Chris Bonner, Executive Chef and Nutrition and Hydration Lead at HC-One

Chris sees a key part of his role as Executive Chef and Nutrition and Hydration Lead at HC -One as being to ‘make sure people are able to make their own life choices and continue to do that’. With this in mind, he played a lead role in HC-One’s recent decision to sign up to UK care charity, Vegetarian for Life’s, Memory Care Pledge. Watch Chris talk about the Memory Care Pledge in this short video.

He tells us, ‘As an individual, I think that the ethos behind the Memory Care Pledge is brilliant: I’ve been in the care sector for eleven years, and at first I expected the stereotype – cabbage soup every day, and twice on Sundays. But, actually, residents have very complex needs. They’re a mixed bag of people, coming from very different backgrounds, levels of wealth, and so on, and I need to find what works for everybody. I realised early on that I wanted to make a difference and help make others aware, and the Memory Care Pledge fits in perfectly with that. It’s not just about what nutrition people need, but about what they want to eat.’ 

The number of older vegetarians and particularly vegans is continuing to grow. Vegetarian for Life research found that, in the five years to 2019, care residents following a vegan diet increased by a remarkable 167 per cent. Chris explains what this means for HC-One and other care providers: 

‘We’re spreading the message to our staff that it’s coming: veganism is coming. It’s becoming a part of life, and a lot of people are taking it on as a way of life. We’re there to provide a service, not just stay in our own comfort zones. Good food keeps residents healthy, and giving people food they want to eat is going to prevent weight loss and all the problems that come with that. 

If we’re to cater to our residents and to make ourselves attractive to this growing segment of the market, we’re going to have to inform and educate ourselves, and the Memory Care Pledge and the support from Vegetarian for Life is going to continue to play a huge role in that.’