Lacey Rainey, Food & Beverage Director at Benchmark Senior Living, has been named an inaugural member of the DISHED Senior Living Dining Innovation Awards Class of 2025 by Senior Housing News.
As a Palate Pleaser Award winner, Senior Housing News recognized Rainey for her impact on the day-to-day culinary operation at Benchmark Senior Living’s New Pond Village community. Resident feedback raves about her creative and healthy dishes.
Dining is also an integral part of the community’s marketing efforts. Through a given year, New Pond Village will host anywhere between 6-10 events and the culinary experience is featured front and center. Prospective residents want to know what dining looks like at New Pond Village. Rainey has created exceptional experiences, including a Taste of the World event that drew over 100 people, featuring dishes and flavors from 3 different countries. Rainey’s nominator told Senior Housing News that it’s these types of experiences that make her a key contributor to the community.
Rainey’s nominator told Senior Housing News, “As her Executive Director here at New Pond, I have had the great pleasure of watching her transform the culinary experience we provide. The pleasure, however, truly belongs to our residents, local partners and prospects. In each area, Lacey strives, and succeeds, to lead a culinary experience designed to entice and enchant.”
Senior Housing News recent sat down with Rainey to learn what drew her to the senior housing & senior living industry, her perspective on culinary trends, her thoughts on the future of dining in senior living, and much more. To learn more about the DISHED Senior Living Dining Innovation Awards, visit https://seniorhousingnews.com/2025-dished-innovation-awards/.
SHN: What drew you to dining in the senior housing & senior living industry?
Rainey: The first thing that drew me in was the work/life balance. No more late nights closing down the kitchen in a busy restaurant at 12am. Then, the idea of cooking for the senior community, knowing that every dish would mean more because these individuals had worked hard all their lives and now were enjoying their retirement.
SHN: What are the top three trends that you believe are impacting dining innovation in senior living?
Rainey: With the Baby Boomer generation now moving into retirement, I’ve seen a greater want for healthier options and more diverse dishes. So the 3 trends I’ve noticed the most would be:
- Getting away from frozen, prepared items. They are so high in sodium.
- More vegetable-based entrees. I’ve noticed more people trying to control their cholesterol by eating less meat.
- More cultural dishes, like Pad Thai, tikka masala, enchiladas, Pho, and wanting more spice to dishes. Historically, we would tend to cut back on the heat level of dishes to cater to an older demographic, but some want the heat back.
SHN: What do you think is the biggest impediment to innovation in senior living dining, and what advice would you give to others about how to overcome this challenge?
Rainey: This may get me a little in trouble, but I want to be frank. With the wage range and staffing budgets currently offered in senior living facilities, it is hard to hire talented, trained cooks. I started in the industry already being a trained chef, and was able to cook from scratch with raw ingredients. At the time, the senior living industry was paying higher than most restaurants. That has now switched.
We are finding cooks that have potential, but are now “cooking” more prepared foods because of the time and skilled help available. A few more dollars an hour for a skilled cook can save hundreds of dollars in a food budget because raw ingredients tend to be more cost effective and healthier.
SHN: In one word, how would you describe the future of dining in senior living?
Rainey: Fresh.
SHN: If you could change one thing with an eye toward the future of dining in senior living, what would it be and why?
Rainey: I want to see an increased use of fresh ingredients. It’s healthier to use fresh herbs, garlic and shallots to create flavor instead of adding salt and sodium-heavy bases or prepared items to dishes.
SHN: If you had a crystal ball, what do you think will impact dining in senior housing & senior living now and into 2026?
Rainey: I see menus reflecting more of what we see in restaurants: modern dishes, like quinoa bowls and flat bread pizzas.
We can still keep the traditional and most-loved items. We would get in big trouble if we didn’t offer a classic carved turkey dinner.
SHN: In your opinion, what qualities must all DISHED Senior Living Dining Innovation Award winners possess?
Rainey: Love and passion for food and a warm heart. Chefs rise through the ranks to become leaders because they love what they do. Chefs in this industry do it because we also love the people we cook for.
SHN: If you could give advice to yourself looking back to your first day in senior living dining, what would it be and why?
Rainey: Don’t get discouraged, be patient, and pay attention. Work hard, and pour your heart into everything you do. It will pay off, it just takes time. Remember, no one takes you seriously until you’re 30. That’s a lie. No one takes you serious until you make them.
