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Missouri Baptist Medical Center Redefines Hospital Dining
One of the first in the country to debut Flavors 450
June 7, 2010 – Hospital food has often been perceived as tasteless, offering menu selections such as Jell-O molds and bland hamburgers, rather than healthy choices packed with nutrients and flavor.
On June 16, Missouri Baptist Medical Center and its food service provider, Atlanta-based Morrison Healthcare Food Services, will lead the region in a nation-wide effort to change the concept of “hospital food” for its patients, visitors and employees.
In a 10 a.m. grand opening ribbon cutting ceremony at Mayfield’s Café, Missouri Baptist will debut Flavors 450 -- an innovative culinary concept in hospital meal choices designed by celebrity chef and New York Times best-selling cookbook author Cary Neff. Flavors 450 will offer nutritious gourmet options, which are rich in nutrition and flavor while containing only 450 calories or less.
Chef Neff -- who Oprah Winfrey says “does amazing things with nutritious food” -- has collaborated with Morrison executive chefs to rotate more than 60 gourmet meal recipes at Mayfield Café using fresh, seasonal fruits and vegetables with a special focus on healthy eating and wellness -- all without sacrificing taste.
Chef Neff says, “The menu is designed to entice the taste buds, but also satisfy the soul and maintain the body. By bringing a unique perspective to the way recipes are created, we are able to balance savory, great-tasting meals with good nutrition and healing properties that can help improve one’s health. Our recipes offer sophisticated and delicious options with health and prevention in mind. For example, by using ingredients that have preventative qualities, we’ve created recipes that work well for those with health conditions such as diabetes and high cholesterol.”
All dishes are low in fat with an emphasis on whole grains, lean proteins, low-fat dairy products and the freshest ingredients, including local produce grown within 150 miles, whenever possible. Plus, because Flavors 450 meals are 450 calories or less, each selection meets American Heart Association guidelines, which is good for heart-health.
Cuisine for lunch one day may include dishes such as Mediterranean roasted vegetable Frittatas, or barley risotto and braised greens served alongside braised beef in Chef Neff’s signature roasted vegetable red wine gravy. Dinner may include creamy polenta, fresh steamed broccoli and cauliflower accompanied by chicken parmesan.
“As part of Missouri Baptist Medical Center’s continuing commitment, not only to provide leading health care services to the community in which we serve, but to expand that high level of care in our café, offering our patients, visitors and employees even healthier meal choices,” says Rhonda Brandon, vice president of Human Resources.
Brandon, who oversees the Hospital’s wellness programs explains, “As a hospital recognized as a Top 100 U.S. Hospital, No. 1 Hospital for Overall Cardiac Services in Missouri, and One of America’s Safest Hospitals, we will continue to offer all who enter our doors an extraordinary experience from all aspects of health care, even in our café.”
About Chef Cary Neff:
Author of internationally acclaimed “Conscious Cuisine,” Chef Neff brings his “savoring the moment” philosophy and expertise to hospital dining through his partnership with Morrison Healthcare Food Services. Working with Morrison, he created the Flavors 450 menu to reflect his own unique balance of taste and health with a focus on wellness.
Chef Neff was honored as the 141st Distinguished Visiting Chef® by Johnson & Wales University in April 2004 and America’s Top Healthy Gourmet Chefs by Aspen Center of Integrative Health in April 2005. He has appeared on nationally syndicated programs such as the Oprah Winfrey Show, Today Show and Food Network, and has been featured in numerous national publications including The New York Times, Bon Appétit, Gourmet and Food & Wine.
About Morrison Management Specialists:
Morrison Management Specialists, a member of Compass Group, is the nation’s only food service company exclusively dedicated to providing food, nutrition and dining services to the health care and senior living communities through its two operating divisions: Morrison Healthcare Food Services and Morrison Senior Living.
With more than 1,100 registered dietitians, 350 executive chefs, 18,000 professional food service team members and approximately 15,000 client employees managed by Morrison, Morrison is actively committed to fostering ways to enjoy great-tasting, healthy food through socially responsible practices and superior customer service. The Atlanta-based company serves more than 900 hospitals, integrated healthcare systems and senior living communities in the United States. Learn more about Morrison >
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