By Keith Purtell
When Muskogee Community Hospital was in its planning stages, a cafe and catering service were included, according to Ryan Woodward, director of food services and catering.
Now he says the catering service is really prospering and doing diverse jobs.
“I brought this idea to (President) Mark Roberts from bigger companies, and he really liked it,” he said. “It helps us get better food for the cafeteria and the cafe.”
When Woodward made the switch to Muskogee Community Hospital, he was working for another hospital. He said the kitchen is a cost service, but the catering business helps them to give back.
“There are eight people involved in the catering service,” he said. “I met Mark Roberts and Dr. Don Stevens when they were planning this out. I got to design part of the kitchen.”
The official names are the Eco Cafe and Catering by the Eco Cafe.
Executive Chef Lee Williams said the biggest catering job he’s done in his career was 4,000 people. He praised the staff in the MCH kitchen.
“We have a good team here,” he said. “You’re only as good as your team.”
Williams said he meets with his catering staff the day before a catering job so that everyone knows their function working with one type of food.
Woodward said they also like to meet with customer. They’ve done a wide variety of catering jobs.
“The response has been great,” he said. “We’ve done everything from a wedding to 250 box lunches for a breast cancer awareness event at Arrowhead Mall.”
Recently they catered a group at Camp Gruber. Woodward said he sees that and other opportunities growing quite a lot.
Williams make sure the food is high quality and not what people call “hospital food.” He has a motto that he works by.
“Only the best is good enough,” he said.
Information
For information about Catering by the Eco Cafe: 508-9222.
