Care home boss waits on staff at pop-up restaurant

Staff at Coppice Lodge residential and dementia care home were left speechless when the group’s chief executive turned waiter at the home’s new pop-up restaurant.

Ideal Carehomes’ chief executive Matt Lowe and director Philip Raven were invited to Coppice Lodge’s pop-up restaurant ‘The Ritz’ to join residents for the experience. Staff were stunned when the chief executive and director declared they had lost their appetites and would instead be serving the meal.

Staff were invited to sit down and enjoy the three course meal with residents while Matt and Philip donned white pinnies and became waiters for the evening.

Angela Spofforth, care assistant at the home, said: “I couldn’t believe it when Matt and Philip asked us to sit down. When I realised it meant that they were going to serve us our meal, I was speechless!

“It was great to spend some quality time with the residents – they had a great time and were soon ordering Matt and Philip around!”

The pop-up restaurant will return to Coppice Lodge and will be introduced to all Ideal Carehomes residential homes.

Staff, residents and guests dressed in their finest clothes and were treated to champagne on arrival before a gourmet meal, all served by the care group’s chief executive and director.

Chief executive Matt Lowe said: “It was great to be able to give something back to the care staff who work so hard in our homes. The pop-up restaurant concept is something that we are championing across all our homes.

“It’s great to see the positive effect it has on residents and their families, and this time, staff got to share the experience too.”