Years after the first push for sustainability hit the foodservice and hospitality industry, operators are seeing a real return on their initial investments and some maturing philosophies about what it means to be green.
A T-line for tray assembly allows peak meal output for more than 1,500 meals a day with notable enhancements to food quality and a reduction in waste.
Display Prep, Small Plates and Sustainability All Star at a New Res-Hall Restaurant
Evolving cook-chill may seem like an oxymoron to some foodservice operators whose experience with this technology hasn't been positive. But at Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center in Columbus cook-chill has evolved with much success and praise.
A Creative Playground for Tall-Toque Chefs
Food has always taken center stage at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick, N.J. Tony Almeida, director food and nutrition, believes in raising the bar as part of the healthcare facility's culture.
New Burger '37 Joins Long Line of Destination Dining Concepts
Offering patients food selections similar to the ones that appear on retail menus continues to gain popularity at hospitals across the country. Patients at the 550-bed University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) Medical Center now have the opportunity to choose from menu items that are also available at the various restaurant-style concepts in the center's retail cafes.
Known for their “wow” factor and custom designs, celebrity-chef-driven designs pose their own set of challenges. By taking a team-first approach and remaining true to the menu and desired brand experience, foodservice designers can overcome these challenges and produce jaw-dropping results. Designer Ken Schwartz of SSA shares his experiences in this article.
Hospitals operate 24/7, meaning there is always staff on hand and someone, either a staff member or someone visiting the facility, is usually looking for something to eat or drink. To help meet that need University of Utah Hospitals and Clinics operates a licensed Starbucks Cafe that's open 24/7.
It isn't unusual for a restaurant concept to be reinvented. It is less common, though, for a foodservice operator to jump into an entirely different segment. This is what happened with the Raleigh, N.C.-based business now known as Rocky Top Hospitality, which has gone through many incarnations in the last 16 years.
Thanks to the Affordable Care Act and an increasing emphasis on healthier eating, healthcare foodservice remains in the spotlight. These operators not only feel the need to increase the quality of the food they offer but their menus have to be healthier and more diverse than ever before.
With a unique event space situated 100 feet above and 100 yards into the Atlantic Ocean, this Atlantic City-based operation features an extensive from-scratch menu consisting mainly of locally sourced ingredients. "We're probably the only venue in South Jersey that makes all of our dishes fresh," says head chef Bill Fausey. "We are a farm-to-table establishment."
The Sodexo team at Memorial Hermann Memorial City Medical Center in Houston wanted to provide an upscale menu rarely seen in healthcare settings. It did just that with the cuisine at Medical Plaza North Café, which serves employees working in a 27-floor office building, various medical office buildings and at the hospital.
Made-from-scratch menus featuring locally sourced ingredients prepared with mobile cooking and holding equipment continue to drive catering foodservice sales to new heights.
