Angie Gray
Lead Cook, Barrington of West Chester
You may have heard that too many cooks in the kitchen spoils the broth, but the lead cook at Barrington of West Chester believes more really is merrier, and welcomes her team mates into the kitchen to encourage teamwork and caring for residents and team members alike. Her positive attitude and selfless service earned her recognition as one of this year’s nominees for our prestigious Heart of Caring award.
“You will never hear the phrase “not my job” when in the presence of Angie Gray…I’ve seen her cook, clean, serve, bus, and probably every other job one could find in a professional kitchen.”
“She has jumped on the chance to lead cooking demonstrations, putting great effort in presenting a demo that’s both simple and creative, often sprinkling aspects of her own personal family cooking in the process to give the residents a deeper connection to the dining experience.”
Angie is not only innovative in the ways she cares for residents, but also practices integrity and positivity among her fellow team members to care for the team as a whole.
“In my experience, kitchens tend to be the nesting ground for gossip and ego, but not around Angie…Angie always sees every extra task we do as another opportunity to care for a resident; to make a small but positive difference in the lives of those we are lucky enough to serve. She loves her job.”
Angie’s heart of caring pours into every dish she cooks, but especially in those she whips up to go above and beyond her position for our residents to make them feel at home.
“The first week a new resident…moved in, [the resident] felt ill and didn’t get back from the doctor until after the dining room was closed. Servers were vacuuming and polishing silverware when [the resident’s] daughter walked back to the servers and asked if there was any way to get leftovers for her mother…After just finishing mopping the entire kitchen, Angie grabbed two clean pans and made a shrimp scampi for one person.”
Thank you, Angie, for your selfless service and teamwork. Your heart of caring truly shines in all you do, and we’re excited to celebrate you during our 100 Days of Heart of Caring.
This spotlight is part of Senior Lifestyle’s 100 Days of Heart of Caring series featuring nominees from our 170+ communities across the country. All nominations are anonymous. Our nominees represent the backbone of our commitment to our core values: Caring, Honesty, Appreciation, Respect and Teamwork; without them, we could never fulfill our goal of providing best-in-class care to every one of our residents. Join us as we celebrate these caring, passionate individuals and their commitment to our residents.