KCH Dietary Department Welcomes Chef Sam Choy

The Kona Community Hospital (KCH) dietary department welcomed Chef Sam Choy to its inaugural guest chef event. The occasion, held on Wednesday, April 24, 2019, was in celebration of KCH’s healthy dietary initiative ‘Ai Pono, Ho‘omaka ana—Eat Healthy, New Beginnings.

Sam Choy shows off Loco Moco Kona Style and Vegetable Adobo on April 24, 2019. Courtesy photo.

Chef Choy’s award-winning cuisine represents the ideals of KCH’s dietary initiative: fresh, local dishes influenced by the land and people of Hawai‘i. Chef Choy and the KCH cafeteria staff prepared Loco Moco Kona Style and plant-based Vegetable Adobo.

Meals featured fresh, locally grown ingredients and were served to hospital staff and visitors through Ginger Café. Patients on standard diets were also offered their choice of the special entrees.

KCH Dietary Staff. Courtesy photo.

In March, after six months of working with Beyond Green Sustainable Food Partners to improve the cafeteria program, the KCH cafeteria achieved several milestones. Twenty-five percent of the food served to hospital staff and patients was sourced from local farms through the addition of new local food vendors such as Adaptations, Fresh Island Fish, Hawai‘i ‘Ulu Cooperative and long time vendor, Cal-Kona.

Additionally, the cafeteria launched a new grab-and-go scratch-cooked breakfast menu resulting in an
increase in participation of 103%.

The daily offering of scratch cooked healthy meals continued to gain support with hospital staff choosing vegan meals for the first time in their life and asking for recipes to make the dishes at home.

Sam Choy and Amber Martin prepping veggies for Vegetable Adobo on April 24, 2019. Courtesy photo.

“Chef Choy’s recipes were delicious,”, said Judy Donovan, marketing and strategic planning director at Kona Community Hospital. “He was amazing in the kitchen and charming with staff and visitors. This event was truly a celebration to recognize the achievements of the entire dietary department.”