Methodist McKinney Chef Earns ACF Certification

MCKINNEY, Texas, Jan. 27, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Jeffery Barnes, Chef Director of Food and Nutrition Services at Methodist McKinney Hospital, recently earned his Executive Chef Certification through the American Culinary Federation after successful completion of the organization's written and practical exams. While this accomplishment distinguishes Barnes from others in his field, it also speaks highly of the exceptional food service offered at Methodist McKinney Hospital, which focuses on well-crafted, nutritious meals, prepared by trained and certified chefs.

"Having someone like Chef Barnes at the helm in our hospital's kitchen has shown people that 'hospital food' has evolved greatly beyond its stereotypes as boring or tasteless," said Joe Minissale, president of Methodist McKinney Hospital. "Everyone in our kitchen is a well-trained chef with a culinary degree, and they recognize that the quality of their food is a direct reflection on us. Plus they're not limited to a set menu; our chefs take patient orders themselves, and if they have the ingredients in the kitchen to satisfy a special request, they'll do it."

Chef Barnes is employed through Morrison Healthcare Food Service, whose standards of excellence in providing food service at Methodist McKinney have exceeded and elevated the culinary expectations of both patients and caregivers. Morrison has worked side-by-side with hospital leadership to continue to expand the menu offerings and improve the patient and guest dining experience since the hospital opened in 2010.

A graduate of the Johnson and Whales Culinary Program in Denver, CO, Chef Barnes was named Chef Director at Methodist McKinney Hospital in August 2013. His experience includes executive chef roles in popular restaurants, 4 and 5-star resorts and spas.

"People like Chef Barnes further Morrison's progress in raising the creativity, flavor and presentation of food in a hospital setting," said Susan Thomas, regional director of operations with Morrison Healthcare. "He also has a wonderful reputation as the kind of executive chef who works 'shoulder to shoulder' with his associate chefs and is proactive in encouraging their professional growth and career advancement."

Methodist McKinney Hospital invites the public to enjoy dining at the hospital's gourmet cafe, open 7-9 am for breakfast and 11 am-1:30 pm lunch, and also take an opportunity to meet Chef Barnes and his team.

About Methodist McKinney Hospital

Methodist McKinney Hospital opened in February of 2010 and is committed to providing patient-focused inpatient and outpatient services to the residents of McKinney, TX, and surrounding communities. We offer specialized care in ENT, Gastroenterology, General Surgery, Gynecology, Internal Medicine, Neuro/Spine Surgery, Orthopaedics, Pain Management, Plastic Surgery, Primary Care, Sports Medicine, and Urology. Our facility also provides a variety of ancillary services including a 24/7 Emergency department, multi-modality imaging, full-service lab, outpatient physical therapy and sleep clinic. A focus on personal attention and compassionate care is why Methodist McKinney Hospital's patient satisfaction ratings consistently exceed state and national averages. Methodist McKinney Hospital was recently named to the DFW Top 100 Workplace list by the Dallas Morning News. Located in the beautiful Stonebridge Ranch neighborhood, our goal is to be your local community hospital. Experience a neighborly environment designed with the comfort of your family in mind. For more information, please visit www.methodistmckinneyhospital.com.

SOURCE Methodist McKinney Hospital