Last updated on June 15th, 2023
Originally posted by the Senior Dining Association on March 23, 2022, and shared with permission. Click here for the original article.
One woman making history of her own is Stacey Bedingfield, CDM, CFPP, Regional Director of Operations, South, for Culinary Services Group. A member of the new SDA Dining Committee, she also will be moderating the “Maximizing your Dining Committee” roundtable discussion at SDA’s Synergy Senior Dining & Hospitality Conference in Orlando April 18-20.
Bedingfield has 25 years of experience in Food Service Management with over 15 of those years managing multi-unit operations. After graduating from the Pennsylvania Institute of Culinary Arts, she began her culinary career at Walt Disney World where she served as sous chef at The Grand Floridian Convention Center.
Her interest in healthcare food service was initially sparked by a visit to see her mother at the hospital where her mother worked as a nurse. Just before they were leaving, her mother said she’d quickly pick up dinner. When questioned about picking up dinner in a hospital, her mother said, “Oh yeah, they do great food here.”
It had never occurred to Bedingfield that this was a service that was provided to others rather than patients. That’s what sparked her curiosity about healthcare foodservice. She started having conversations with people in the industry, which prompted her to research the field.
“The more I dug into it, the more I realized this is what I was looking for,” she explained. “I’ve always had a passion for food. I’m a big foodie, have my degree in culinary, and the kitchen is my happy place.”
She pursued her Certification in Dietary Management. Following graduation from the CDM, CFPP program in 2001, she began her career in healthcare food service management and today is experienced in senior dining, behavioral health, and acute care.
Senior dining offers purpose
“I think in senior dining and healthcare overall, there’s a purpose behind what we do,” Bedingfield said. “Our residents rely on us to provide them with nourishment and nutrition and sometimes that creates a friendship and building of relationships. That was the spark that I found with senior dining. You get to know your residents; they need you and rely on you, and their families rely on you for great food to meet their loved ones’ needs and help them heal.”
“A lot of times, residents don’t get to choose their care. They don’t get to choose their diagnosis, but most times they can choose their food and that’s something they look forward to. I wanted to be a part of that.”
With 20 community accounts, Bedingfield admits the broad scope is an adjustment going from chef, director, or even area manager to this role. And while she’d love to be in the kitchen cooking meals every day, she knows her knowledge and experience in multiple roles enables her to support her team with the tools, support, and leadership they need to be successful. She says there’s a great opportunity to learn and grow in a regional role that impacts a broad area and so many great leaders and talented team members.
What has inspired her
“I had the honor of meeting Julia Child in Boston when she did her book signing. That was incredible,” said Bedingfield. “I remember growing up, my mother and I used to watch Julia Child on PBS all the time. I thought she was so quirky and unique. And then getting to know her story and what she overcame—she was a pioneer, and she was a woman that really pushed through a lot of challenges in the culinary world and really did what people told her she couldn’t do.” She also says John Maxwell’s book The Five Levels of Leadership was “life-changing” for her. “When you look at his five pillars, one thing I strive for, and I’ve always strived for in my career is just keeping in mind that people will follow you for who you are and what you represent,” she explained. “I want to be that leader that sets the example and energizes and inspires my team. And I want them to be behind me because of the person that I am, not what I’m pushing them to do.”
Advice for others
“Do your research and really persevere through the challenges. It’s not easy. I will say as a woman in the culinary industry I’ve seen a lot of changes, and we have challenges still. I think it’s very important for us as women and for anyone as a professional to just keep your eye on your goal and remember the why behind what you’re doing. Why do you get up and do this every day? Why do you want to do this? I think when we remember why we got into what we have chosen as a career path, that keeps you motivated and keeps you pushing for better and for more.
“Just keep pressing on, and don’t give up. Pursue what you’re passionate about because at the end that’s going to be the key to your happiness and your success. Be that person that makes a difference in somebody’s life. That’s the opportunity we have in senior dining—to make a difference every day.”
