CHEF DJ NARGES NEVER ENVISIONED having a career outside the restaurant business—and for good reason. It was an industry in which he flourished for many years. He honed his craft working for well-known local restaurant groups such as Mancy’s and Mainstreet Ventures, and later helped open Revolution Grille on Monroe Street in Toledo, which earned numerous awards. Taking his culinary skills northward, DJ spent a few years in Tecumseh, Michigan and then had the opportunity to develop a restaurant in Monroe called Brass Monkey Pizza.
However, the COVID pandemic brought DJ’s involvement in that venture to an end and ultimately brought him back home to the Toledo area. He worked at Benchmark in Perrysburg for about a year and a half but then decided it was time to get out of the restaurant industry with its highly demanding and unpredictable schedule and spend more time at home.
DJ’s next career move came as a surprise, not just to the people around him but also to himself. He accepted the position of Dietary Director at The Gardens of St. Francis, a CHI (Catholic Health Initiatives) Living Community located in Oregon, Ohio. He recalls, “The idea of leaving the restaurant business really broke my heart for a while, and I kept going back and forth on the idea. A lot of the people I know, who are familiar with my passion for the business, were probably wondering what was going on with me.”
Still, something about the new position just made sense. DJ had prepared a lot of dinners there when the campus was still owned by the Little Sisters of the Poor, and his mother, aunt, and sister-in-law currently work at The Gardens of St. Francis, so he had an established relationship with the facility. He decided to open himself up to the opportunity and quickly discovered that the work is more rewarding than he could ever have imagined.
One aspect of the job at The Gardens of St. Francis that DJ finds fulfilling is the relationship he and his staff have developed with residents. “The relationship we have with the clientele here is far more personal than it is in the restaurant business,” he explains. “We really get to know the people because we see them every single day. Also, we play a huge role in residents’ day-to-day comfort. They depend on us for all their meals, and the doors never close here whatever the weather conditions outside might be.”
Even more rewarding is the fact that in his role as Dietary Director, DJ can actually help change residents’ lives for the better—for example by helping someone gradually transition from a pureed diet to a regular diet, or helping someone who has shaky hands and has difficulty using silverware learn to eat with utensils again. “You never get that sort of opportunity in the restaurant business. It’s part of the job I didn’t expect, and it’s truly a blessing that really energizes me,” he says.
DJ appreciates that CHI encourages so-called liberalized diets, which means they let residents decide what they want to eat and don’t force them onto specialized diets such as a low-sodium or diabetic diet. Exceptions are made only when safety is an issue, for example if a resident has a food allergy or can’t swallow properly and needs pureed foods. DJ comments, “We prepare healthy, home-cooked meals and strive to offer residents a higher-level, fine-dining experience. We’re also building relationships with farmers and local purveyors as well as building a garden out back so we’ll have access to the best possible produce and ingredients. Our goal is to make our dietary program the best it can be and an example for other facilities to follow.”
DJ is also grateful to have found a warm, welcoming workplace in The Gardens of St. Francis. “There’s a lot of love here,” he remarks. “I interviewed at a few other places, but they couldn’t compare to The Gardens of St. Francis in terms of the atmosphere and the high level of caring among the employees. Here, there’s no question that the residents always come first. ✲
