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Comfort Foods with a Twist at Philadelphia University and Wheeling Jesuit University
FoodService Director Magazine

Ask anyone to define comfort foods and the answer will vary widely. For Gerald Hunter, executive chef at Philadelphia University, a Parkhurst Dining Services account, it’s a no-brainer: Philadelphia cheese steak tops the list of comfort foods that students love.

“Student tastes are much more educated today. We have a lot more sophisticated palates now, but they love their comfort foods.”

Everyday favorites: Comfort foods are staples, he says. “They’re usually something your mom made that you loved when you were growing up. The Philly cheese steak is a staple and we serve it in both our retail outlet and on the board plan. It’s made in house and served on rolls with American or provolone cheeses and fried onions. We also make the South Philly variation with cheese sauce. They’re very popular. When you eat them, you’re hooked for life.”

Comfort foods are usually warm and hearty like meatloaf and mashed potatoes or chicken Parmesan and pasta, chowders and chili. Hunter looks at them as “a sort of soul food. You put your love and heart into them.”

At Mason General Hospital in Shelton, Wash., Director of Culinary and Nutrition Services John Cruse Jr. runs comfort foods year-round on the patient room service menus. He offers patients an all-day breakfast option because “breakfast is comfort food and they’re easier on the stomach.”

Alison Negrin, executive chef for John Muir Health in Concord and Walnut Creek, Calif., tries to put a healthier spin on traditional “all-American types of food we ate as children,” making macaroni and cheeses with low-fat milk and using whole-grain pasta, vegetables and sharp cheddar. She substitutes ground turkey for beef in meatloaf and uses grass-fed beef for pot roast, served in smaller portions with more emphasis on vegetables. Grilled cheese comes on whole-grain bread with artisan cheese, and chicken pot pie is made with free-range chicken, organic veggies and low-fat béchamel sauce, with “maybe a whole-wheat phyllo for the crust.”

Nathalie Jordan, dietary manager at JJP VA Medical Center in The Bronx, N.Y., also uses whole-wheat pasta and low-calorie cheeses for macaroni and cheese. “We revised our chili to chicken chili and brought in chefs to explore ways to be healthier.”

At Fairview Hospital in Great Barrington, Mass., Foodservice Director Roger Knysh designed the room service menu around comfort foods such as roast chicken with natural gravy and a low-sugar version of apple pie.

“The majority of our patients like foods they grew up with,” Knysh says. “We give them chicken noodle and beef barley soups, meatloaf and, at breakfast, French toast with warm syrup.”

Beau Dittmar, executive chef at Wheeling Jesuit University in Wheeling, W.Va., finds classic lasagna is “really big” with students who also enjoy shepherd’s pie, tuna melts and grilled cheese. “We like to keep them happy and give them what their moms made.” He offers pork roast with mashed potato and gravy, turkey pot pie and fried chicken to the 700 students on the board plan.

Comfort as nutrition: Last year, Chartwell’s introduced a new program focusing on comfort foods and international flavors into its customized Environments program. “We see comfort foods as a vehicle and opportunity to give good nutrition to K-12 students in a format they love,” says Kim Salahie, director of culinary development. “This lets us use a lot of vegetables and whole-grain pastas.” The program, he adds, often takes comfort fare such as meat sauce and adds turkey instead of beef for a healthy twist.

Andre Santelli, foodservice director for the Weston (Conn.) Public Schools, offers a favorite—macaroni and cheese—with whole-grain macaroni and low-fat cheese and adds in roasted mushrooms or vegetables. His students also love a mashed potato bowl with a lean protein choice and gravies.

Like those dishes, Salahie adds, many other ethnic items are one-bowl dishes with whole grains and vegetables.

Today’s students, Santelli points out, are “up to speed with eating healthier and are eating more whole grains, fruits and vegetables. They’ve incorporated those foods into their daily lives. We try to make our food healthier, seasoned the right way and not processed.”

Salahie attributes the growing understanding of the need to eat healthier to “all the information on the Food Network, the Internet and in the media.” The goal is to have Environments  in all Chartwell’s school accounts. “It’s still relatively new. Presentation also plays a role in promoting it because the kids today eat with their eyes.”

Today, says Salahie, comfort foods have changed. They are becoming more international such as Tex-Mex or Mexican. Santelli agrees, noting that lo mein and taco bowls are popular at Weston.



