The one thing that patients often complain about when they are in the hospital is the food. Thanks to two celebrated San Diego chefs that has changed in the last month with the redesigned kitchen menu at Sharp Grossmont Hospital.
For the Sodexo team at Sharp Grossmont, the new executive chefs Larry Banares and William Sauer liven up the hospital food, bringing smiles and good health to patients through more than a thousand meals.
The one thing that patients often complain about when they are in the hospital is the food. Thanks to two celebrated San Diego chefs that has changed in the last month with the redesigned kitchen menu at Sharp Grossmont Hospital.
For the Sodexo team at Sharp Grossmont, the new executive chefs Larry Banares and William Sauer liven up the hospital food, bringing smiles and good health to patients through more than a thousand meals.
Known for his role as executive chef at Rady Children’s Hospital as well as host of bi-weekly cooking segments on KGTV and other popular shows, Banares is the chef responsible for designing and orchestrating meal service for the hospital’s inpatient units.
Banares said that he and Sauer have the opportunity to fine-tune recipes and flavor profiles without changing the nutritional contest. They do this using fresh herbs, aromatics such as lemongrass and ginger and proper cooking techniques. Sometimes Banares receives special requests on a moment’s notice for things such as ethnic foods, off-the-menu comfort foods or in some cases, a special “luau lunch.”
Banares’ 40-plus years of cooking experience have been in hospitality. “Having worked in destination hotels, private clubs, restaurants, catering and attractions properties, the transition to healthcare has been an interesting one, he said.
“The expectation level in both hotels and restaurants is high due to the fact that food plays a prominent role in the experience, Banares explained.
“Hospitals have the ‘cafeteria’ and ‘hospital food’ stigma to work out from under. But with creative menus and execution that delivers beyond expectations the experience can be elevated. At Sharp Grossmont we have the opportunity to ‘wow’ patients every time we feed them,” said Banares.
Banares was interested in coming to work at Sharp Grossmont partly because of the high regard he held for Food Service General Manager Mary Beth Schlichtholz, with whom he has worked before.
“I was also drawn in by the organization’s focus on food and their quality commitment,” said Banares, who has cooked for celebrity personalities, including the late pop sensation Michael Jackson.
“Food is one of the few things left in life that we may actually still have control over and this makes it highly personal. So it is therapeutic to have good tasting food that meets the dietary needs of patients,” he said.
Chef Sauer also brings a wealth of experience. He has implemented his own style of cooking, stemming from his experiences in the Southwest in upscale dining venues such as the Marble Room in downtown San Diego and Delicias Restaurant in Rancho Santa Fe among other places. He was ultimately named executive sous chef at the Catamaran Resort.
For Sharp Grossmont patients, Sauer creates composed salads daily for sale in the cafeteria as well as specials for the deli and grill stations. He also fills all catering needs.
For instance, the salad he created on the day of the interview was a chopped baby kale and iceberg lettuce salad with cucumber, tomato, Gorgonzola cheese, bacon and a lemon basil dressing. The deli station special was a grilled zucchini and eggplant sandwich on focaccia with buffalo mozzarella, sliced tomato, fresh basil and balsamic reduction.
When asked why he chose to work for Sharp Grossmont, he said, “I wanted a job where I could use my talent to truly help people in need rather than just driving revenue for restaurant owners. I wanted to be able to cook, and create but still have stability and help people in a time when they may need it most,” he said.
One challenge in the cafeteria is creating dishes that are innovative and delicious but also very fast to serve. In a restaurant, a chef has seven to 15 minutes from the time they receive an order in the kitchen to when the food needs to go out. In the cafeteria, Sauer explained, he and Banares try to cut that down to 3 minutes or less because the busy schedule of a hospital employee does not always allow them time to wait.
“The catering side of my job is very similar to working banquets in a hotel which I have done at places like the Four Seasons and Lodge at Torrey Pines. The cafeteria is all new to me,” Sauer said.
Like Banares, Sauer believes that patients heal faster with good food.
“Food is of few things that can give people comfort in times of need. Good food can put people in good spirits and good spirits can help speed recovery,” Sauer said.
“We’re thrilled to have these two powerhouses in our kitchen,” said Scott Evans, CEO, Sharp Grossmont Hospital. “
For more information, visit www.sharp.com/grossmont, or call 1-800-82-SHARP (1-800-827-4277).
