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I guess this is what I would have liked to see:
Seattle Children's Hospital is pleased to announce an entirely new menus for the cafeteria.The food served will be vastly varied. For example, the ever popular "Hot Dog Bar" will change next week. Instead of just hot dogs the bar will now include, Polish Sausages, a variety of chicken, German, Italian and other varieties. The "dogs" will be grilled when possible. There will be a number of new "Bars" added in rotation featuring Thai, Spanish, Indian, and Greek themes.
Each hot bar will have no less than three prepared roasted or steamed veggies. There have been rave reviews about the roasted butternut squash, fennel, onion and garlic combination closely followed by the always favorite lightly sauteed green beans, feta and shallots. The Chef has determined that these sorts of choices make a huge difference in each meal. Olive oil will be the new butter but then we all need our butter.
There will be a number of new home made soups. African Peanut, Carrot Cashew, Potato Leek and Kale Mexican Chicken soup, Ciopino, Tom Kau Gai, Won-ton, Pho and a number of other delightful selections. There will be fresh bread and rolls baked on site as an option. The kitchen will also be producing a new line of comfort deserts each day. Bread puddings, cinnamon rolls, home made cookies that will be baked all day long and of course the ever favorite, Chef Walter's ooey gooey brownies and apple crisp.
Despite sever limitations in the current cafeteria, the hospital, under the guidance of Chef Walter is completely revamping the choices made available to the staff, families and most of all the children suffering from cancer and the treatments needed to battle this disease.
The hospital, one of the foremost prestigious in the nation will begin immediately to provide healthy, appetizing food for the "Cancer Kids". The dietitians and the kitchen staff will institute a program where a child can call at any time and have the food of their choice delivered to them while it is hot and still appetizing. The staff understands that while it might be ideal to ask a child on high dose chemo therapy what they might want to eat the next day, that because of the treatment and side effects. The kids will know if they want a fresh Ceasar salad or teryaki at 3:00 am it can be ordered and delivered within 30 minutes. No more waiting three hours of a smoothie that arrives on a smelly tray.
Seattle Children's Hospital is pleased to announce an entirely new menus for the cafeteria.The food served will be vastly varied. For example, the ever popular "Hot Dog Bar" will change next week. Instead of just hot dogs the bar will now include, Polish Sausages, a variety of chicken, German, Italian and other varieties. The "dogs" will be grilled when possible. There will be a number of new "Bars" added in rotation featuring Thai, Spanish, Indian, and Greek themes.
Each hot bar will have no less than three prepared roasted or steamed veggies. There have been rave reviews about the roasted butternut squash, fennel, onion and garlic combination closely followed by the always favorite lightly sauteed green beans, feta and shallots. The Chef has determined that these sorts of choices make a huge difference in each meal. Olive oil will be the new butter but then we all need our butter.
There will be a number of new home made soups. African Peanut, Carrot Cashew, Potato Leek and Kale Mexican Chicken soup, Ciopino, Tom Kau Gai, Won-ton, Pho and a number of other delightful selections. There will be fresh bread and rolls baked on site as an option. The kitchen will also be producing a new line of comfort deserts each day. Bread puddings, cinnamon rolls, home made cookies that will be baked all day long and of course the ever favorite, Chef Walter's ooey gooey brownies and apple crisp.
Despite sever limitations in the current cafeteria, the hospital, under the guidance of Chef Walter is completely revamping the choices made available to the staff, families and most of all the children suffering from cancer and the treatments needed to battle this disease.
The hospital, one of the foremost prestigious in the nation will begin immediately to provide healthy, appetizing food for the "Cancer Kids". The dietitians and the kitchen staff will institute a program where a child can call at any time and have the food of their choice delivered to them while it is hot and still appetizing. The staff understands that while it might be ideal to ask a child on high dose chemo therapy what they might want to eat the next day, that because of the treatment and side effects. The kids will know if they want a fresh Ceasar salad or teryaki at 3:00 am it can be ordered and delivered within 30 minutes. No more waiting three hours of a smoothie that arrives on a smelly tray.
