Hospital meals in our beautiful country are often the subject of ridicule on social media, as they best illustrate the shortcomings of the domestic healthcare system. Admittedly, no one expects hospitals to offer restaurant-quality meals, but many complain that the dishes barely meet the nutritional minimum.
However, this is not the case for patients at the Belgian hospital AZ Groeninge, which has become the first healthcare institution to receive official recognition from the gastronomic guide Gault&Millau for food quality.
As reported by Reuters, Marc Declerck, the executive director of Gault & Millau Benelux, stated that they have been collaborating with companies and retirement homes for meals served to employees and residents for the past ten years.
Top Quality
The mentioned hospital invited experts from Gault&Millau to evaluate their food and help them improve their dishes, especially fish and sauces. The team from the guide determined that the food is of high standard, and Declerck stated that he would serve some dishes to his family.
As he advises, hospitals should work with quality ingredients and stick to simple recipes. Patients simply do not want complicated dishes; they want to eat healthily and deliciously.
Meals prepared for patients will not be included in the annual restaurant guide, but they are officially certified by Gault & Millau for 2023.
Moreover, AZ Groeninge hospital is one of the largest hospital complexes in Belgium, formed by the merger of four hospitals in the city of Kortrijk. The complex has a non-profit status and is of a public-private nature, managed by the city of Kortrijk and the administration of former Catholic hospitals.
