Every day at Vi is extraordinary, and our innovative and inspired approach to dining is no exception. But our culinary offerings aren’t limited to just enjoying a delicious meal at one of our restaurants.
For Vi at Highlands Ranch Food & Beverage Director Greg Strickland, as well as so many of our food and beverage team members, getting out of the kitchen and creating unique experiences for residents is an important part of the dining program at Vi. (Note: At the time of publication, Strickland was at the kitchen's helm as executive chef.)
“Good food is the price of admission,” says Chef Strickland. “What makes us the best are the things we do beyond the menu.”
Our culinary philosophy
For Vi residents, every day in retirement is unique and exciting – which is why our culinary teams go above and beyond to provide a wide, rotating selection of nutritional options that cater to diverse tastes without sacrificing flavor.
While each of our 10 communities has its own distinct characteristics that are influenced by local climates, flavors and cultures, they all share a common commitment to using fresh, locally sourced ingredients and creating seasonally inspired, thoughtful menus.
Vi at Lakeside Village Executive Chef Peter Murphy takes a hyper-local approach to dining by incorporating herbs from a resident-led community garden into his restaurant menus.
“I use herbs very heavily in order to season and add flavor to dishes,” says Chef Pete. “Providing scratch-made food to our residents and seeing them enjoy it is highly rewarding.”
Though our team of executive chefs comes from a diverse and renowned background of fine dining experiences, Vi offers extensive training and continued education to ensure the whole team is constantly evolving and enhancing their culinary skills.
Likewise, Vi invests in back-of-house renovations that keep kitchen spaces cutting edge for our culinary teams, and front-of-house enhancements to ensure restaurants feel modern and elegant for residents.
And if you visit a Vi restaurant, don’t be surprised if you catch a glimpse of a Vi chef walking between tables and chatting with diners. Our teams pride themselves on their collaborative processes and take the time to understand residents' unique preferences, needs, and requests.
“I love to hear the stories of where the residents have dined, what parts of the world they’ve traveled, what flavors really inspire them,” says Vi at the Glen Executive Chef Jose Luna.
Beyond the dining room
Residents can participate in interactive experiences like community gardening or sampling local produce at on-site farmers markets. At Vi at Highlands Ranch, Strickland curates unique ways for residents to get involved with the culinary process – including managing an apiary.
Dining your way
Glad to be connected!
There’s a lot to consider when embarking on the next phase of retirement—and contacting us is a big step. (Well done!)
We’ll be in touch soon to share expert insights and resident perspectives that we hope are helpful, and one of our team members will also be reaching out to answer any questions you may have.