Two restaurateurs and a food writer have graded Dunedin Hospital's inpatient food "tasty" and "very nice" after sampling lunch in the hospital's kitchen yesterday.
The lunch, at a table set up in the hospital's basement kitchen, was the first of what will be an event held once every three months to show hospital staff, hospitality industry people and external suppliers how the kitchen works.
The dining table was set up close to the belt so guests could observe the lunchtime service.
More than 50,000 meals were served by the kitchen's 80 staff each month, Ms Marshall said.
She hoped the lunches would be a positive initiative for both the guests and the kitchen.
"The idea is to showcase the kitchen and, if they think we can do it better in any way, we'd really like feedback.
"It is also an opportunity to get staff down here and show them what we do. Nobody comes down here - they don't even know where the kitchen is. These guys working down here, they hardly see a soul."
Dunedin chef and food writer Judith Cullen said the hospital's kitchen set-up was brilliant. She could not believe they produced so many meals in such a small cooking area.
"I'm so impressed by the efficiency, the cleanliness and the menu. What I like about it is it looks like real food, like something you'd have at home."
Guests would try new dishes for the menu, Ms Marshall said.
