He supervises dining servers and welcomes residents to lunch and dinner, but many residents believe Dennis DeSimone, Dining Services Floor Manager, is the primary “cheerer-upper of Wake Robin.” Dennis sees his role in similar terms. “My main job is making sure residents are happy and all their dining needs are met.”
Dennis brings smiles to residents!
44 years in the restaurant industry, Dennis once owned and operated his own Italian restaurant and pizzeria. He’s worked in every role in the kitchen, from dishwasher, to cook, to server. The thing that makes him love his job is the interaction. He’s often the first point of contact when residents arrive for their meal. He makes sure to say hello and goodbye to everyone, and he personalizes every interaction. Approaching residents with a smile and good humor, Dennis is able to put residents at ease and make them feel included in a social environment.
Dennis plays a major part on the Dining Services team and collaborates well with chefs, servers, and the Director of Dining, Kate Hays. “He brings such great energy to the floor and a real personal touch,” Kate said. “The residents really respond to his cheerful demeanor and how he runs things.”
As he monitors the dining floor, Dennis sees how delighted residents are when eating fresh cooked meals. “I can’t emphasize enough the high quality of our food and the professionalism of our kitchen. Each recipe is prepared by experienced chefs.” Choosing a favorite meal at Wake Robin is hard because there are so many flavorful options, but if he had to pick one it would be the shrimp bake. “The fettucine mixing with the seafood is just unbelievable!”
