Tips from Trestle: The Senior Living Food and Hospitality Podcast

This week's Trestle Tactics features Katie Churchill from Full Spectrum Search Group discussing the critical first steps that can make or break the new hire experience. With only 12% of employees feeling their organization does a great job at onboarding, we uncover the secrets to successful integration into company culture and the importance of personalized, engaging preboarding strategies. Fr...

In this episode of Tips from Trestle, Aaron zooms in on food photography with Tom Sanders, a seasoned photographer and professor. Tom dishes out his expert tips for capturing mouthwatering shots of senior living community meals. From plating perfection that showcases a chefs' artistry to navigating chaotic dining room shoots, Tom unveils the delectable secrets behind his visually appetizing wo...

On this week’s episode of Tips from Trestle, Aaron welcomes Chris Kincaid, a seasoned professional in the senior living industry and co-founder of TruNorth Management. Chris shares his journey from caring for his great grandmother to transforming senior care through a bespoke service model that caters to the unique needs of each community, from rural to upscale urban settings. TruNorth stands out...

This Trestle Tactics has Aaron doing an overview of how you can build your standard operating procedures (SOPs) so that they have meaning and value to your entire team and are truly effective in creating a consistent operation. Trestle Tactics is brought to you by Gordon Food Service. www.gfs.com

This episode of Tips from Trestle finds Aaron talking about some unique senior tech with Akshita Iyer, CEO and Founder of Ome. He starts with Akshita’s journey from neuroscience to entrepreneurship, sparked by a personal incident involving her mother and a kitchen fire, leading to the creation of the world's first smart stove knob. Beyond enhancing kitchen safety, they discuss how Ome's te...

In this episode of Trestle Tactics, Aaron shares his four strategies to master the art of anticipating customer needs within senior living operations. These tactics will help you to create a culture of customer loyalty and enhance the overall experience in your senior living communities. Trestle Tactics is sponsored by Gordon Food Service

In this episode of Tips from Trestle , Dani Merlino shares her journey and expertise in sales training, occupancy building, culture renovation, and financial profitability. Dani's passion for senior living began in her youth, and she has since held various roles, including CNA, life enrichment coordinator, and executive director, before becoming the Chief Operating Officer for Grow Your Occupa...

In this insightful episode, Katie Churchill takes the mic to share the common mistakes managers make while conducting interviews and how to avoid them. From failing to define job requirements to not asking the right questions, we cover the pitfalls that can derail the hiring process. These strategies are crucial for managers to improve their interviewing skills and make better hiring decisions. Tr...

In this episode of "Tips from Trestle," Aaron is joined by Katie Griffith , CEO and founder of Bright Solutions , to discuss the integration of technology in senior living communities, particularly focusing on tech-friendly menus. Katie shares insights on how various tech platforms like menu management systems, point of sale, digital signs, mobile apps, and self-service kiosks can enhanc...

Learn how to apply the 'Everyone is Always on Stage' concept to senior living hospitality. Discover how to create a culture of customer loyalty and provide an outstanding service experience.

In this episode of "Tips from Trestle," host Aaron delves into the pressing issue of staffing and hiring trends in the senior living industry with Katie Churchill, a seasoned expert from Full Spectrum Search Group. As the industry emerges from the shadows of COVID-19, the challenges of recruiting and retaining top talent have intensified. Katie highlights the competitive nature of recrui...

In this episode of Trestle Tactics, we discuss key performance indicators (KPIs) and their importance in measuring the performance of your organization, and especially in food service operations. We share the main points needed to start using and excelling with KPIs to get a step ahead of your fellow senior living foodservice directors. Don't miss out—subscribe to Trestle Tactics for the lates...

This episode of Tips from Trestle features Jill Valdez, the founder and COO of Link Consulting. Jill discusses her passion for helping leaders in senior living, the challenges they face, and the importance of training and motivating staff. She emphasizes the need to activate employees' hearts and passions to motivate them, improve operations, and reduce turnover. Jill also shares her approach...

In this Trestle Tactics, Aaron does a deep dive into his five key food cost management strategies that will help you be successful and really dial in on maximizing your food expenses and revenues in your senior living operation.

In this episode of Tips from Trestle, we come to the rescue with Julie Podewitz as she helps us have other worldly success around our approach to outreach, managing lead sources and the potential impact of aggregators on a community's marketing efforts. Julie emphasizes the value of measuring outcomes and tracking outreach results, particularly in comparison to digital lead sources and paid ag...

Join host Aaron Fish for his 4 strategies to make your transition smoother from the commercial kitchens of a restaurant or hotel to the world of senior living dining.

In the season 3 introductory podcast of tips From trestle, post Aaron Fish sits down with Andrew Moret of Oakmont Senior Living to discuss what they see as the 2024 food service trends that will most likely impact your operations. dive into this trendy Talk to get your 2024 off to a tantalizing start. Andrew Moret is the vice president of Culinary Services for Oakmont Senior Living. By cultivating...

In this season finale episode of tips from trestle, host Aaron Fish dives into the year that was 2023. He does his best David Letterman impression with his “Top Ten” list of key trends and developments that shaped the year in senior living, as well as some of his favorite highlights and interviews from the episodes throughout the year. It’s a look back on a year full of ups and downs, but also a s...

Let's whisk ourselves into the tasty tornado that was the GSLA culinary face-off! Grab your appetite and a sense of humor because this tale's seasoned with drama and sprinkled with competitive spice! In this sizzling episode, Aaron unpacks the culinary showdown at the recent Georgia Senior Living Association conference, exploring the educational nuggets, vibrant highlights, and tantalizing...

Just as a kazoo jazz band needs its conductor, leadership calls for someone to set the quirky, yet coordinated tone! Dive into our latest episode uncovering the crux of leadership in senior living and the "Kazoo Leadership" book by our guest, David Hopkins. Join Aaron & David as they explore critical insights, including the absence of formal leadership training, the necessity for col...

Tis the season for not just turkey and cranberry sauce, but also a deep dive into making the holiday season a success in your community! Host Aaron Fish does a solo session and unpacks some pivotal strategies aimed at crafting an unforgettable holiday experience for our residents, employees, families, and the many guests we will see in the coming weeks. In this episode, we delve into essential asp...

It's a blueprint for change! Step into the construction zone as we unpack the challenges and victories of transforming senior living spaces - especially occupied senior living communities - in this episode of Tips from Trestle. Get ready to hammer down into the complexities of renovations, particularly in active senior communities, and discover the transformative power of incorporating contemp...

If workplace conflicts were a recipe, what would the essential ingredients be for a harmonious outcome? In this engaging episode, we take a playful plunge into the world of workplace conflict with the dynamic Carol Bowser. She's the guru of getting folks to play nice in the sandbox, and her journey from lawyer to conflict resolution consultant is as fascinating as it is insightful. Carol dishe...

Do you struggle with building innovation in your kitchen design? What if there was an equipment mecca that would let you culinary team play & create their ideal kitchen? Dive deep with Aaron and Chris into the world of Middleby, a company that's at the forefront of driving technological advancements in the food service industry. Together, they explore the ingenious Middleby Innovation Kitc...

This episode of Tips from Trestle finds us pulling together all the ingredients for creating contract success with your GPO. Aaron is joined by Tony Thanos of Navigator Group Purchasing to share insights on the world of healthcare organizations and how they're optimizing cost-saving initiatives. We learn how Tony, as the Manager of Field Implementation, is helping organizations build stronger...