THOMAS, W.Va. – It only took Chef Ricky Barnes a couple of visits to realize he belonged at Cortland Acres.
The Ohio native is the newest member of the facility’s dietary staff. Most recently he was a chef consultant for Optimum Solutions, a company Cortland Acres hired to help transform its dietary program.
“These are really good people and I look forward to getting to know them better and preparing good country home-style meals for them,” he said. “I don’t know everyone’s name yet, but I’m learning.”
Barnes started consulting for the long-term care and rehabilitation facility in July. He was conducting training sessions for the dietary staff while searching for a new chef to lead the team.
He didn’t need to look very far.
“I do everything by my gut and my gut told me to take this job, be the chef at Cortland Acres and work with these great people,” Barnes said. “Like Cortland Acres Administrator Beth Clevenger, I believe that God knew what he was doing when he brought me to Thomas, West Virginia. He wanted me here and I want to be here.”
Clevenger is excited to have Barnes join Charity Phillips, Cortland Acres Dietary Manager, and the dietary team.
“Every time Chef Ricky was here working with the staff, I noticed the enthusiasm he brought to the kitchen and the smile he put on the resident’s faces,” she said. “He is getting to know the residents’ food preferences and plans to add their favorite items to the menu.”
Barnes grew up in a rural area outside of Columbus. Throughout most of his career, he worked at restaurants he owned in the city or at the Ohio State University.
“In the 1990s, I owned and operated three restaurants all at the same time,” he said. “It kept me busier than I wanted to be and when the opportunity to work at OSU was offered, I accepted.”
Barnes worked at the university for several years before a friend approached him and asked for advice on converting a vacant building into a new restaurant.
“It was a great building in an upcoming area,” Barnes said. “I’m one of those guys who walks around and thinks that would be a great name for a restaurant. When I make something at the house my wife will say, that should go on the next menu. We are always working on a menu for fun.”
Barnes joined in the new venture and helped set the menu. It wasn’t long before he was working around the clock.
“I was working more at one restaurant than I did when I was running three,” he said. “My friends reminded me that I once told them I wouldn’t get back in the business.”
Desiring more time with his family, Barnes sold his share of the restaurant and joined Bill Lutz at Optimum Solutions; a company that focuses on improving food service programs at senior care facilities.
“After the first time I worked for Optimum Solution, I knew this is what I wanted to do, improve the quality of meals for seniors.” he said. “I had the opportunity to travel and show people how food service at long-term-care facilities can be greatly enhanced by using a restaurant-style service along with improved food preparation and individual menu choices.”
Barnes will work alongside Phillips and the dietary staff in revamping the food service program and slowly adopting a restaurant-style dining atmosphere for the residents.
“I want to give the residents the kind of food they want, real country-style cooking that is flavorful,” he said. “The residents will have a menu and will be able to order what they want to eat. Every meal will be made to order. The menu will take into consideration the different diets.”
He said that the menu will have several static entrees while other items will be rotated in and out.
“The menu will always have the food that residents like best,” he said. “If the residents want something else, we will put it on the menu and try it. If they like it, it stays.”
Exciting changes are happening on Cortland Acres’ dietary team. For an application call Lois Nelson at 304-463-4181 or email lnelson@cortlandacres.org.
The Cortland Acres campus includes a 94-bed long-term care facility, inpatient and outpatient rehabilitation center and programs, rental apartments in Pineview and townhouses in The Pines. For more information or to set up a tour call 304-463-4181 or visit www.cortlandacres.org.