Food and shelter. Two basic needs. When your shelter is the hospital, your food is hospital food. And when it comes to wellness, studies show it’s an important part of your healing.
“I started working in restaurants, very young washing dishes, and then prep cook.”
As a young man Chef Alex Govern pursued his passion to serve creations like citrus dill salmon and French style ala barigoule.
“We have a focus on respect for ingredients, minimally manipulated foods, making things in house, ensuring that we serve up nutritionally dense food. And it's appetizing and executed in a way that shows respect for food and ingredients in general.”
Sounds pretty fancy…and Govern’s words fit the promotion of an upscale eatery. But he’s the executive chef in charge of hospital food for Intermountain Health, serving more than 30,000 meals per day.
The point of most medical care is to give the body the best chance to heal itself.
“If you're a guest of mine, and one of our facilities 99% of the time, it's the worst day of your life. Right. And if we can positively impact just small chunks of that with an exceptional meal that serve with a smile,” said Govern.
The fact is hospital food is crucial to healing. While the fancy recipes might impress, the larger point is the message. This is your temporary home and they’ll give you the choices to make it comfortable.
“Because it changes your entire outlook associated with your stay at a hospital,” said Govern.
The National Institutes of Health notes a patient who doesn’t eat a healthy diet in the hospital can suffer impacts including increased complications rates, mortality, longer hospital stays and increased costs.
So, lemon rosemary roasted pork shoulder, ancho chicken, and pizza on hand stretched dough are their own forms of medicine.
“If you are eating, nutritionally dense food, and it's appetizing, meaning that you'll get more of those components, you heal quicker, your outlook is better. Your overall experience is night date by comparison,” said Govern.
Food for patients needs to include items that fit very restrictive diets, so it is not all comfort food. But Govern said they also focus on the experience of those with the patients. Cafeteria food at the hospital can be indulgent, and it’s less expensive than fast food.
