Betti Alexander is one tough customer.

Alexander, 87, might be petite, but she has the bearing, grace and proper New England accent of Katharine Hepburn.

The native Bostonian, who’s lived at Brandon Woods Retirement Community, 1501 Inverness Drive, for the past 4 1/2 years, is chairwoman of the 16-member resident food committee, which offers its input to Brandon Woods management about all aspects of meal preparation.

So when the retirement community got a new executive chef — John Thompson, formerly chef de cuisine at Free State Brewing Co., 636 Mass. — in September, you would expect the committee to have a mouthful to say about the change — perhaps not all of it charitable.

That hasn’t been the case. Thompson, one of the guiding hands behind Free State’s success for nine years, has impressed the tough crowd of about 330 residents.

Including Alexander, an accomplished cook in her own right.

“I think it’s pretty good,” she says of the meals served in recent months at The Woodlands Restaurant, one of seven dining areas at Brandon Woods.

“Since John has been here, the variety is better and, by and large, the cooking is better. They’re doing more with the meats and vegetables. We got all new cooks at the same time John came; that made a big difference. Most people in the dining room have noticed it.”

Alexander explains just what an appealing, well-prepared meal served in a warm atmosphere means to Brandon Woods residents.

Chef John Thompson peers though the kitchen line at Brandon Woods Retirement Community. Thompson, the longtime chef at Free State Brewing Co., made the jump to an entirely different kind of food operation at Brandon Woods in September.

“It’s very important to the people here. It’s a good portion of their day, coming to eat. It’s a highlight for them.”

In which case Thompson is likely the right man for the job of directing all the food and catering operations on campus. His motto: “Happiness on a plate.”

Some people might be surprised to learn of Thompson’s move.

After all, it seems like a major leap from Free State’s lively, youthful pub atmosphere to preparing meals for a more mature group of folks at various levels of independence at a retirement community.

Thompson, 43, doesn’t see it that way.

“I was thinking about where I wanted to be as I got a little bit older and if I could handle that (fast-paced) environment at Free State. I also knew that Brandon Woods was advertising for a kitchen manager for some time and that it had been open for quite some time,” he says.

John Thompson chats with Alice Shank, left, and Betti Alexander during dinner at Brandon Woods Retirement Community.

“It’s pretty unusual for a chef to stay put for more than five years. You get kind of antsy when you’ve been anywhere for a long time. This seemed to be the right spot, given all my previous training, and the right timing.”

Before coming to Free State, the 1994 graduate of the culinary program at Johnson County Community College had varied experiences working in the kitchens of Kansas University’s Adams Alumni Center and Topeka’s Top of the Tower dinner club.

Thompson likens his new job to that of an executive chef at an upscale hotel, where he supervises a large staff (44 servers and a dozen cooks), three kitchens and multiple dining areas, including the Smith Center, a community building where many catered events take place.

No, it’s not a frenzied rush of activity, as at Free State. But Thompson will be under pressure all the same.

The kitchens at Brandon Woods operate from 4:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. every day, and Thompson will oversee the preparation and serving of about 19,500 meals each month.

“The earlier I get in to work, the better. Because once it starts going, it never stops,” he says.

‘Good, real food’

Thompson seems like a good choice to have in the kitchen at Brandon Woods, given the direction its food operation is headed.

“John is here because we want restaurant-style dining wherever you go (on the campus),” says Shannon Ruedlinger, executive director of Brandon Woods. “That means a flower on each table, a varied menu, being served by a waiter or waitress. This is what we have in process right now.

Chef John Thompson simmers a chili sauce in a kitchen at Brandon Woods Retirement Community, 1501 Inverness Drive. Thompson, a former chef at Free State Brewery, has switched to a different kind of menu at Brandon Woods.

“We have continuously sought folks with restaurant and varied experiences to bring this vision alive. In a retirement community, there should be no difference between dining here and going out to eat in a restaurant.”

Since August, the food operation has been steadily moving toward one identical menu (as it would be in a nice hotel) each day for all residents, regardless of whether they live in townhomes, apartments, assisted living or the two skilled nursing facilities.

That follows from the new philosophy that everyone, no matter their level of independence, deserves a restaurant-style experience with uniform consistency and service.

Along with this emphasis comes a heightened attention to quality, more menu options and a move toward more made-from-scratch items. Thompson is working closely with Pari Ruck, the registered dietitian at Brandon Woods, to implement these changes.

No, the fare likely won’t ever be quite as adventurous or highly spiced as some of the offerings at Free State. The focus will remain, Ruck says, on “good, real food” that’s familiar and comforting to an older group of diners.

“Sure, there are a lot of people here who love their meat and potatoes, but there’s really no difference between making a really good pot roast and the finest of nouveau cuisine,” Thompson says.

He finds the residents eager to try new dishes and receptive to learning more about them. Taking advantage of that, he recently added couscous (a staple of North African cuisine) to the salad bar at The Woodlands Restaurant.

“I’ll probably be here for another generation to come in. In the future, I’ll probably be serving sushi,” Thompson says.