Chef Walter and the head of nutrition will set aside an hour each week to meet with the patients and families on the Hem/Onc floor to try come up with other ideas about what will work for everyone.
Finally Children's Hospital will be hosting the first Hospital Chef Cook-off on December 1, 2011. Chefs from all over the region will be invited.
P.S. Effective immediately, the pastry chef shall be preparing a birthday cake for each child spending their birthday in the hospital. (sorry no candles)
________________________________
From: "Bronowitz, Walter N." <walter.bronowitz@seattlechildrens.org>
To: "'quilting_goddess@yahoo.com'"
Cc: "Prado, Patty" <patricia.prado@seattlechildrens.org>
Sent: Friday, November 4, 2011 10:37 AM
Subject: Responding to your concerns
Dear Ms. Lanham
I’m writing to respond to the concerns you’ve shared about the food service at Seattle Children’s. I am sorry you were disappointed in the initial response you received. When I first learned there was patient unhappy with the food they were receiving, I thought it would be most appropriate for you or your daughter to speak directly with the Dietician who is familiar with all the options appropriate for SCCA patients.
In the six years that I have been Executive Chef, we’ve offered a rotation of thirty soups, twenty two salads and bars. We continue to refine and change some of these, but not those that remain popular. As a rule, we don’t change menus or menu items that are still selling well.
What has not changed in the time you mention is the “look” of the café and serving areas. I am painfully aware of this and the much-needed changes have been limited by other construction and renovation priorities. Our hope is now that construction has started on new buildings the needed changes will arrive although not as soon as we would all like.
It may be helpful for you to know that we buy from five different local bakeries and product is delivered everyday. Much of the product we get to make salads come from bags, due to lack of food preparation space this kitchen affords us. The biggest influence on our fruit is seasonality and we are hoping to get to a point where we can be flexible enough to be able to consider seasonality more.
The amount of food that goes to waste on the Hem/Onc area is excessive, and some of that can be from the “what is served” category, but much of it is also from the constantly changing sensitivity of the patients to everything, especially smells.
We are working on a new delivery systems that will greatly cut down on wait time, however, smoothies are not made with ice cream, so they will always be “melted”.
I trust you know that any patient that wants an alternative to a “regular” meal can request alternatives either from our Food Service staff or from Dieticians or Diet Techs depending on their diet requirements/restrictions. Not having the correct food show up is not acceptable. Simple requests being “bungled” are not acceptable. I hope someone was told when this happened and I would encourage you to do so in the future.
I hope you understand that our hearts and best interest is in providing the best experience to patients & families. Obviously in your case we fell short, but we need to hear from those whose needs we didn’t meet so we know where improvement is needed. I hope we can make it up to you in your next visit. I’m sorry you had to take time from an already stressful life to share your feedback, but please know it is appreciated.
Thank you,
Walter N. Bronowitz CCC, CCE, AAC
Executive Chef / Dietary Manager
Seattle Children's Hospital
206 987-6057 OFFICE (Numerals: Arial 8; OFFICE/FAX/CELL/PAGER: Arial 6 – Color R117, G119, B123)
206 987-2035 FAX
walter.bronowitz@seattlechildrens.org
OFFICE 4800 Sand Point Way NE, Seattle, WA 98105
MAIL M/S B-5595, PO Box 5371, Seattle, WA 98145
WWW seattlechildrens.org
4 comments:
Chef Walter needs a big attitude adjustment, especially his comment "on your next visit". MH
I think perhaps your desire for change required too large of a jump for someone who is used to deep-fried cooking.
Perhaps, a letter asking to see a few more fresh items might have led to a resolution more similar to your liking than a whole list of things that seem more like a complaining mum rather than a reasonable customer. The customer may always be right, but it doesn't mean that they get what they want. =D
I have spent a couple of days at UCSF and I was impressed that the selection appeared good with green leafy lettuce at the salad bar. I was impressed that the nutritional value was listed on the menu board and receipt, in case you were looking for more than just comfort food. The variety of pizza by the slice was extensive with a variety of ethnic food sections. Maybe ask the chef to visit UCSF'S one year old remodeled cafeteria.
swedish does food on demand reasonably, why can't children's?
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