Hospital Food. It it time to ditch Cook Chill ?

What is Cook Chill?

Cook-Chill is a simple, controlled system of advanced food preparation designed to provide more flexibility in foodservice. The technique involves the full cooking of food, followed by rapid chilling and storage at controlled temperatures (for up to five days). This system is used in many of our Hospitals in Ireland today.

What is the controversy surrounding Cook Chill ?

The food is cooked in advanced and reheated before being served to the patient. Imagine cooking your Sunday roast the Tuesday beforehand, cooling it down, keeping it in the fridge for 5 days and reheating it on Sunday. Would it taste the same as if you cooked it fresh on the Sunday morning?

Simon Harris, Minister for Health has committed himself to improving Hospital Food. I met with his Junior Minister, Marcella Corcoran Kennedy last year and pointed out how Cook Chill may be contributing to poor hospital food.

I appreciate there will be a lot of work involved in changing to a Cook Fresh only policy throughout all Irish Hospitals. We as Catering Consultants can assist the H.S.E in planning and implementing this change. If the Minister is serious about a patient led health system, then serving food cooked fresh on the day rather than reheated food should be a priority.