We all know that hospital food doesn't typically have a reputation for being particularly inventive or delicious.
And when dealing with personal struggles, family emergencies, and painful procedures, the last thing people want to suffer through is yucky food.
Especially with Thanksgiving coming up, everyone — including hospital patients — is hoping to sample some delicious dishes, like these gravy and cranberry sauce-infused waffles made with stuffing.
Fortunately, there is currently a food revolution taking over hospitals, whose chefs emphasize the importance of serving up healthy and vibrant meals that are made from scratch with locally-sourced ingredients.
Among them is Ryan Conklin, the amazing executive chef at UNC Rex Healthcare, a hospital in Raleigh, NC.
This year, Chef Conklin and his award-winning team are planning a tasty, elegant Thanksgiving menu for everyone at the hospital.
Scroll further to read more about how UNC's incredible kitchen staff is changing the food scene in ordinary hospitals, and let us know your thoughts on this issue in the comments below!
This is usually what comes to mind when we think of hospital food: a plain medley of protein, vegetables, maybe some coffee, and a side of bread.
One hospital, however, is going to extraordinary lengths to change our perspective of hospital meals. UNC REX Healthcare, a hospital in Raleigh, NC, is known to have spectacularly delicious food.
At the helm of this transformative operation is Ryan Conklin, the hospital’s executive chef. “Someone told me they came there for Thanksgiving last year because they knew they’d get a good meal,” he told Mental Floss. “It’s the ultimate compliment.”
Conklin happens to have a pretty impressive résumé. Unlike most other cooks and chefs who work in hospital kitchens, he has worked in high-profile restaurants, like that of the Four Seasons hotel in NYC.
Driven by his passion to deliver the highest quality of meals to any and all of his customers, Conklin has made it his mission to plate up gorgeous, delicious meals for every patient in the hospital.
Guests to the UNC hospital may see a variety of mouthwatering dishes on this year’s Thanksgiving menu — including the chef’s signature lime-and-ginger-glazed salmon and Southern-style pecan-crusted chicken.
“We like to see ourselves as leading the way of reinventing modern healthcare cuisine,” said Conklin. “We really care about making sure our patients are fed well. For one moment, we can make them feel like they’re not in a hospital.”
Conklin’s method of cooking — which emphasizes the importance of healthy, abundant, locally-sourced foods — has helped the hospital tremendously. By forgoing prepackaged meals, the kitchen staff has in fact helped the hospital save a lot of money.
A lot of it has to do with envisioning different, more creative ways to make use of readily available ingredients.
“A lot of places out there might not have the culinary talent to utilize, let’s say, the ends of the tomato,” said Conklin. “Let’s turn those tomato ends into a fire-roasted tomato salsa! We try to create a culture that says, ‘Let’s save everything and make the most out of it.’ ”
Conklin and his staff have traveled to several hospitals all over to work with their cooks and chefs, and have inspired them to make incredible cuisine. Now, he’s turning his focus on making the Thanksgiving dinner one his guests will never forget.
Good luck — and great job! — to Chef Conklin and his wonderful team at UNC. We can’t wait to see what you cook up in a few days for Thanksgiving dinner!
Please SHARE if you've ever suffered through yucky hospital food!
