Mount Carmel St. Ann’s Hospital, Westerville, Ohio

As part of its $120 million renovation, Mt. Carmel St. Ann’s Hospital in Westerville, Ohio, dedicated $4.4 million toward the design and construction of Bryden Bistro, a contemporary on-site eatery that provides staff and guests a place to relax and enjoy a delicious meal, as well as providing room service to patients, says Janet Baker, R.D., director of nutritional services.

The original 800-square-foot cafeteria was designed to serve 90 beds; right now the hospital has 240 beds with a 60-bed tower under construction, as the hospital transforms into a regional medical center with a cardiac/surgery unit and orthopedic/neurology floor. The new kitchen and dining area comprise 10,000 square feet.

“We had outgrown our space and the cafeteria was very small,” says Baker, an employee of the hospital, which contracts with HHA Services for nutrition management. “It was crowded and wasn’t meeting our needs; the equipment was dated and the décor uninviting.”

As part of the renovation, patient meal delivery switched to a 100% room service model, although the kitchen has been designed to easily shift back to include traditional tray service if necessary. “Because room service is labor intensive, we wanted the flexibility to adjust to changes as the economics direct us,” Baker says.

Instead of typical cafeteria seating, Bryden Bistro is divided into four “neighborhoods,” with each dining space designed to have its own feel and personality. There are two-tops for eat-and-run customers, booths and tables off the main corridor, and a lounge-type area with leather seating and a flat-screen TV where customers can watch a sporting event or catch up on the news.

Before the construction, says Baker, the dining area featured metal chairs and basic white tables lined up in rows. Now, colors throughout the entire bistro are warm and inviting—rust, teal, brown—with mahogany wood, unique design patterns and light fixtures to distinguish each neighborhood. Mosaic tiles grace the pizza oven and salad bar. Dishware also got a makeover, as Syracuse terracotta, in fern and brown, replaced white plates. Styrofoam is history; the bistro offers real coffee mugs and recyclable soda cups. 

Stella Niagara, named for the founding order of the hospital, is not only the largest neighborhood, it’s also the only one with a name. “That way,” says Baker, “we can provide directions when we have events here.”

Stella Niagara, which seats 100 people, overlooks an inviting outdoor patio that seats another 40 guests.  

Also adding to the warmth of eatery are Corian counters—which replaced those made from stainless steel—and tile floors. Deli counters are now well-lit with menu items on display. The cramped tray line, a pet peeve of both staff and customers, has been replaced with an open format. Before the renovation, employees were on top of each other, says Baker. Food carts had to be left in the hallway because there was no place to store them. “We were bursting at the seams,” says Baker. When Janet Meeks, the hospital’s COO, spent time shadowing foodservice, she compared the tray line to the “I Love Lucy” episode in the chocolate factory.

A visual and culinary focal point of Bryden Bistro is the brick oven. Before the renovation, cheese pizza was the only option; the new options include pepperoni, Hawaiian (ham and pineapple) and spinach and artichoke. The chicken and bacon ranch pizza is very popular, says Baker.

Not all retail options are available to patients, including items from the brick oven pizza. However, patients can order pizzas from room service that are appropriate for their dietary needs, such as ones made with whole wheat dough and low-fat cheese. 

At the culinary station, Executive Chef Matt Sidner prepares “Pastabilities,” made-to-order pasta dishes for bistro customers. Guests can choose from spaghetti or penne, whole wheat or white, and select the accompanying sauce, protein and whichever daily vegetables are available. A special two-tank pasta cooker was installed; one side cooks the pasta to order, while the other prepares the vegetables.
While limited food choices were a complaint before, today, “the biggest complaint is that there are so many choices,” says Baker. “We wanted to have more choices, to make it more restaurant-style.”

The culinary station is also used for stir-fry, Asian lettuce wraps, jambalaya and a risotto bar. The food is made to order, prepared by a chef in front of customers. Bistro patrons and patients can also order customized omelets.  

An expanded salad bar has allowed the department to provide many more ingredients, says Baker. The bar always includes a choice of romaine and mixed baby greens, carrots, mushrooms and black olives. Additional options on any given day include edamame, seasonal vegetables, black bean and corn salsa, artichokes and several fresh fruit options. 

Another notable improvement was the change from stainless steel trays to Bugambilia serving ware—aluminum dishes and trays coated with baked-on resin that hold food temperatures for extended periods of time and look good at the same time, says Baker. Available in several colors, the trays brighten the bistro and add eye appeal. 

The entrance to Bryden Bistro is equipped with a leather bench and digital menu sign and serves as a gathering place for guests to meet before meals. Before the renovation, the staff spent a great deal of time designing, updating and printing paper signage for the cafeteria, says Baker. “With the digital menu boards we are able to make correction from any desktop in the department and the changes are immediate,” she adds.

The digital menu boards improve sales by drawing attention to daily specials, she adds. “The menu boards are dynamic; they have a new and cutting edge look. It’s one of the features that say ‘bistro’ and ‘this is not your 80’s cafeteria.’”
Another telltale sign of the bistro’s popularity is that staff refrigerators, once full with lunches brought from home, are reportedly empty now. “People didn’t stay and hang out before; now they are staying, relaxing and enjoying, and going back to their units smiling,” Baker notes.