Jeff Scheck, Executive Vice President and General Manager of Chef For Hire, shares how the company grew from a small catering outfit in 1997 into a trusted senior meal delivery service in Marion County, Indiana. He explains why his Johnson & Wales culinary training shaped the mission, tells the story of a client who beat the side of his delivery van with her cane just to be heard, and breaks down why home-delivered meals matter so much for seniors with mobility issues and chronic health conditions.
How did Chef For Hire get its start in senior meal delivery?
Jeff Scheck joined Chef For Hire back in 1997, right as the company was doing social catering. At the time, nobody knew senior meal delivery would become the heart of the business. "We were just on the cusp of getting into senior feeding," Jeff recalls. That same summer, the team landed one of its main feeding contracts, a relationship Chef For Hire still holds today.
Within a year or two, leadership saw where the real need was. They made a clear call and committed fully to senior feeding, eventually dropping the catering side of the business altogether. For a while, Chef For Hire also handled childcare feeding, but Jeff found the senior-focused work especially meaningful. That early decision to specialize became the foundation for everything Chef For Hire does today, delivering nutritious, ready-to-heat meals to seniors across Marion County, Indiana.
How did a Johnson & Wales culinary degree shape the mission at Chef For Hire?
Jeff brought real culinary training to the table. He earned his culinary degree from Johnson & Wales University's Providence campus, graduating in 1995. That background gave him a grounded, hands-on understanding of food, nutrition, and what it takes to prepare meals people actually want to eat.
Over the years, Jeff has done nearly every job at Chef For Hire. He has delivered meals, cooked meals, and washed dishes. That range of experience matters because it means the leadership at Chef For Hire understands the business from the kitchen to the front door, not just from a desk. His culinary roots also explain why the company puts so much care into flavor and nutrition, not just convenience.
Why does senior meal delivery matter so much for caregivers?
For family caregivers, time and energy are limited. Jeff explains it plainly: having prepared meals that are easy to access and ready to heat up is a service families come to depend on. Caregivers no longer need to plan menus or run to the grocery store on top of everything else they're juggling.
That support matters most when families are trying to keep a loved one out of an institution or managing a serious health condition. "I can't quantify how helpful that is to a lot of our customers," Jeff says. When a caregiver can trust that nutrition is handled, they get back time and peace of mind, and that often makes the difference in whether a senior can keep living safely at home. Organizations like the National Council on Aging point to the same pattern nationwide: reliable nutrition support helps older adults stay independent longer.
What is the story behind the client who beat the van with her cane?
One memory has stuck with Jeff for years. While delivering meals to a congregate meal site for a client in Marion County, he met a woman who had very strong opinions about the food. She was so passionate about letting him know what she did and did not like that she beat the side of the delivery van with her cane just to get his attention.
Jeff didn't take it as a complaint. He took it as a lesson. "These are real individuals who have likes and dislikes, and they need an outlet to be heard," he says. That moment shaped how Chef For Hire thinks about every client: not as an account number, but as a person with real preferences who deserves to be listened to.
How does Chef For Hire help seniors with mobility issues and chronic conditions?
Many of the seniors Chef For Hire serves deal with mobility issues that make it hard to stand at a stove for very long. Some rely on a caregiver to heat up a meal. Others can manage the microwave but can't handle real cooking anymore. Either way, ready-to-heat meals are a practical solution that gets people the nutrition they need without the physical strain.
Aging often brings decreased appetite and hydration struggles too, since the body's thirst signal weakens over time. On top of that, a lot of clients manage chronic conditions like diabetes and high blood pressure, which means salt and carbohydrate intake need attention. Chef For Hire designs meals with these realities in mind, so seniors get food that fits their health needs without sacrificing taste. If you want to see how this works for your own family, you can learn more directly on the Chef For Hire website.
"These are real individuals who have likes and dislikes, and they need an outlet to be heard. That's very important."
— Jeff Scheck, Executive Vice President & General Manager, Chef For Hire
Frequently Asked Questions
When did Chef For Hire start focusing on senior meal delivery?
Chef For Hire began as a social catering company in 1997. Within a year or two, leadership shifted the focus fully to senior feeding, eventually dropping catering altogether to concentrate on serving seniors in Marion County, Indiana.
Who is Jeff Scheck and what is his role at Chef For Hire?
Jeff Scheck is the Executive Vice President and General Manager of Chef For Hire. He joined the company in 1997 and holds a culinary degree from Johnson & Wales University's Providence campus. Over the years he has worked nearly every role at the company, from cooking and dishwashing to meal delivery.
Why is senior meal delivery so important for family caregivers?
Prepared, ready-to-heat meals take menu planning and grocery shopping off a caregiver's plate. This support is especially valuable when a family is trying to keep a loved one at home safely instead of moving them into an institution, particularly when severe health problems are involved.
How does Chef For Hire support seniors with mobility issues?
Many seniors cannot stand at a stove for long periods due to mobility limitations. Chef For Hire delivers meals that are already prepared and simply need to be heated, so seniors or their caregivers can serve a nutritious meal without the physical demands of full cooking.
Does Chef For Hire design meals for chronic health conditions like diabetes?
Yes. Chef For Hire designs meals with common senior health conditions in mind, including diabetes and high blood pressure, paying close attention to salt and carbohydrate content so clients can enjoy meals that support their specific health needs.
What areas does Chef For Hire serve?
Chef For Hire serves seniors and their families in Marion County, Indiana, including the greater Indianapolis area, providing home-delivered meals designed to support independence and better nutrition.
How do I get started with Chef For Hire meal delivery?
Families and caregivers can reach out directly through the Chef For Hire website or by phone at 317-637-0845. The team can answer questions about menus, health-specific meal options, and delivery so you can find the right fit for your loved one.
Jeff Scheck
About the Author
Jeff Scheck is the Executive Vice President of Chef for Hire, bringing over 25 years of experience in delivering high-quality, nutritious, and compliant meals to communities across Indiana. With specialized expertise in Senior Nutrition programs, Jeff has led efforts to design and oversee meal services that meet diverse dietary needs while supporting the health and independence of older adults. He holds a B.S. in Nutrition from Purdue Global and a Culinary Arts degree from Johnson & Wales University, along with HACCP Food Safety and ServSafe Manager certifications. With hands-on expertise spanning hotels, restaurants, catering, and large-scale food service operations, Jeff is dedicated to combining culinary excellence with community well-being. Learn more on LinkedIn.
