Meet Chef Jason, nicknamed Chef J, a culinary maestro with a story as eclectic as his menu. From humble beginnings cooking for employees at his marketing company to encourage working lunches, Chef J’s career has been nothing short of a gourmet adventure.
From 2004-2007, Chef J went to culinary school. Surprisingly, his first job out of school was ice carving! His artistic skills eventually led him back to his true passion: food.
Chef J’s career quickly took off, with him becoming an executive chef at the Federal Reserve much earlier than expected. He later honed his skills as a line cook at golf courses, learning the intricacies of high-volume cooking.
Catering with a Cause
Chef J’s entrepreneurial spirit led him to start a catering company focused on serving cancer patients. His company was so successful that he sold it and started new companies in the same space six times. His catering for cancer parties kept the company busy–a testament to his reputation and the power of word-of-mouth referrals. He recognized that many breakthroughs in cancer treatments weren’t celebrated, so he crafted immune-boosting foods to support those in recovery.
The Logistics Expert
When Chef J pivoted to nutritional chef at a convention center, that is where he solidified his logistical chops. He learned how to cater events for up to 10,000 people, which taught him to plan and execute fire schedules and purchasing on a large scale.
Executive Chef at United Airlines
Chef J’s expertise landed him the role of Executive Chef at the United Airlines Flight Training Center. However, when COVID-19 hit and and people were disregarding protocols in the workplace, he decided it was time for a change.
A Pivot to Senior Living
Senior living was always the goal for Chef J. His grandfather was his hero, and Chef J has always had a soft spot for the elderly. When his grandpa was diagnosed with cancer, Chef J made 16 different dishes just to treat his grandpa to take a bite from each. Chef J’s first job in the senior living space was at Kavod, a Jewish senior living community. Here, he learned a new skill, creating meals adhering to kosher laws and a completely kosher kitchen, separating meat and milk. After Kavod, Chef J ran the kitchen for seven centers at Sunrise Living, liaising between chefs for all the centers.
Chef J became the Executive Chef at Ralston Creek Neighborhood in 2023 and completely transformed a once frozen-to-table operation into a scratch kitchen in just four months.
At Ralston Creek, Chef J introduced a five-week cycle seasonal menu, which features:
- 1 breakfast entree
- 2 soups
- 2 lunch entrees with two starches and two veggies
- 2 dinner entrees with similar sides
- All-day dessert menu
He also boasts 13 Hershey ice cream flavors, including gluten-free sherbet and dairy-free sorbet options.
New À La Carte Menu Launch
Chef J launched a new à la carte menu on July 1st. The à la carte menu includes everything from what he likes to call a “tan diet” with staples such as hamburgers and hotdogs to gourmet dishes like beet salad and fig bruschetta. The à la carte menu changes every 90 days, ensuring variety and keeping costs down by cross-utilizing products where possible.
Personalized Care
Chef J works closely with dietitians and nutritionists to ensure balanced meals. Chef J receives doctors’ orders for residents’ diets, catering to specific needs such as moist and minced (formally called mechanical soft) diets. He takes great pride in his work and manages each diet personally, color-coding file notes for each resident.
A Passionate Team Leader
Chef J leads a dedicated team of sous chefs and line cooks, ensuring that every meal is cooked to perfection and ready to adapt to the residents’ preferences.
Chef J’s culinary journey is a testament to his passion, adaptability, and dedication to improving the lives of those he serves. He looks forward to serving you at Ralson Creek Neighborhood! Come in for a tour and a meal today.