Delicious smells wafting out of the kitchen at the day-care centre and the sound of belly laughter? That must be Silvia Birlodeanu working her culinary magic! Since 2006, her steady flow of creative new dishes and her fun-loving personality have had the children and team at Villa Luna Aachen looking forward to lunch every day.

Working at a hospital kitchen just stopped being fulfilling, Silvia replies when asked about her career path. “Always cooking by the book; that was the opposite of creative. At Villa Luna, I feel that everyone really appreciates what I come up with.”

Teachers and parents all know: Getting children to enjoy healthy foods is not always easy. Integrating new foods into daily meals can be challenging. Silvia, however, quickly knew what to do! Today, she is an expert on how to sneak vitamins and nutrients into the children’s food, calming even the loudest critic among the little foodies.

“I can tell you this: Whatever Silvia makes, the children gobble up,” says Villa Luna Quality Manager and mother, Annette Holtmann, when asked about the dedicated chef. In a slightly subdued tone, she adds: “My daughter recently even asked me to please just make lasagne exactly like Silvia does. And that was the time I’d even followed every single step of Silvia’s recipe!” .

Unlike other cooks, Silvia is not scared of sharing her special ingredients: “Serenity, empathy and happiness,” she rattles off with a sly wink.

Everybody at Villa Luna already knows that she’s not only a great chef, she also spreads joy. Any Villa Luna employee visiting the Aachen facility – even only to shadow someone for a short time – will always meet Silvia. And anybody who has ever seen her work immediately knows: This woman loves her job and has an amazing sense of humour.

All guests, big and small, are welcome in Silvia’s kitchen. She is always willing to lend an ear. As a result, everyone feels welcome – and not just to talk about food wishes or allergy requirements. The daily feedback from teachers and children regularly sparks new ideas. Many a time, completely new, delicious dishes are born this way. “Children often have the best ideas, ones you would never have thought of yourself,” Silvia relates with a big smile.