On any given day, a visit to the dining room at Highgate at Temecula will leave you with smelling the aroma of chicken spinning on the rotisserie, fresh bread baking in the oven, or a flatbread pizza cooking to perfection in their signature brick oven.
Dining isn’t just an essential part of life at Highgate Senior Living, but rather an experience in and of itself. It’s more than just a healthy meal; it’s an opportunity for residents to connect with friends and family, while enjoying home-cooked, made-to-order, fresh and delicious food.
“When I moved here, I was very impressed with the food. You can order just about anything, any time of the day, from 7 in the morning to 7 at night,” says Bonnie, a resident at Highgate at Temecula. “Instead of having two choices for lunch and dinner we are running a restaurant-style, almost 30-item menu where food is cooked to order. It’s a true restaurant-style experience,” says Executive Chef Justin Mabunay.
“Really, the sky’s the limit. I have a pizza oven, rotisserie, char broiler, and a panini press; our kitchen is fully equipped. It’s unlike any other kitchen I’ve had the pleasure of managing at a senior living community.”
Every item on the menu is hand-crafted to perfection. Even the chicken Caesar salad is complete with fresh rotisserie chicken made that morning. “It’s very, very good. Very fresh and the food isn’t greasy. When they make a panini sandwich it’s somehow grilled and melted perfectly,” says Bonnie. The fine-dining commitment Highgate has includes even the smallest of details. “I’m even impressed with the napkins and silverware. They hand-polish the silverware.”
The menu at Highgate at Temecula includes an anytime menu, with options such as roasted root vegetables, a grilled Reuben sandwich, or a Waldorf salad. Breakfast offers a variety of cold menu options (like yogurt with homemade granola) or “hot off the griddle” options, such as eggs benedict or Normandy waffles.
Dinner offers a variety of beef, poultry, and seafood selections. Residents can select from options such as an open fire cowboy steak, seared salmon, or spit fire rotisserie chicken. And if those options aren’t what you are looking for that day, there are also house entrees such as chicken-fried steak or eggplant parmesan.
One of the favorite options for residents and staff on the menu is the Residents Choice Special, where recipes from residents, staff, and family members are incorporated into the menu daily. “Last night, I had tri-tip with roasted brown potatoes and asparagus. It was very good! They do a very good job with the cooking. I eat healthy a lot because I don’t want to gain weight, but they give you plenty, and if you want more, they give you more,” says Mary Lou, a resident at Highgate at Temecula.
“I wanted to be able to give the residents a lot of options, while in the meantime being able to customize those options. They can customize any option on the menu any way that they want,” says Justin. “The chefs are so good – they get to know what you like. I came to breakfast this morning and Justin knew that I always have Bran Flakes with a touch of sugar and a little bit of milk, and as soon as I sat down, he brought those to me,” Bonnie.
A visit to the dining room at Highgate at Temecula has a lot more to offer than just good food. “Our chef, Justin, gives all of himself to our residents and puts that passion into the food,” says Maelani Harrington, Community Resource Manager at Highgate at Temecula. “The residents really give your job a sense of purpose. It’s so rewarding,” says Justin.
