Changing perceptions one plate a time: Inside the Lions Gate Hospital kitchen

Hospital food may not have the best reputation, but a lot of work and care goes into meals served to patients at local hospitals.

At Lions Gate Hospital and many other facilities, there has been a quiet evolution in the kitchen over the past few years. No easy feat given the fact that hospital food has to meet proper nutrition guidelines.

“We need to change the perception one plate a time,” says Tiffany Yeung, Sodexo Food Services Director.

A typical menu at Lions Gate can include roast turkey wraps, spinach quiche with Swiss cheese, and cranberry lemon muffins.

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Every day, the kitchen at Lions Gate serves up 1,800 meals plus 1,200 snacks. Before the menu makeover, a lot of food was thrown away because patients weren’t eating it. Industry standard is actually 40 per cent food wastage. At Lions Gate, it’s down to 13 per cent, which translates into more money for even better food.

Lions Gate has also worked to improve how food is served, becoming the first hospital in the Lower Mainland to offer hostess service, a feature coming to Richmond Hospital, VGH, and St Paul’s Hospital soon.

-with files from Elaine Yong