Dining is a vibrant part of Wake Robin life. The delicious and creative food brings residents together in a variety of dining venues, and it connects Wake Robin to the community at large through our commitment to local ingredients and our relationships with local farmers.
Dining Options
Whether you have time for a relaxed sit-down meal or need to grab something to go, the Maple Leaf dining room has a wealth of delicious seasonal choices for lunch, dinner, or Sunday brunch.
To complement daily menus, there are holiday menus and special celebrations—like the annual Pancake Breakfast for residents and staff celebrating the maple sugaring season, the Lobster Fest, the blueberry festival and the Kentucky Derby event–offered regularly.
Wake Robin is one of only 13 skilled nursing facilities in the country to sign the Healthy Food Initiative.
Special Dietary Requests
Wake Robin dining staff honors special dietary requests from residents. Our talented chefs meet the needs of those with unique allergies, gluten-free diets and vegetarian diets in creative and delicious ways. There are almost always “no” versions our menu items, where chefs omit or substitute ingredients to recreate the original recipes as closely as possible.
Residents are invited to contact Wake Robin Chefs directly to discuss their needs. Our chefs will provide an understanding of how foods are prepared and how residents might take charge of their dining experience to maintain a healthy lifestyle.
Farm-to-Table
Wake Robin’s farm-to-table program works directly with farmers and local distributors to promote innovative, environmentally sound practices and sustainable, local agriculture. Wake Robin residents value the environmental impact of deciding what to eat, when to eat it, and how it is grown.
Kate Hays, Director of Dining Services is passionate about incorporating local foods into the Wake Robin menu, and 40% of Wake Robin’s food is locally sourced or organic. “This effort is vitally important for so many reasons, and the state of Vermont is the perfect place to showcase the Farm to Table Program.”
Some of the local farms who are our partners:
Wake Robin is proud to be a member of the Vermont Fresh Network. VFN encourages farmers, food producers and chefs to work directly with each other to build partnerships, which contributes to a stronger local community and economy.
Healthy Food in Health Care
Wake Robin is one of only 13 skilled nursing facilities across the country to sign the Healthy Food Initiative.
Wake Robin signed the Healthy Food in Health Care pledge in 2012 as an extension of our food philosophy. We believe that a menu based on fresh, unprocessed and local ingredients promotes the health and well-being of our residential community.
Here’s what we pledge:
- To offer seasonal menus which feature fresh and local ingredients throughout the year.
- To support local farms and our Vermont agricultural landscape by sourcing local foods where possible.
- To use our purchasing power to encourage and advocate for a food supply chain where rBGH free milk, antibiotic- and hormone-free meats, poultry and produce grown with minimal pesticides are readily available for all.
- To inspire, educate, and lead by adopting “green” kitchen practices that reduce waste through composting, recycling, and energy efficiency.
Our Dining Leader
Prior to joining Wake Robin, Kate Hays spent a decade as the chef/owner of Dish Catering and more recently was the campus executive chef for University of Vermont Dining. In this position, Hays directed and oversaw the culinary program for the entire university, which served roughly 12,000 meals per day. In addition, she created a training program to empower, grow, and educate staff. Over the course of her time at UVM, Hays also worked continuously to implement healthy, sustainable food initiatives to bring real, local food to the campus including Farm to Institution, Vermont 1st, Menus of Change, and other emerging trends. Hays has a true passion for healthy food.
