Front Porch and CCL Hospitality Group bring innovative vision for dining to life

New partnership expands quality of culinary and dining experience for residents, staff

GLENDALE, Calif, Aug. 19, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Front Porch Communities and Services and CCL Hospitality Group have entered into a new partnership to fulfill Front Porch's innovative vision for culinary and dining.

"Through our new partnership with CCL Hospitality Group, Front Porch is redefining the dining experience across all communities, with gradual, resident-centered changes taking place," says Mary McMullin, chief operating officer at Front Porch.

Inspired by the fundamental understanding that the community is the residents' home, Front Porch and CCL are developing a culinary and dining experience that is warm, personal and full of choice.

Over the past year, Pierre-Marie Leprince, Front Porch's vice president for culinary and dining, has refined a 10-point vision that transforms the dining experience for residents in Front Porch's 16 senior living communities. "When we talk about quality of the dining experience, it starts with the experience in their home," he says. "The quality that residents experience when served the food ingredients, the 'center of the plate', is our culinary and dining team's ultimate goal as well as their shared purpose."

While developing this vision, Front Porch decided to partner with CCL Hospitality Group to assist its culinary and dining team in providing a grounded and elevated resident experience that feels like home. Since launching this one-of-a-kind partnership in May, CCL regional chefs and hospitality services have been working in collaboration with the current culinary and dining team at each community to understand their operation and to customize the culinary and dining vision and concept to the individual taste of each community.

"CCL's regional chef team is critical to this process," says McMullin. "The CCL team has taken the Front Porch vision and then brought its experience into our communities, creating a solid foundation of processes that we can build on. This partnership has allowed us to examine our existing practices and ask ourselves how they connect to our vision and how they impact quality: on the plate, in the resident experience and with our team."

Starting with behind the scenes processes for inventory and procurement, CCL has been getting to know each individual community, determining specialty ingredients and local vendors that are unique to each location. New menus will begin rolling out this fall.

"Having what you like at home is a basic expectation," says Leprince. "If you sustain that, it drives performance because it means residents get what they want and know they are not just getting food services. They are part of a community in a place they know is their home."

"That experience starts as soon as a person walks through the front door to the community," says Byron Eigenhuis, regional vice president of CCL Hospitality Group. "Whether it's the front desk or the care center or the dining venue, that's where the experience starts. We want to help Front Porch residents feel that experience, bringing our expertise in the culinary and dining world to support the Front Porch team."

CCL is also offering culinary and dining training programs to strengthen and support the culinary and dining team – not replace them. "With this partnership, our team members are more confident and feel more comfortable in their roles. That comes through, both in the quality on the plate and the quality of the experience," says McMullin. "The goal is sustained quality. The quality of the resident plate is the proof point, but it's the quality of the entire experience, including the team experience getting that plate to the resident, that creates sustained quality."

Another future phase of transformation in culinary and dining involves incorporating new kitchen technology, with kitchens in five communities identified for upgrades this year, five in year two and six in year three.

"We started with a vision, and since launching this partnership we are settling in to a process," says McMullin. "We're going to continue to work on how the transformation can flow, but there's been some amazing innovation along the way."

About CCL
CL Hospitality Group partners with organizations nationwide to elevate dining and support services through hospitality expertise, operational excellence, and strategic innovation. Our tailored approach strengthens systems, empowers teams, and aligns with each client's goals for service and performance. With a clear understanding of how hospitality influences the resident experience, we collaborate closely to deliver measurable results that support key initiatives, drive efficiency, and enhance overall satisfaction. Learn more at ccl-hg.com.  

About Front Porch Communities and Services:
Front Porch is a dynamic not-for-profit organization, dedicated to empowering individuals to live connected and fulfilled lives through community and innovation. In support of this vision, Front Porch provides high quality, accessible and affordable human services through senior living communities, affordable housing communities and other programs and services throughout the United States. Learn more at https://frontporch.net/.

Media Contact: Laura Darling, VP of Communications
Front Porch Communities and Services
[email protected]
818-482-7597

SOURCE Front Porch