Senior Housing News Announces The 2026 Shn Dished Senior Living Dining Innovation Awards

As senior living evolves for new generations of residents, dining is at the forefront of innovation. To recognize the leaders who are raising the bar on culinary excellence, Senior Housing News is proud to announce the 2026 DISHED Senior Living Dining Innovation Awards.

These awards honor individuals who are visionaries within their organizations and the senior living sector at-large. They spotlight culinary experts whose creativity and passion are transforming senior living dining – from menu creation and innovating the resident dining experience, to leveraging new technologies and implementing new operational models, and more.

Below are the award categories that are open to senior living providers:

Culinary Canvas: Recognizes leaders driving excellence in how dining programs are showcased across marketing channels, including imagery, video, social media, and other dining-related media content

Elevating the Experience: Showcases innovators raising the bar on programming and service with the goal of boosting the senior living dining experience

Operational Optimizer: Highlights operational trailblazers implementing new approaches and models to gain efficiencies, improve the bottom line, build stronger workforces and elevate overall operations, while maintaining and enhancing resident satisfaction

Palate Pleaser: Honors chefs and other food & beverage professionals for their innovations in menu creation, use of ingredients, and culinary techniques

The following category is open to third-party vendors serving senior living organizations:

Partner in Innovation: Recognizes individuals serving senior living dining programs in a vendor capacity, through technology, equipment, ingredients, and more, with an emphasis on how their overall efforts have supported their clients’ ability to innovate

All entries are due April 30, 2026 by 11:59pm CDT. For additional information, visit the SHN DISHED Senior Living Dining Innovation Awards website. Still have questions? Contact the Awards team at awards@wtwhmedia.com.

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