The Chef Who Turned Hospital Food into Fine Dining — and Won Awards Doing It

Xandra Luque is the head chef of the Clínica Universidad de Navarra in Madrid. Over eight years at the helm of this special kitchen, Luque has turned her patients' food into a genuine gastronomic experience, proving that hospital food can be delicious, writes Infobae.

Before the hospital, Luque worked alongside celebrated chefs, including Mario Sandoval (two Michelin stars), and in various high-end restaurants. When the opportunity arose to head the clinic's kitchen, she didn't hesitate and agreed straight away: "I felt it was important to take care of the food served in institutions, and I wanted to change something. That's how this little adventure began."

The clinic's kitchen has no ready-made meals or tasteless pre-prepared foods. Every dish is prepared as if for a tasting menu, but strictly in accordance with the medical and nutritional requirements of the specific patient.

The role of cook or chef is always more visible in the media in the context of the restaurant business, but here it is truly vital. Here, people need to eat well. That is why it is so important to have knowledgeable people in the kitchen who are not just cooking for the sake of it, but want to learn more about healthy eating and are willing to treat every dish with the same care as if we were in a restaurant.

Xandra Luque

Over eight years, Luque and her team have created around 1,000 different dishes suitable for all patients. Among them is a Russian salad that received an award and beat dishes from the city's finest restaurants. "The key is natural ingredients, nothing is disguised, cooking dishes according to our grandmothers' recipes, and then presenting them with attention to every detail, so that the patient is captivated by the appearance and aroma," says Luque.

The chef shares the methods that help transform restaurant recipes and make them suitable for patients. First, if a person cannot consume salt, it is replaced with other spices. Second, the cooks select alternative products without losing flavour. The hospital kitchen also frequently uses the sous vide method — cooking food in a vacuum at low temperatures. "Using this technique, we improve the digestibility of food for patients, softening the fibres of meat and fish for those who have difficulty chewing," Luque explains.

Luque pays particular attention to children: "There are children in the process of cancer treatment who ask for cod with tomato — the way mum makes it." In such cases, she is not afraid to turn to familiar tastes and memories. In addition, the kitchen makes desserts sweetened with dates, apple, or sweet potato — "so that they still look appealing and remain food for children."

Luque acknowledges that a stew won't cure an illness, but people "greatly appreciate the feeling of having been thought of as an individual."

"Here you understand what power cooks hold and what magic can be created with a tray. People need one thing — for the food to taste good, for it to be clear that you didn't just think about some room number, but that you are here to take care of them through food," she concludes.