Executive Chef
Thomas Ashby
Thomas runs the three Willowmere kitchens. He writes a seasonal menu with Virginia farms in mind and still takes requests at the Thursday tasting table.
Areas of focus
- Seasonal menus
- Special diets and textures
- Private family dinners
- Kitchen team
Education
- Culinary arts diploma
- Dietary management coursework
Credentials
- Certified Dietary Manager
- Food protection manager certification
Where to find Thomas
- Main kitchen, behind the Hearth dining room
Thomas Ashby cooked in Charlottesville restaurants for fifteen years before he joined Willowmere in 2016. He wanted, he says, to cook for people he would see again the next morning.
He plans the menus for the Hearth dining room, the Porch bistro and the memory care kitchen, and works with the care team on texture-modified and low-sodium meals so that no one is handed a plate that looks like an afterthought. Residents vote on two new dishes every month, and the winners stay on the menu.
Thomas also cooks the family supper on the last Sunday of each month, which has grown from a dozen tables to the busiest night of the year.
2016Joined Willowmere as Executive Chef
2001 to 2016Line cook and later chef in Charlottesville restaurants
MonthlyHosts the resident menu vote and tasting table
MonthlyCooks the last-Sunday family supper
MenusWhat is cooking this season and how menus change
Special dietsLow-sodium, diabetic-friendly and soft-texture meals
Family dinnersBooking the private dining room for a birthday
How our team works
How our team works
Each family has one named staff member to call first
Every caregiver is trained on care plans before day one
Shift notes passed in person, not left on a clipboard
A weekly call to families during the first month here
Autumn open house and supper, October 18
Tour the suites, meet the care team, hear bluegrass on the porch and stay for a harvest supper.
A checklist for planning a respite stay
What to book, pack and share before a short stay, so your loved one settles in and you can rest.
Come see it for yourself
Schedule your personal tour
Tell us a little about what you are looking for and we will set up a visit, with lunch in the Hearth included.
Call the community(555) 284-7310