FLAME Award winner Crystal Johnson has spent nearly two decades cooking in health care and senior living. At Atria Park of Glen Ellyn, she uses that experience to create menus shaped by residents’ preferences and family traditions.
When families compare assisted living or memory care in Glen Ellyn and Chicago’s western suburbs, they’re often looking for one thing in particular: a dining experience that feels personal, not institutional.
That resident-centered approach is one reason Chef Crystal J., Director of Culinary Services at Atria Park of Glen Ellyn in Illinois, received Atria’s FLAME Award, which honors culinary excellence across the company.
A French-trained chef and Certified Executive Pastry Chef®, Crystal has worked in health care and senior living since graduating from culinary school in 2008. She chose the field because she wanted her work to mean something more.
“I wanted to do more than just cook. I wanted to cook with a purpose,” she says. “I view food as love and medicine, not just sustenance. It’s something that brings families together and makes people into friends.”
Why is food personal to Chef Crystal?
For Crystal, thoughtful dining begins with understanding the people she serves. Growing up in a Southern family, meals brought everyone together around the table. She learned early that food creates connection.
“We always sat down at the table for family dinner,” she recalls. “Because of that, I always associated food with family and love and gathering.”
Today, those same values guide her at Atria Park of Glen Ellyn. Crystal spends time getting to know residents personally, learning their favorite dishes, family traditions and special requests.
“We have regular meetings with residents to ask for their feedback. And I spend a lot of time talking with them to find out what their likes and dislikes are,” she explains.
That same attentiveness helps her create menus that feel familiar, personal and enjoyable.
How does Chef Crystal personalize meals for residents?
Crystal believes every resident’s preferences matter. Whether preparing a favorite comfort food or adapting a recipe for an individual dietary need, she keeps the focus on the resident in front of her.
Some of the ways Crystal and her team bring this to life include:
- Meeting regularly with residents to gather menu feedback and requests
- Learning family recipes and culinary traditions from residents
- Adapting recipes to appeal to different tastes and dietary needs
- Keeping favorite foods on hand when residents request them
“I try and greet every new resident and find out if there’s something they used to cook at home or a food that they particularly love,” she shares.
Sometimes that means keeping bologna on hand for a resident who enjoys an occasional sandwich. When another resident shared a Greek cookbook and handwritten recipes, Crystal spent time learning about the dishes so she could bring some of those familiar flavors to the community’s menus.
She also works thoughtfully with residents who have dietary restrictions, helping them continue to enjoy flavorful, satisfying meals that address their individual needs.
How does food build community at Atria Park of Glen Ellyn?
One standout example is the community’s annual Thanksgiving buffet.
The celebration brings together residents, family members and friends, often drawing twice as many guests as there are residents in the community. Tables are set throughout the building to accommodate several seatings and create the feeling of a family gathering.
Crystal comes in overnight to slow-roast six to eight turkeys and prepare the dishes residents look forward to throughout the year.
“I take the time and put the love into every dish that we serve,” she adds.
The celebration has become so popular that residents ask about it months in advance.
“I’m very proud of that event and the fact that our residents love it so much,” she says.
What does the FLAME Award recognize?
The FLAME Award recognizes exceptional culinary leadership, resident satisfaction and operational excellence.
For Crystal, receiving the award was especially meaningful.
“I was fighting back tears in my office,” she remembers. “Being recognized for something that I’m so passionate about was very moving for me.”
She credits the achievement to the culinary team she has built and their shared commitment to providing an outstanding resident experience.
“I always want my team to remember that we’re in the residents’ home,” she notes.
That perspective shapes how Crystal’s team serves residents and approaches their work each day.
What does award-winning dining mean for residents?
An award matters most when residents can feel the difference in daily life. At Atria Park of Glen Ellyn, that means a chef who asks what residents enjoy, remembers their favorite foods and creates gatherings families look forward to.
That personal attention is reinforced by a broader team with deep roots in the community. Many staff members have served residents at Atria Park of Glen Ellyn for more than 20 years, bringing experience, consistency and familiar faces to daily life.
For older adults and families considering assisted living or memory care in Glen Ellyn, Crystal’s approach and the community’s long-tenured team offer practical measures of quality: Residents are known, their feedback is valued and the people serving them understand the community.
Interested in exploring a career at Atria?
Join a team like Crystal’s.