The new culinary director at Good Shepherd Home hopes to make the Good Shepherd’s kitchen one of the best in senior living and nursing home care. Kimberly Wyss has worked at Good Shepherd since June 2020 and steps into the culinary director position with energy and fresh ideas.
“I have been in culinary management for 24 years,” Wyss said. “It’s my life, my second family.”
Since she took over as culinary director, the kitchen has made significant changes to address sanitation and organization as well as assigning employees on her team to roles they deserve.
“My staff and the residents are my two top priorities, making sure that they are happy,” said Wyss. “If one isn’t happy then the other isn’t happy.”
“Each employee is given a job and a clear thing to be in charge of,” said Wyss. Every person has a role, and every role is important. Wyss wants her staff to feel appreciated for the work they do to make Good Shepherd a hospitable and welcoming place.
That’s part of the overall culture at Good Shepherd, where the leadership tries to find big and little ways to thank employees for all they do to care for residents. Whether it’s Bath and Body Works products, gift cards, half-price tickets to Cedar Point, or something else, they “always seem to be doing something that benefits the employees that work here,” said Wyss.
Many places say they treat their residents and employees like family, but Wyss believes Good Shepherd truly embodies a Christ-like approach to caring for each other. “They are very lenient as far as accommodating family issues – everyone has issues,” Wyss said. “It’s a very worshipful place to work. We greet our residents when they come in and give them a farewell goodbye when they leave us in prayer to let them know we really care about them.”
Residents and employees are together, all the way to the last breath. “It is the hardest part of working here, but those relationships are so valuable,” said Wyss.
If you’re looking for this kind of special community to join, Wyss would love to find a few more members to join her staff.
“I would love to have another cook,” Wyss said. She’d love to have another experienced, Servsafe certified cook who has a culinary background of at least one year. They don’t have to be a chef but should have some cooking reference. Wyss also has a need for the “number two” positions, working the 10-5:30 shift. These positions are responsible for serving and plating with another team member during lunch and dinner.
Wyss hopes to continue building a team of people who love to serve and enjoy preparing meals to bless others, in the same spirit she brings to the table.
“I love cooking. I work 14-hour days and come home and cook at home,” Wyss said, laughing. “You can’t go wrong with food: everyone has to eat somewhere.”
Learn more about opportunities to join the Good Shepherd team.