Hospital Menus: Key Ingredients in Cancer Treatment Chef helps patient care team fuel the fight against cancer at Cancer Treatment Centers of America
Learn More About This Topic: Chat with Us | Email Us
Philadelphia (January 23, 2009) - The quality and taste of food, its tolerability and caloric count are just a few areas Certified Master Chef Jack Shoop considers when preparing menus at Cancer Treatment Centers of America (CTCA), a network of hospitals providing a fully integrated model of cancer care that combines conventional medical treatments with complementary therapies to treat the whole person.
Changes in taste and smell, nausea, vomiting, malabsorption, anorexia and fatigue represent several nutritional problems experienced by individuals battling cancer. Malnutrition and accompanied weight loss are linked to adverse outcomes, including increased mortality and decreased quality of life. Additionally, cachexia, a progressive condition which develops in some patients who have difficulty metabolizing nutrients because of the disease, is estimated to be the immediate cause of death in 20 to 40 percent of cancer patients, according to the National Cancer Institute.
“Many people don’t realize how the process of eating can be a serious hurdle for cancer patients,” said Shoop, one of only 60 certified master chefs in the country. “Our goal is to prepare food that is appropriate for each patient’s dietary needs and provide nutritional fuel that promotes strength and healing.”
Shoop joined CTCA in Philadelphia as executive chef in a quest to create menu options that meet the individual dietary needs of patients and redefine the hospital dining experience. Throughout the culinary veteran’s distinguished career as a chef, educator and restaurateur, he has emphasized the benefits of healthy eating. Shoop is now part of an integrated patient care team – featuring physicians, nutritionists, culinary professionals and other cancer experts – that stresses the critical role of proactive nutritional care in preventing or reducing some side effects associated with cancer treatment.
Shoop works in conjunction with licensed nutritionists and physicians to help patients find foods they can tolerate, keep them strong enough to prevent interruptions in treatment and manage side effects. Proper food choices can also help patients recuperate faster after treatment, boost strength and energy, and improve quality of life. He insists on fresh ingredients, including many organic fruits and vegetables and naturally-fed meats from local butchers and trusted food suppliers; applies healthy cooking techniques to turn even the richest comfort foods into wholesome, satisfying dishes; and caters to the individual dietary needs of patients with diabetes, food allergies and other conditions.
“The importance of nutrition throughout a cancer patient’s journey is well documented, but often understated,” said Chief of Staff at CTCA in Philadelphia Steven Standiford, MD. “At CTCA, nutrition is an integral part of our treatment arsenal. Jack believes in our whole-person model and brings creativity and compassion to the culinary helm. He helps our patients meet their nutritional needs, and also helps restore the joy in eating that cancer so often tries to steal from a person fighting the disease.”
In addition to the food itself, Shoop and CTCA place a premium on personalized service and efficiency. Food service is available to patients and caregivers all day either in the facility’s cafeteria, where guests receive top service by the maitre‘d on the dining room floor, or in the hospital, where servers deliver custom-made orders directly to infusion and in-patient rooms.
Originally from Philadelphia, Shoop grew up working at a local butcher shop in Center City. He went on to graduate with honors from the renowned Culinary Institute of America in New York, where he later returned to serve as an instructor. In February 1989, Shoop was honored with the culinary industry’s highest award, becoming one of just 15 Americans to earn designation as a certified master chef. Since then he has owned and operated several four-star establishments across the southern United States and received certifications in nutrition and culinary education. At CTCA, Shoop will oversee and rejuvenate the culinary operation, develop and prepare recipes, educate patients and caregivers on proper menu choices, and lead cooking classes at the hospital, among other initiatives.
Originally from Philadelphia, Shoop grew up working at a local butcher shop in Center City. He went on to graduate with honors from the renowned Culinary Institute of America in New York, where he later returned to serve as an instructor. In February 1989, Shoop was honored with the culinary industry’s highest award, becoming one of just 15 Americans to earn designation as a certified master chef. Since then he has owned and operated several four-star establishments across the southern United States and received certifications in nutrition and culinary education. At CTCA, Shoop will oversee and rejuvenate the culinary operation, develop and prepare recipes, educate patients and caregivers on proper menu choices, and lead cooking classes at the hospital, among other initiatives.
###
About Cancer Treatment Centers of America
Cancer Treatment Centers of America (CTCA) is a national network of hospitals providing a comprehensive, fully integrative approach to cancer treatment. CTCA serves patients with advanced cancer from all 50 states at facilities located in suburban Chicago, Philadelphia, Tulsa and suburban Phoenix. For more information about Cancer Treatment Centers of America, go to cancercenter.com.
