Tao Heung Chung's House redefines swallowing-friendly cuisine for elderly

As Chinese restaurant group Tao Heung celebrates its 35th anniversary, its subsidiary Chung’s House is partnering with social enterprise The Project Futurus x Captain Softmeal to redefine swallowing and chewing-friendly cuisine for elderly with swallowing difficulties. 

With the support of DBS Foundation, the “Shared delights – An inclusive dining experience” features nine classic Cantonese dishes and dim sum that are not only visually appealing, aromatic, and flavourful, but they also meet the International Dysphagia Diet Standardisation Initiative (IDDSI) framework.  

This initiative enables elderly patrons and those with dysphagia, also known as swallowing difficulties, to regain the joy of sharing a meal with their loved ones. Each branch will have an "Inclusive dining ambassador" to assist customers in selecting dishes, ensuring that everyone’s needs are met and encouraging guests to share meals with their loved ones.

This exquisite series highlights premium ingredients made with traditional culinary techniques, such as eight-head South African abalone, whole fresh Western Australian Rock Lobster, and premium Iberico Barbecued Pork. The dishes are freshly crafted on the day of the reserved banquet, ensuring that the softmeal adaptations uphold the highest standards of quality synonymous with Chung's House’s reputation of freshness and authentic flavours. 

The new menu is available for reservation this May at its Fo Tan, Wan Chai, Stanley, and Cyberport branches. 

Aimed at promoting an inclusive dining culture, The Project Futurus is committed to enhancing the well-being of the elderly, and promoting positive aging through education, advocacy, community service, and impact program design. 

With support from the DBS Foundation, The Project Futurus provides Tao Heung Chung’s House with comprehensive professional support, including professional training for kitchen and frontline staff, inclusive menu design led by speech therapists, provision of equipment and tools for care food making, brand marketing and promotion support, community engagement, and assessment on food quality.  

Through this partnership, the programme seeks to enhance the accessibility and quality of care food and softmeal options while raising public awareness and fostering a more inclusive and accommodating dining environment. 

Chris Chung, director of operations at Tao Heung Group, states, "Tao Heung has been serving and growing with the Hong Kong community for the last 35 years. We extend our warmest welcome to guests and their loved ones to share a meal together. However, many customers and their family members face new challenges as they grow older and experience difficulties in chewing and swallowing affecting their desire to dine in at restaurants, socialise and maintain a good quality of life. We hope to leverage our strengths in Chinese culinary traditions and food production to deliver innovative and inclusive dining experiences for the elderly." 

He added, "Tao Heung has partnered with The Project Futurus x Captain Softmeal together with the support of DBS Foundaiton to develop the " Shared Delights – An Inclusive Dining Experience " – an initiative that revolutionises traditional softmeals by enhancing their taste and aesthetics while taking into consideration the needs of elders who suffer from difficulties eating and drinking."

"Ultimately, we hope to spark joy in their mealtimes with their loved ones again. The dishes are prepared on-site daily so to promise the same freshness and quality as regular cuisine in an inclusive dining experience for guests with different dietary needs. Tao Heung continues to uphold quality and uniformity in its food preparation to deliver an enjoyable dining experience for the elderly and integrate swallowing-friendly cuisines into their everyday lives. We hope to take the lead in setting this new dining trend in the industry," he added. 

MARKETING-INTERACTIVE has reached out to Tao Heung for more information. 

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