View original article here
Comfort Foods with a Twist at Philadelphia University and Wheeling Jesuit University
FoodService Director Magazine

Ask anyone to define comfort foods and the answer will vary widely. For Gerald Hunter, executive chef at Philadelphia University, a Parkhurst Dining Services account, it’s a no-brainer: Philadelphia cheese steak tops the list of comfort foods that students love.

“Student tastes are much more educated today. We have a lot more sophisticated palates now, but they love their comfort foods.”

Everyday favorites: Comfort foods are staples, he says. “They’re usually something your mom made that you loved when you were growing up. The Philly cheese steak is a staple and we serve it in both our retail outlet and on the board plan. It’s made in house and served on rolls with American or provolone cheeses and fried onions. We also make the South Philly variation with cheese sauce. They’re very popular. When you eat them, you’re hooked for life.”

Comfort foods are usually warm and hearty like meatloaf and mashed potatoes or chicken Parmesan and pasta, chowders and chili. Hunter looks at them as “a sort of soul food. You put your love and heart into them.”

At Mason General Hospital in Shelton, Wash., Director of Culinary and Nutrition Services John Cruse Jr. runs comfort foods year-round on the patient room service menus. He offers patients an all-day breakfast option because “breakfast is comfort food and they’re easier on the stomach.”

Alison Negrin, executive chef for John Muir Health in Concord and Walnut Creek, Calif., tries to put a healthier spin on traditional “all-American types of food we ate as children,” making macaroni and cheeses with low-fat milk and using whole-grain pasta, vegetables and sharp cheddar. She substitutes ground turkey for beef in meatloaf and uses grass-fed beef for pot roast, served in smaller portions with more emphasis on vegetables. Grilled cheese comes on whole-grain bread with artisan cheese, and chicken pot pie is made with free-range chicken, organic veggies and low-fat béchamel sauce, with “maybe a whole-wheat phyllo for the crust.”

Nathalie Jordan, dietary manager at JJP VA Medical Center in The Bronx, N.Y., also uses whole-wheat pasta and low-calorie cheeses for macaroni and cheese. “We revised our chili to chicken chili and brought in chefs to explore ways to be healthier.”

At Fairview Hospital in Great Barrington, Mass., Foodservice Director Roger Knysh designed the room service menu around comfort foods such as roast chicken with natural gravy and a low-sugar version of apple pie.

“The majority of our patients like foods they grew up with,” Knysh says. “We give them chicken noodle and beef barley soups, meatloaf and, at breakfast, French toast with warm syrup.”

Beau Dittmar, executive chef at Wheeling Jesuit University in Wheeling, W.Va., finds classic lasagna is “really big” with students who also enjoy shepherd’s pie, tuna melts and grilled cheese. “We like to keep them happy and give them what their moms made.” He offers pork roast with mashed potato and gravy, turkey pot pie and fried chicken to the 700 students on the board plan.

Comfort as nutrition: Last year, Chartwell’s introduced a new program focusing on comfort foods and international flavors into its customized Environments program. “We see comfort foods as a vehicle and opportunity to give good nutrition to K-12 students in a format they love,” says Kim Salahie, director of culinary development. “This lets us use a lot of vegetables and whole-grain pastas.” The program, he adds, often takes comfort fare such as meat sauce and adds turkey instead of beef for a healthy twist.

Andre Santelli, foodservice director for the Weston (Conn.) Public Schools, offers a favorite—macaroni and cheese—with whole-grain macaroni and low-fat cheese and adds in roasted mushrooms or vegetables. His students also love a mashed potato bowl with a lean protein choice and gravies.

Like those dishes, Salahie adds, many other ethnic items are one-bowl dishes with whole grains and vegetables.

Today’s students, Santelli points out, are “up to speed with eating healthier and are eating more whole grains, fruits and vegetables. They’ve incorporated those foods into their daily lives. We try to make our food healthier, seasoned the right way and not processed.”

Salahie attributes the growing understanding of the need to eat healthier to “all the information on the Food Network, the Internet and in the media.” The goal is to have Environments  in all Chartwell’s school accounts. “It’s still relatively new. Presentation also plays a role in promoting it because the kids today eat with their eyes.”

Today, says Salahie, comfort foods have changed. They are becoming more international such as Tex-Mex or Mexican. Santelli agrees, noting that lo mein and taco bowls are popular at Weston.



View original article here