Culinary Services/Meals
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At Cancer Treatment Centers of America (CTCA), nutrition is a key component of our integrated approach to cancer care. Optimal nutrition allows your body to function at its best, and can improve your strength and increase energy during treatment.
Chef Roy Khoo, the executive chef at CTCA at Southeastern Regional Medical Center (Southeastern), strongly believes that food can taste great and be good for you at the same time.
Executive Chef Roy Khoo
Chef Khoo spent over 20 years as a chef in the hospitality industry, mainly with the Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company in locations like Bali, Indonesia; St. Thomas, Virgin Islands; and Atlanta. He was excited to join CTCA and make the switch to the healthcare industry, as it gave him the chance to change the perception of hospital food.
“My goal is to give patients what they want.” says Chef Khoo, who oversees the Café, Coffee Shop and stakeholder dining room at Southeastern. “We utilize organic, sustainable, natural and nitrate-free products in the meals we provide.”
Designing and creating meals for cancer patients is very personal to Chef Khoo, whose wife has undergone treatment for stomach cancer. He was disappointed with the food choices available for her during treatment at another facility, and was excited to have a chance to create meals for CTCA patients.
“The foods that are available to people fighting cancer can make a difference in how they eat and how they heal themselves,” says Chef Khoo. “I understand what it is like for a loved one to get sick, and I want to do whatever it takes to help in any way.”
Proper Nutrition that Tastes Great
In planning menus, Chef Khoo works with The Nutrition Department at Southeastern, to insure that meals provide the nutritional support patients need, while still offering a variety of tasty options.
Chef Khoo has also taken on the role of educator, in order to teach Southeastern patients how to choose the right foods and get the most out of what they eat. Daily recipes are available with nutritional information, so that patients and caregivers can continue to eat well when they return home.
With extremely high standards, Chef Khoo is adamant about the importance of organic and fresh foods. At Southeastern, about 98 to 100 percent of the food is organic, and the meats are all natural, vegetarian-fed without hormones. Additionally, much of the food comes from local Atlanta sources.
Variety is the Spice of Life
The main Café on the first floor of Southeastern features numerous different stations offering a multitude of different healthy dishes for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Members of the food service staff are always available to answer questions about meals and their nutritional value.
Dining options include a salad station, sandwich station, hot and cold food stations, pasta station, comfort food stations and a pizza station featuring a wood burning brick oven. All of the meal options are nourishing for patients and geared toward bold flavors to stimulate the appetite and address treatment side effects.
If you have a special request or if you are on a specific diet, we will make every effort to accommodate your needs.
Food can be a comfort to many during a difficult time, and Chef Khoo knows the secrets to creating great-tasting, Southern-style comfort foods that are also good for you.
Dining Atmosphere
Our dining room is bright and open and surrounded by windows, enabling you and your caregivers and/or family members to enjoy the view as you share a meal together. There are also two saltwater aquariums to help you relax while eating inside.
If you’d like to dine outside, the outdoor patio area adjacent to the dining room has a koi pond and a Wi-Fi-enabled gazebo garden.
Quick Bites
Chef Khoo also oversees the first-floor Coffee Shop, which offers Starbucks coffee, fresh fruit smoothies, fresh squeezed juices and snack bites to quench those small cravings.
Café Schedule and Rates
The Café is open from 6:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily and serves a la carte items throughout the day. You may also order meals directly to your room or to the Infusion Center if you are receiving chemotherapy.
Scheduled meal times:
- Breakfast 6:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.
- Lunch 11:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
- Dinner 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
You and your caregiver receive discounted rates on breakfast, lunch and dinner. Average costs for meals are as follows:
- $2 to $3 for breakfast
- $3 to $5 for lunch
- $3 to $5 for dinner
