August 16, 2022 – Hospital food has always had a bad reputation. Anyone who has spent any sort of extended period in the hospital can attest to lackluster food options, often at a time when their nutritional intake is most important.
Because it’s being produced at such high volumes, hospital food is high in sugar, lacking in flavor, and rarely fresh. A study by the American Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition, “a third of hospital patients are at a high risk of nutrition,” leading to a variety of other health problems to a group that is already highly vulnerable.
According to a report from Mashed, “a new day is dawning regarding hospital cuisine, with more medical facilities hiring executive chefs to make healthy and tasty food.” Chef Bruno Tison, a Michelin-star chef, is one of several chefs that are looking to provide hospital patients with better, more nutritious food options.
Northwell Health hired Tison in 2017, and he has proved since then that quality food provides better options for the patients and can even be produced on a massive scale. The report says, “Chef Tison works with a large team of cooks and hospital dieticians to develop nutritious meals, many of which are seasonal. The hospital even has its own garden, grows fresh produce like tomatoes and herbs for use in the hospital’s kitchen. Under Chef Tison’s watch, patients can expect gourmet renditions of from-scratch mashed potatoes, freshly caught salmon, and healthy tostadas.”
By serving fresh and appetizing food to patients, hospitals are providing an under-utilized method of patient care that also adds a touch of humanity to what is otherwise a difficult experience.