February 6, 2026 —Significant changes are being rolled out at Kendal Affiliates, designed to enhance the resident experience while streamlining operations for Affiliates. By modernizing spaces and systems and refining their approach, Affiliates are ensuring that they are equipped to deliver excellence today and prepared for the demands of tomorrow.
Christian Ramsey, TKC’s Director of Culinary, notes that expectations are shifting as costs increase. The future of senior living demands efficiency, transparency, and high-quality personalization.
Simplifying Meal Plans for Better Service
Christian points to how overly complicated meal plans can create operational bottlenecks that frustrate staff and confuse residents. When a single menu item has multiple price points solely due to various meal plans or the type of purchaser, mistakes are inevitable.
These complications lead to errors and lengthy reviews on the back end by culinary administration and the finance department. More importantly, they create opacity where clarity is needed.
To tackle this, Christian is helping some Affiliates shift toward a simplified, points-based model that is straightforward.
Cubigo Across the System
The Cubigo Point of Sale (POS) system is now fully live at all Affiliates. This is a major milestone.
However, implementing new software can often expose old inefficiencies and new challenges. Cubigo’s requirement for transparency forced a necessary review of some of the Affiliate’s legacy meal plans, highlighting where complexity may have been slowing things down. The feedback on the system itself has been overwhelmingly positive. The challenges we are solving now are not primarily software issues; they are design issues with the old plans.
By pairing the Cubigo rollout with our meal plan simplification, Affiliates can build a robust infrastructure that supports accurate billing, data-driven decision-making, and a smoother dining experience for everyone.
Building the Kitchens of Tomorrow
Current Affiliate renovations include investing heavily in upgrading kitchens and dining venues to support higher standards of service.
- Kendal at Oberlin: The new kitchen is operational as of December 1st , and they are launching new menus in January to fully utilize its capabilities. While the Fox and fell renovation takes place, the Heiser Lounge is serving as a vibrant temporary dining space, with the Langston set to reopen in early 2026.
- Kendal on Hudson: Renovation is moving at a rapid pace. The main kitchen and dining rooms have been demoed to the studs, and the team has executed a seamless transition to a temporary kitchen setup.
- Collington: Planning is already underway for temporary kitchen construction in the summer of 2026.
- Kendal at Hanover: Construction on a refreshing the Cadbury dining room has commenced.
These are not just renovations; they are reinventions of workspaces to support a shift from cycle menus to more cook-to-order menus with daily specials. Christian notes that this strategic shift enables teams to continually improve quality and reduce inventory costs, transitioning from mass production to curated culinary experiences.
The 2027 Organic Goal: A Commitment to Health
Leadership means looking ahead. The Kendal System has set a formal goal for 2027 to convert the “dirty dozen”—the highest volume produce items that are the most contaminated by pesticides—to strictly organic sources.
This is a bold move. It requires a substantial commitment financially to change only 12 items, however with proactive coordination with our suppliers, we will ensure a smooth transition and national availability . But the rationale is clear. By reducing chemical exposure to the items residents consume most frequently, we are making a direct investment in resident long-term health and well-being.
The Value of Strategic Operations
From leveraging AI for menu development to installing equipment sensors for proactive maintenance, the Operations Team ensures that Kendal remains at the forefront of senior living dining.
These initiatives—simplifying plans, deploying advanced POS technology, renovating infrastructure, and committing to organic sourcing—are not isolated projects. They are part of a cohesive strategy to drive value for every Affiliate.