Gold Coast Private Hospital to offer delicious food for patients after chef became tired of menu

Forget jelly and stews, a Gold Coast hospital has revamped its menu to become a gourmet restaurant. Think smoked salmon sushi and rainbow buddha bowls.

FORGET jelly and stews, a Gold Coast hospital has revamped its menu to become a gourmet restaurant.

Patients at Gold Coast Private Hospital at Southport are being offered new millennial tastes of smashed avocado and bacon, rainbow budda bowls, vegan zucchini noodles and smoked salmon sushi.

For those yearning for something more traditional, there are old favourites like pork roast.

John O’Shea, the hospital hotel services manager/executive chef, has been working on the menu for more than five years after growing tired of the food served at hospitals.

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Gold Coast Private Hospital's executive chef John O'Shea created a new menu. Photo by Richard Gosling

“Honestly, it took a lot of getting used to — so I decided not to get used to it,” he said.

“Because hospital food is generally just horrible.”

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For the first few months of his revamp proposal he developed a five-year plan to phase out the old recipes.

“I just knew I couldn't stay doing that type of food, it didn’t interest me.

“The first thing I wanted to do was get rid of bangers and mash but I realised that was never going to happen because the older generations just love their comfort food.”

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Imagine this at hospital! Photo by Richard Gosling

And snacks like this. Photo by Richard Gosling

Instead Bircher muesli and granola was added to the breakfast menu.

“We have now moved the muesli with chia and blackseed on almond milk.”

Another favourite is the prawn dumplings with a cauliflower puree.

Despite the changes the kitchen still needs to meet more than 40 different diet code health needs.

“You write the menu once, and then you need to rewrite it 40-plus times to see if it suits each diet code.

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Now what to choose? Photo by Richard Gosling

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“There has always been the philosophy of most hospitals is to get one dish that sits across all categories.

“So they will take one dish and take out the flour so it becomes gluten free, take out the dairy and take out the salt. All of a sudden you have a dish that no one wants to eat.”

The hospital’s signature dish is the celebration dinner given to new mothers after birth. It includes multiple courses and cakes.

“When we opened up Gold Coast Private we wanted to do something different for the mums,” Mr O’Shea said.

“Some private hospitals give their new mums a night in a hotel, but who wants to leave the safety of the hospital when you have a new bub? We have hotel-grade chefs here so let’s bring the hotel to them.”