The Virginian, the new premier senior living community in Fairfax undergoing a $56.5 million renovation, has a bevy of programs, offerings, and niceties to keep its older residents happy, active, and engaged, including lifelong learning programs in partnership with George Mason University, a fully equipped fitness center, full-service salon and spa, an indoor swimming pool, onsite guest speakers and art classes, and offsite visits to cultural and artistic performances.
But it’s totally understandable if you move there just for the food.
The 367,000-square-foot resort-style community, situated on 32 wooded acres overlooking Accotink Creek, features five dining concepts designed to suit the changing needs of seniors’ lifestyles. There is the main dining room, the farm-to-table-inspired Stonehouse Dining Room; small plates, craft cocktails, and beers at The Clubhouse; steak and seafood house Rock Creek Grill; The Wine Room/The Cellar, where residents can sample a selection of local and global wines or sip a glass from their private stock stored in a temperature-controlled environment; and Latitude 77, a casual bistro.
The culinary program is overseen by director of food and beverage Paul Henry, whose philosophy is to make sure meals aren’t just a healthy part of residents’ day, but an enjoyable one. “We need to meet the unique nutritional needs of our residents, but also recognize our dining venues are often the major social-engagement activity of a resident’s day,” he says.
One trend Henry has seen in the current generation of retirees is a transition from the “meat and potatoes” lifestyle to more eclectic, global tastes, especially among those in the Washington, DC, area, where seniors with government or military careers may have lived around the world, picking up a taste for the local cuisine along the way. There are also those who moved to the U.S. who find themselves hungry for a taste of their native dishes. This means that the kitchen team is mindful about preparations for everything from pot roast to Dover sole to sashimi. Each menu is designed to be sustainable and seasonal; in the future, they hope to partner with local Virginia farmers.
The facility also has plans for an outdoor grill and dining area under a pergola—the site for planned cookouts with residents, families, and friends. There will also be a private dining room available for reservations if families wish to throw their loved one a birthday or anniversary party or other special gathering. Every day at 5 p.m. is happy hour, where classic libations are shaken or stirred, including a drink of the day; a signature Virginian cocktail is currently in the works.
Henry works in consultation with clinical nutrition manager Alex Freiman—one of the only full-time dietitians of any senior living community—to ensure that residents’ nutritional needs are met. Currently Freiman hosts monthly cooking demos and classes, but plans to expand the program once the open-kitchen concept is built, which could be used for larger-scale demonstrations, taste tests, and even hands-on sessions.
While Henry’s experience lies in fine dining in senior-living communities, Freiman’s expertise is in geriatric nutrition; the latter says this complementary skill set allows them to work well together. “Our backgrounds allow us to think outside the box to create a unique dining program for our residents, one that is deeply rooted in longevity and luxury,” Freiman says.
It also means a bit of push and pull sometimes. She uses the example of soups, which are popular menu items but can also be a high source of sodium. After expressing her concern to Henry, he set to work educating chefs on making stocks from scratch, resulting in more flavorful and healthy options. But Freiman is quick to point out that she doesn’t want to be thought of as the food police. At The Virginian, she gets to know residents’ likes, dislikes, and preferences, and also takes trends into consideration. When the Impossible Whopper was released, for example, there was an interest in the community about plant-based foods, which led to discussions and taste tests with those who lived there, and eventually more plant-based items added to the menus.
After all, she says, “healthy food is only good for you if you’re actually eating it.” And this community is working to achieve that goal, one delicious forkful at a time.
For more stories like this, subscribe to our Senior Living newsletter.