Vanderbilt Med Ctr. Upgrades Dining

Vanderbilt University Medical Center will switch from a cook-chill to a cook-to-serve system for its patient dining as part of its change of contractors from Aramark to Sodexo. “Sodexo’s charge is to improve patient satisfaction through a new tray delivery system and to improve employee and visitor satisfaction through the cafeterias,” says Associate Hospital Director George DeLong.

Under the current system, foods are partially cooked, chilled, then plated and finished off in retherm ovens, which limits menu choices and food quality. The new system, scheduled to be implemented when a new Critical Care Tower opens in November, will allow patients to get more choices, better presentation and higher quality.

The adjoining Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt will continue an existing room service program with an expanded menu, including smoothies and milkshakes, while the medical center’s Courtyard Café retail outlet will see enhancements like a new Baja Fresh outlet, a more upscale entrée station, and an Asian concept called Mein Bowl that specializes in stir-frys, fried rice bowls and sushi.