St. Jude Children's Research Hospital

Towards Better Hospital Food: How One Chef Is Trying to Fix Patient Meals | Eater

"This pediatric research hospital treats food as part of therapy, running a hospitality-minded food service led by executive chef Michael Vetro that delivers restaurant-quality, on-demand meals to children, families, and staff. The kitchen recreates family recipes—everything from naan parathas, dal and butter chicken to enchiladas and Korean-style Silkie chicken stew—often inviting parents into the kitchen and even sourcing special ingredients or grocery-shopping to reproduce comfort dishes exactly. An à la carte room-service system is available anytime (about 70 patient room-service orders daily) and prioritizes calories and intensely flavored foods when treatment alters taste, all while staying within clinical dietary limits. With roughly 4,000 guests served daily and about 100 food-service employees, the program emphasizes customer service, flexibility, and empowering parents by letting them be part of feeding and comforting their children during treatment." - Martha Daniel