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“Hospital meals” has lengthy been synonymous with packaged, ultraprocessed meals — even supposing hospitals are supposed to promote therapeutic.
In an unique interview with Fox Information Digital on the Nice American State Honest in Washington, D.C., Michelin Star chef Geoffrey Zakarian shared his initiative to enhance what’s served in U.S. hospitals, following the idea that “food is medicine.”
For the final three years, Zakarian mentioned he’s been engaged on altering hospital meals — most notably at Tampa Common, which is a $4 billion nonprofit, 1,000-bed public hospital.
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On Thursday, July 16, Tampa Common Hospital CEO John Couris signed the “Make Hospital Meals More healthy” pledge throughout a information convention attended by Well being and Human Companies (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., U.S. Division of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Brooke Rollins and Zakarian.
Michelin star chef Geoffrey Zakarian sat down with Fox Information Digital on the Nice American State Honest in Washington, D.C., on July 6, 2026. (Angelica Stabile/Fox Information Digital)
The pledge commits the hospital to serving extra nutritious, minimally processed meals to sufferers, constructing on Zakarian’s menu overhaul.
“We’ve modified all the menu,” the superstar chef informed Fox Information Digital. “We have taken all seed oils out, sugar, maltodextrin. Something dangerous in a field is gone. Something good is introduced in.”
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“We’re serving mac and cheese. We’re serving hanger steak and fries. We’re serving rooster with couscous. We do all our protein shakes. No protein shakes within the field anymore. We do fruit shakes, smoothies, recent sorbet,” the chef listed. “So, you are consuming like your grandmother’s cooking for you.”
CMS Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz has additionally supported Zakarian on this mission, telling Fox Information Digital that the chef has “revolutionized our pondering” round hospital meals.
Michelin star chef Geoffrey Zakarian and CMS Administrator Dr. Oz spoke with Fox Information Digital on the Nice American State Honest in Washington, D.C., on July 6, 2026. (Angelica Stabile/Fox Information Digital)
“How can we get the hospitals to do what [Zakarian] has been doing the frontier work on, get them to truly embrace meals as a part of the healing process?” he questioned. “As a result of most sufferers, and most docs, know that the meals within the hospital just isn’t going to make you higher.”
Oz famous that whereas hospital meals could present some vitamins, it’s typically not seen as contributing meaningfully to sufferers’ restoration.
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The largest problem to getting higher meals into hospital systems has been price, Zakarian identified.
Whereas “all the pieces is fractionalized,” what’s left over after paying for provides is put towards meals, which typically “ain’t a lot,” he mentioned.
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“It is, like, $3.50 an individual per plate, which is an awfully small quantity,” the chef mentioned. “You go to McDonald’s and also you spend 12 bucks for a contented meal, and we offer you $3.50 in a hospital. In order that’s an sad meal so far as I am involved.”
As an alternative of charging hospitals for every plate served, Zakarian’s method depends on a flat annual price, saving cash by means of a smaller, higher-quality menu.
Tampa Common Hospital (not pictured) labored with a chef to revamp its menu and make it extra nutritious. (iStock)
“Yummy meals, not simply meals to fill folks up,” he mentioned. “Nutritious food, bioavailable meals, meals that is satiating.”
“I am cooking like I’d prepare dinner in a restaurant. I am cooking like my mom cooked for me. There is no distinction.”
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The chef continued, “Once you’re mendacity in mattress in a hospital robe, you are feeling alone, you are feeling uncovered, you are feeling sick … When you could have a recent protein shake or a recent wholesome smoothie, or you may order steak frites … that [makes] your day.”
Freelance author Teresa Mull contributed to this report.
