Infuse Infuse 2 December 2017 | Page 14

When Virgin first came to me, they
wanted to make a difference in the
customer experience. My goal is still the
same – to give the customer a restaurant
experience in the sky. Every day we’re
getting closer and closer to that.
fresh herbs. That’s not expensive, and
not a lot of labour to prepare. When we
do food for airlines and ships, we’ve got
to make a profit and be creative, as well.
I don’t think it’s dissimilar.
What role do you think dietitians can
play in the foodservice restaurant
space?
There are limitations in how we do the
food preparation, but I love a challenge
– a challenge is good and keeps things
exciting. It comes back to using the best
fresh ingredients, cooked well and kept
uncomplicated.
Everyone is looking for the healthier
option, the cleaner option. Dietitians
have a big role there: educating people
on how to eat well, and to eat clean, and
healthy and sustainable.
Looking at the hospital setting, how can
dietitians balance our desire to surprise
and delight our patients and residents,
and serve them nourishing food, with
costs and staff pressures?
We do a lot with TAFE colleges, and with
young chefs and people in the industry.
There is a lack of education on healthy
eating.
My mother is in hospital in Melbourne;
she’s a great cook, and rings me every
day, and says, “Can’t you do something
with hospital food?” And I explain, “Well,
there’s costs…it does come down to
dollars and cents.”
My colleagues, like Jamie Oliver, are
doing a brilliant job on education.
We’ve got to get kids to eat fresh – and
understand fresh food. That’s really
important.
To keep up with Luke’s latest adventures,
visit www.lukemangan.com
In a restaurant, you want to use the best
ingredients you can, and keep meals
simple. I’m constantly telling my team to
use the best and the freshest – but don’t
complicate it with so many flavours and
ingredients, which costs more as well.
LEARN MORE:
Follow Luke online (click the link):
facebook.com/LukeWMangan
Hospitals can be innovative and creative,
too. A hospital could do fresh steamed
salmon with green beans and a lovely
dressing of olive oil, tomato, capers and
© Dietitian Connection
Twitter @LukeMangan
@LukeWMangan
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Infuse | December 2017