Life Care appoints Executive Chef to newly-created role
Published: 28 Sep 2020
She’s blazed a trail in kitchens and now nationally acclaimed South Australian chef Bethany Finn is set to make her mark on a whole a new domain – aged care.
In what’s considered to be a South Australian aged care first, Bethany has become Executive Chef in Residence for innovative aged care provider Life Care.
She leaves the restaurant and hotel sector as one of Australia’s top chefs – most recently as the founding Executive Chef of the Mayfair Hotel – for a new challenge: to bring fresh and creative food and an enjoyable dining experience to older South Australians.
“Restaurant food and skills are transferable to aged care – it’s an area that can benefit from my love of cooking and food to make dining a special experience,” she says.
“I’ve always been prepared to go against the grain – I was the only girl at trade school and worked in some pretty tough kitchen environments in London in the 1980s.
“I’ve been fortunate to make a career out of a hobby in a city that I love, building hotels and restaurants from the ground up through the ongoing support of the South Australian community.
“Moving to Life Care is another challenge where I can start fresh and make a real mark alongside the many wonderful professionals who care for our older loved ones, while giving back to the many people who have supported me for more than 20 years.”
In her newly-created role at Life Care, Ms Finn will be responsible for creating nutritious and inspired menus at the five residential aged care homes that Life Care operates across metropolitan Adelaide.
She will also oversee the dining experience in the soon-to-be-completed Gaynes Park Suites, Adelaide’s newest assisted living accommodation in Joslin.
Ms Finn said she would bring the restaurant dining experience and her love of fresh, locally sourced produce to aged care in her new role.
“Residents will enjoy coming to the dining room and be excited about what they eat each meal,” she said.
“Each meal will look creative, will taste delicious, and will meet residents’ nutritional and dietary needs to support their health and wellbeing.”
Life Care Chief Executive Officer Allen Candy said he was excited to welcome the multiple award-winning Bethany to Life Care’s kitchens.
“As far as we’re aware, Life Care is the only South Australian aged care provider to employ an executive chef to oversee the dining experience across its homes,” he said.
“Our residents’ dining experience plays a pivotal role in their physical and emotional wellbeing. With Bethany on board, we can ensure this experience adds significantly to their overall quality of life.
“Our hospitality and catering staff are looking forward to working and learning from Bethany and can’t wait to have her in the team.
“Bethany’s appointment is testament to our commitment to continually improve the care and experience we provide for our residents.”
Prior to establishing the kitchen at the Mayfair Hotel, Ms Finn opened the popular Urban Bistro in Rose Park, which she ran for 12 years.
Urban Bistro featured in Australian Gourmet Traveller’s Top 100 restaurants in Australia for nine years and received multiple South Australian Restaurant and Catering Industry Association Awards for Best New Restaurant, Best Modern Australian, and Best Breakfast.
Ms Finn was also the first female to be appointed Executive Chef at the Hilton Adelaide. She has also been a media commentator on food and organised South Australia’s Tasting Australia festival in 2000.
Life Care is a not-for-profit South Australian provider of aged care services spanning independent living, home care, respite and full-time residential aged care. These services are offered across nine locations – Aldinga Beach, Christie Downs, Reynella, Mitchell Park, Everard Park, Glen Osmond, Joslin, Modbury and Balaklava.
The Unley-based organisation employs more than 800 staff, supported by 170 volunteers, and in 2020 celebrates 70 years of delivering care to older South Australians.
Further media information contact:
Ben Smeaton – bsmeaton@communikate.net.au or 0488 940 010
Vicki Cirillo – vcirillo@communikate.net.au or 0427 020 909