Aramark Chef Led Team That Fed Chilean Miners

An Aramark chef and a staff of 12 prepared and sent almost 6,000 meals to the Chilean miners famously trapped almost a half-mile underground before their recent rescue, reports the New York Times. Food was one of the most critical issues facing the 33 miners who were discovered alive on August 22 in the collapsed mine near Copiapo.

After an initial contract between the Chilean government and a local foodservice provider proved unsatisfactory, the Ministry of Health contacted Aramark, which has had extensive experience with remote site foodservice. The company's team, led by Chef Edmundo Ramirez, prepared individual food portions in a kitchen 70 kilometers from the collapsed mine.

They were vacuum sealed and transported to the mine site, where they were rethermed and sent to the miners in plastic tubes. The menus, calibrated to provide about 2,300 calories a day, included special meals for two of the men with special diet needs, including a diabetic. Among the meals sent down was a special holiday feast featuring traditional empanadas to celebrate Chile's independence day on September 18.