Confessions of Robin Rush

Robin Rush, director of nutrition services at 234-bed Kingman Regional Medical Center in Arizona, questions molecular cuisine and the need for room service. Robin Rush, director of nutrition services at 234-bed Kingman Regional Medical Center in Arizona, questions molecular cuisine and the need for room service.

Q. What is the best part of your job?

The executive leadership staff is overwhelmingly wonderful.

Q. What do you consider to be your greatest achievement?

We have patient satisfaction scores in the top 1% in the country for Press Ganey, and that’s using an old-fashioned trayline.

Q. What is the most unusual foodservice/catering request you have ever received?

We had a terminally ill patient whose last wish was to marry his longtime fiancé. The hospital staff wanted to provide a “wedding” for the couple. Our bakery chef, Victoria, was able to produce a beautiful tiered wedding cake within a couple of hours.

Q. If you weren't in foodservice what would you be doing?

Probably something with computers, like designing software.

Q. Which talent would you most like to have?

I’d like to cook with “magic.” Some people can add a pinch of this and that, and it comes out great.

Q. What is your greatest fear?

Something that would physically prevent me from being able to work.

Q. Which living person do you most admire?

It’s a tie between Margaret Thatcher and Clarence Thomas as they are both remarkable people.

Q. What is your guilty pleasure?

Dark chocolate.

Q. What food fad do you wish had never started?

Molecular cuisine. Foam, in particular, does not look at all appetizing to me.

Q. What is the weirdest food you have ever eaten?

Camel.

Q. What do you consider to be the most overrated foodservice trend?

Room service in hospitals. It’s a lot of money and you can get good patient satisfaction without it. For us, it’s the personal attention that we pay to each patient that makes the difference.

Q. What are your words to live by?

When faced with a challenge look for a way, not a way out.