Salads to the Rescue

The pandemic changed everything in most workplaces, including hospitals. At Bartlett Regional Hospital (BRH), staff built virus screening areas at the entrances, ventilated rooms specifically for COVID-19 patients, and stood up a field hospital (which, thankfully, has gone unused).

Changes at the hospital cafeteria were no exception. Normally a popular community lunch stop, the Bartlett Café closed to the public. The one-time centerpiece of the cafeteria—the stalwart salad bar— disappeared overnight.

Cafeteria manager Felipe Ogoy issued his staff a challenge: “We have the time. Let’s create something better to eat, something special.” The boss was seeking something different from a vat of spaghetti sauce, ladled over mass-boiled noodles. He had in mind something more like restaurant food—appealing visually and interesting to the taste buds. “It might be a little bit more work but…”

Enter: a salad revolution. It wasn’t hard to get creative. Many cafeteria employees come to BRH from work in downtown restaurant kitchens. “They’ve been around,” says Felipe. “They have the experience.”

I thought I was seeing things the first time I came across handwritten on the cafeteria grill white board: Blackened Salmon Caesar Salad: made to order. The last time I’d had one was years ago at a local waterfront restaurant. It was my go-to favorite at the time.

With giddy anticipation, I placed my lunchtime order and was handed a receipt with a number on it. I joined a few fellow employees waiting amidst tables retrofitted with sneeze guards. Ten minutes later I received a clear plastic container, a substantial fillet of blackened sockeye salmon resting atop a bed of hand tossed romaine lettuce, glistening with just enough dressing and sprinkled with freshly grated Parmesan cheese. In the corner sat a large lemon quarter, ready for squeezing. It tasted as good as it looked. It took some self-discipline to save some for my husband at home.

“I give my staff a lot of credit. Our standards are high and they are meeting us there,” says Felipe.

As the weeks of new normal unfolded, along with steak and grilled chicken salads were creations never before seen in the cold to-go case: roasted vegetable salad. Tomato, mozzarella, and fresh basil caprese salad. Mediterranean quinoa salad power bowls. I engaged in a concerted effort to try all of them. The roasted veggies were too spicy for my mild palate, but so tasty for many of my colleagues. The quinoa power bowls are my favorite.

“I want to do more,” says Felipe. “I just need more staff.” Like many food service pockets of the country, including Juneau, Felipe is having a hard time keeping a full staff. Cafeteria workers also serve dietician designed meals to patients. During periods of high patient numbers, it’s challenging to balance serving employees and patients.

Still, the salmon salad is a keeper. For now anyway.

“It became pretty popular to the point that we can’t get out of it,” concludes Felipe. “When we open back up to the public, we may not be able to keep up, and it might go away.”

For the meantime, the cafeteria is open once again to Bartlett’s Hospital Drive neighborhood healthcare providers as well as first responders.

And the salad bar?

It’s gone for good.

Make Felipe's Quinoa Power Bowl at home!