Chef Cary Neff Turns up the Heat on Flavor at Crane's Mill

March 29, 2012 - PRLog -- West Caldwell, NJ – Crane’s Mill, one of the premier continuing care retirement communities in New Jersey, has teamed up with celebrity chef Cary Neff to completely redefine the concept of good-for-you cuisine for older adults.  

Working in collaboration with executive chefs from Crane’s Mill’s foodservice partner, Atlanta-based Morrison Senior Living, Chef Neff has created a new menu focused on fresh, seasonal fruits and vegetables that provide robust flavor along with optimal nutrition.  Aptly titled Flavors 450, the menu is comprised of 60 rotating meals each under 450 calories but full of nourishing ingredients needed to maintain a healthy lifestyle.

Crane’s Mill will be one of the first senior living providers in the country to offer the Flavors 450 concept to residents.    

“We selected Flavors 450 because the meals are rich in flavor, yet still provide great nutrition for older adults,” said Craig Karczmer, Executive Director.  “Since the quality and taste of menu selections are top concerns for our community, we think Flavors 450 will rival anything residents would find in a casual dining restaurant and that they’ll be very pleased.”

According to Chef Neff, whom Oprah Winfrey has said does “amazing things with nutritious food,” the menu is designed to entice the taste buds, but also satisfy the soul and maintain the body.  By bringing a unique perspective to the way recipes are created, Neff is able to balance savory, great-tasting meals with good nutrition and healing properties that can help improve one’s health.  In fact, the menu uses foods low in fat with an emphasis on whole grains, lean proteins, low-fat dairy products and the freshest ingredients – which includes locally grown produce grown within 150-miles whenever possible. Plus, each Flavors 450 meal meets American Heart Association guidelines.  

“Great nutrition, even at an older age, is important to overall health,” said Neff.  “When we created the Flavors 450 concept for senior living communities, we worked to incorporate ingredients that not only have healing properties, but can also provide a balanced meal and taste great.”

Chef Neff will help debut the Flavors 450 concept a cooking demonstration for existing residents at Crane’s Mill community, located at 459 Passaic Ave., West Caldwell, NJ on April 10 at 11:00 am.

About Crane’s Mill
As a Continuing Care Retirement Community, Crane’s Mill offers gracious living for adults 62 and over with active and independent living for today, and a guarantee of comfort and care for tomorrow.
At Crane’s Mill residents can experience a vibrant lifestyle with complete peace of mind for the future. Combining spectacular apartment and cottage homes, Crane’s Mill is situated on 48 beautiful acres with a wildlife habitat and pond, and all within 30 minutes of the excitement and cultural attractions of New York City.  For more information, visit http://cranesmill.org/.

About Chef Cary Neff
Author of internationally acclaimed “Conscious Cuisine,” Chef Neff brings his “savoring the moment” philosophy and expertise to senior living communities through his partnership with Morrison Senior Dining.  Working with Morrison, he created the Flavors 450 menu to reflect his own unique balance of taste and health with a focus on wellness. Chef Neff was honored as the 141st Distinguished Visiting Chef® by Johnson & Wales University in April 2004 and America’s Top Healthy Gourmet Chefs by Aspen Center of Integrative Health in April 2005.  He has appeared on nationally syndicated programs such as the Oprah Winfrey Show, Today Show and Food Network and has been featured in numerous national publications including The New York Times, Bon Appétit, Gourmet and Food & Wine.  

About Morrison Management Specialists
Morrison Senior Living is a division of Morrison Management Specialists (MMS).  MMS, a member of Compass Group, is the nation’s only food service company exclusively dedicated to providing food, nutrition and dining services to the health care and senior living communities through its two operating divisions: Morrison Healthcare Food Services and Morrison Senior Living.  With over 1,200 registered dietitians, 350 executive chefs, 19,000 professional food service team members and approximately 15,000 client employees who are managed by Morrison, Morrison is actively committed to fostering ways to enjoy great-tasting, healthy food through socially responsible practices and superior customer service.  The Atlanta-based company serves over 900 hospitals, integrated healthcare systems and senior living communities in the United States.  Visit www.IamMorrison.com for more information.