University of Kentucky HealthCare officials and a celebrity chef welcomed hungry visitors to Chandler Hospital’s new dining facility Monday.
With nine food stations, a terrace, and atrium, Chandler Dining is a notch above the old dining hall – and if the crowd on hand at lunch time Monday is any indication, expect the facility to be hopping at peak meal times.
The goal: variety. From grab-and-go drink and sandwich coolers to steak and potatoes to custom salads, the menu aims to please staff, patients, and families. That includes gluten-free and vegetarian options. And, this being a hospital, Enterprise Director of Operations J.J. Housley says designers kept an eye toward health.
"All of our food stations have calorie-counters on them. You'll see them on the TVs above the customer," he says.
And greeting some of those customers for one day only is Chef Fabio Viviani, whom you might recognize from appearances on Top Chef, Good Morning America, and The Rachel Ray Show.
"The entire hospital staff has really been looking forward to this day, so we just wanted to add a little flavor," Housley explains, as customers line up for a taste of the celebrity chef's Italian creations.
A brand new kitchen is also opening two floors below the dining hall. In all, more than 1,800 diners are expected at Chandler Dining daily.
