Chefs for Seniors in Seacoast: From grocery shopping to cooking in client's home
KITTERY, Maine — When Dorothy Richmond, 92, left York Hospital to return home, her family was concerned about her health, especially when it comes to nutrition.
“For one thing, I need a low salt diet,” Richmond said while sitting on her floral pattern couch in her small apartment. “And another thing is I can’t see very well, so it makes it difficult.”
Her son Andy found help through Chefs for Seniors, a growing national franchise that specializes in providing affordable, fresh and healthy dishes to senior citizens and others who need help with meals.
Mike Burrill, who owns the North Shore and Essex County, Massachusetts franchise, has moved north into the New Hampshire Seacoast and southern Maine with the help of local chef and food writer Jean Kerr, who has been feeding people in the Seacoast for decades.
"I don't really like to cook, but I love to eat," Richmond said.
Kerr and Richmond sat on her couch to plan the meals she wants.
“The only thing that bothered me the first week was it was a bit too spicy for me, but everything else was perfect,” Richmond said.
Kerr said, “We will fix that,” pulling out a printed card with spice options to discuss. Once the meal plan is selected, Kerr does the grocery shopping, brings her "tool kit" of pots, pans, cutlery into Richmond's home and prepares it in her kitchen.
The food is then packaged, labeled and stored in the freezer so Richmond can heat it up.
“She’s my chef; my personal chef," Richmond said. "Everybody’s impressed and they say, ‘How’s your cook working out?’ and I tell them, 'Very well.'"
Richmond has selected a service package that costs $139 plus the cost of groceries.
"I’m probably making four different dishes, two servings of each, so you are essentially getting eight meals," Kerr said. "We do the grocery shopping and that’s just a straight reimbursement. If budget is a concern, I can direct people to things that the materials are going to cost less. We do that, we come in, unpack, bring all our equipment in and the chef always cleans the kitchen before leaving.”
Rates depend on the market, number of meals selected and other factors. Additional charges come with added service options, according to Chefs for Seniors.
"Improving seniors lives through food is our motto," Kerr said. "I had a little company that did sort of the same thing before COVID, but being part of a much larger group with more resources has been great. I love it. I love the interaction with people. I love to cook, and caring for my mom for the last 10 years I saw what a difference a good meal could make in peoples lives.”
Richmond is impressed with Kerr's work.
“She does it so neatly. That’s a tiny little kitchen with no dishwasher! I wouldn’t do that without a dishwasher!" Richmond said.
Kerr laughed and added, “Well, you’ve got me now.”
Information: chefsforseniors.com
This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: Chefs for Seniors comes to Seacoast NH, southern Maine
