Healthy and delicious food aimed at healing is the goal of Chef Stephen Smith who operates the café at Smith County Memorial Hospital. The café, which has been available only to patients and employees, will open to the public for lunch beginning October 1.
The café will be open Monday through Friday from 11:45 a.m. to 2 p.m.
“Chef Steve has transformed how patients, guests and staff perceive what hospital food can look like and taste like,” said Allen Van Driel, CEO of SCMH. “We want the café to be a place people come to talk with their neighbors over coffee and enjoy a lunch that tastes great and is good for them.”
The buffet concept makes the café a perfect, quick lunch stop. Customers walk in and go through the buffet line for a tray and silverware. Hot entrees and vegetables are dished by the café staff or patrons can pick up a plate for the all-you-can-eat salad bar before paying at the end of the buffet line. The public may either dine in at the open or take their meal to go.
“The health of the community is always forefront of our minds,” Van Driel said. “This concept was one a lot of us got excited about when we brought Steve on board.”
Smith knows from his own experience that food plays a huge role in the body’s health and ability to heal. Earlier in his career, he suffered a cardiac event that caused a complete diet change. He even went back to school and as a result became a registered dietitian.
“I had to learn to cook all over again.” Smith said. “As a chef, I learned to add flavor by adding fat, sugar and salt, but as a dietitian, I knew those were things I needed to avoid. It’s a fun challenge to rethink recipes and use new ingredients to create healthier versions of the food I love.”
He also knows that food tastes better when the ingredients are at their peak flavor. For that reason, Smith likes to use seasonal and local ingredients when he can. He began asking employees about places to go for fruits and vegetables this summer and people opened up their gardens to him.
“I was blown away by what people would sell the café,” Smith said. “Now I have a list of people to go to and the list is growing as we try new ideas and the seasons change.”
Locally sourced fruits and vegetables can be found on the café’s feature 12-foot salad bar, in the soup of the day and in the hot buffet line. The café serves fresh bread made daily, a hot entrée and vegetable and will always serve fish on Fridays. Smith rotates his menu based on what is available to him which means patrons may have to check the SCMH website or Facebook page for daily menus.
Opening to the public is part of a long-term plan of the hospital and Smith to help the community and surrounding area connect food and health.
“It has been fun to explore new types of food and introduce new ideas to patients and employees,” Smith said. “We’ve sampled Chinese, Japanese, Mediterranean, different types of soup, healthier versions of classic mid-western cuisine and that’s just the beginning. I’ve been impressed with how open people have been to trying new things and look forward to adding new items to the rotation.”
Smith hopes to open for breakfast and evening meals soon, but will use the lunch hour to gauge interest and taste. Comment cards will be provided and feedback is always welcome.
So far the employee feedback has been positive.
“One group of employees began referring to the café as their ‘happy place,’” Smith said. “That’s exactly what we’re going for.”