in the care sector.
Because in care home hospitality, every meal matters and every chef plays a vital role.
If you would like to join our team and grow your skills while making a real difference check out our Current Vacancies.
