A system to keep food hot after it’s delivered from the kitchen to Saint Joseph Villa should be in place by the end of April.
Members of a Food Services team who have been meeting for more than two months explained the technology being implemented to supervisors during a meeting in the dining room Wednesday afternoon.
Sisters who eat in the Villa had commented that their food was not warm enough when it arrived, said Vicki McCarthy in Food Services.
“We tested, and the temperatures were consistently below 140 degrees,” Vicki said, which is below the acceptable quality.
A team made up of Vicki, Tina Jackson, Trish Durham, J.R. Shull, Charlotte Stelmach, Director of Food Services Kathy Hancock and Staff Administrator Jean Allen began an incremental approach to change called a “kaizen,” a Japanese term that means “change to become good,” Jean said. The team went through all their processes to determine how to eliminate the problem.
The temperature on the serving line was increased slightly, and eventually heat lamps will be installed to keep fried foods warm, which are typically the most difficult, Tina said.
The move that will resolve the problem involves purchasing 48 heat bases that will keep plates warm using Smart-Therm technology from Dinex. The bases can be heated on a charger in 16 seconds, and will keep a plate that’s already warm hot for up to 45 minutes. The exterior of the base remains cool to the touch, so neither the sisters nor the kitchen staff is in danger of burns, J.R. said.
Kathy said she prefers food to stay at 155 to 160 degrees, “but anything over 140 is wonderful.”
The system is not inexpensive. The charger costs $5,500 and with 48 plates, the total will be about $8,300. The bases are expected to last nine to 10 years, Trish said. They can be washed, but cannot be put in a microwave.
Kathy believes she can have the new system in place by the end of April, but Daniel Casey will need to do some rewiring in the kitchen first.