A Chef teamed up with a dietitian of Oncology to offer chemo patients a better variety of entrees and sides in their diets. Bernstein created a few dishes that she thought would go over well, dishes like; margherita quiche and carrot miso soup, and taught them to others. The percentile for liking the dishes were high in the 90th percentile. She was contracted for over $50,000 dollars. They say it is sometimes better to have someone who can put their expertise in on a project. It really makes the difference.

Key Takeaways:

• It helps to find someone who shares your passion, as when Oncology dietitian, Cynthia Wigutow, paired up with a chef who’s own mother was undergoing chemotherapy at the time.
• Hiring an outside chef may be expensive, so it doesn’t hurt to consider fundraising, or philanthropic sponsorship.
• In the case of Wigatow, the pairing investment was worth it, as patient approval ratings for the new dietary additions went up almost 20 percent.

“Two years ago, Memorial Cancer Institute in Hollywood, Fla., was looking to improve culinary options for chemotherapy patients, whose strict diets often leave food bland.”

Read more: http://www.foodservicedirector.com/managing-your-business/missing/articles/3-steps-working-outside-chef

People are trying to develop more healthy fast food restaurants. An example is Native Foods Cafe, which has been serving quick-service vegan food for over 20 years. This cafe avoids added chemicals with their vegan comfort foods. Smoked paprika is a popular ingredient to up the flavor. Protein is received mostly through grains and beans. This whole concept is part of a wave of people trying to eat healthier and live better lives. As larger companies move towards healthier alternatives, it will raise demand and help smaller companies too.

Key Takeaways:

• Fast food establishments that are also vegan are not a new concept, but they are slowly becoming more mainstream.
• Carolyn Corcoran, chef for “Native Foods Café,” suggests upping spice use in vegan settings, especially as vegan dishes can’t lean on milk, butter, or animal byproducts, for flavor.
• Corcoran surmises that as people are willing to spend more time examining labels and cooking the shift towards clean eating will happen naturally.

“A lot of people are looking to eat healthier, especially with all of the big farms and people finding out the hormones going into mass-producing things like chicken, beef, and pork.”

Read more: https://www.qsrmagazine.com/interviews/how-fast-casual-can-go-vegan