DATE: Friday, May 16, 1997                  TAG: 9705150198

SECTION: VIRGINIA BEACH BEACON   PAGE: 02   EDITION: FINAL 

SOURCE: BY PAM STARR, STAFF WRITER 

                                            LENGTH:   75 lines

MEALS AT RETIREMENT COMMUNITY NOW A FINE DINING EXPERIENCE

The way Olga Bullock gushes on and on about Orlando Loiercio, you'd think she was his mother.

In the eight years that she has lived at First Colonial Inn, Bullock has seen five food service directors come and go. While the food always has been edible, it was nothing to write home about.

But that was B.O. - before Orlando. After his arrival last May, Loiercio immediately changed the entire food service operation, from the way the food was prepared to how it appeared on residents' plates. Not to mention the attitude of the servers.

As head of the residents' food committee, Bullock is in gastronomic heaven.

``No one has anything to complain about,'' she said. ``The staff is all agreeable, due to this charming and gentle man. He's a very easygoing person and helpful to those with special diets.''

Loiercio, the progeny of the owners of Veneziano Restaurant in Norfolk, has transformed mealtime at the retirement community into a fine dining experience. Fresh flowers and water goblets adorn each set table. Plates arrive with attractive garnishes.

Residents enjoy fresh seafood in season. Shrimp scampi, stuffed salmon. Prime rib and filet mignon. Pot pies and pizza from scratch. Homemade soups. Chicken Marsala. Leg of lamb. Fresh bread baked daily. A massive salad bar.

A continental breakfast to Loiercio is a lot different than one in a hotel. Forget the doughnuts and stale coffee. Loiercio puts out bagels, danishes, eggs, fruit, hot and cold cereal, juices, toast, danishes.

``They used to have the same thing every day,'' the soft-spoken Loiercio said. ``I thought that was boring. I like change all the time.''

The desserts are truly to die for. Residents feast on french silk pie, specialty cheesecakes, carrot cakes, pies and sorbets. They have an ice cream bar every Friday night. Birthday cakes.

``When I came here, desserts were fudge bars and brownies,'' Loiercio said with a laugh.

Let's face it. Cooking for 200 sometimes-finicky older adults can be a challenge. General manager Fred Joslin said that before Loiercio, their food service deserved a C plus.

``We didn't have the consistency,'' Joslin said. ``There was friction among the staff. Now we have an A minus or higher.''

Loiercio has achieved that even without a culinary degree from a fancy cooking school. He learned everything from his parents, Tony and Angelina, at Veneziano. Loiercio started out washing dishes and busing tables as a teen-ager and eventually progressed to cooking. He has two sisters, two older brothers, and a twin brother who died at 17.

``My parents went to Europe for a month when I was 16 and left me in charge,'' he said. ``I always wanted to be in the business.''

Before pleasing the palates at First Colonial Inn, Loiercio was the banquet manager and executive chef at the Days Inn Executive Center. Earlier, he had been the food director at Tidewater Psychiatric Institute.

The Norfolk resident prefers working in the retirement community. It's less stressful. Loiercio plans a six-week rotating menu and repeats several dinners that the residents like, such as filet mignon, prime rib, hamburgers and hot dogs, shrimp and meatloaf.

Although Loiercio does receive complaints from time to time, that doesn't bother him. He knows he's not going to please everyone - and he can take the criticism, he said.

``Everybody's taste is different,'' said Loiercio, who is married to Cassi and has two young daughters. ``As long as the residents are happy - that's my goal. The best part is coming in every day knowing the residents and employees are happy.'' ILLUSTRATION: Staff photo by CHARLIE MEADS

Orlando Loiercio, left, is food service director at First Colonial

Inn where Olga Bullock, right, is a resident.

Graphic

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