Hi everyone! My name is Kelly Bianco and I am nearing the end of my food service management rotation at St. Anne’s Hospital in Fall River, Massachusetts. I’ve never worked in food service before, but I’m really enjoying seeing how a kitchen operates, especially a large-scale one in a hospital setting. Every day has been a learning experience, and I’m loving the variety of all the different tasks I’ve been able to participate in. I’ve managed the cafeteria, completed meal rounding on the floors, and worked on an employee schedule, to name a few; I’ve gotten to experience so many aspects of the department.
One of my favorite days of the internship so far was when I did my Retail Marketing and Wellness Project. Given the proximity to Thanksgiving, I thought it would be appropriate to serve a lightened-up version of a classic sweet potato casserole during lunch in the cafeteria. As customers came through the line, I was able to interact with them and give them a flyer with five tips for a healthier Thanksgiving. The response from the hospital staff and patient visitors was overwhelmingly positive. I even heard a couple people comment that they were planning on making the dish for their own families at Thanksgiving, which was the biggest compliment I could receive!
One of my favorite days of the internship so far was when I did my Retail Marketing and Wellness Project. Given the proximity to Thanksgiving, I thought it would be appropriate to serve a lightened-up version of a classic sweet potato casserole during lunch in the cafeteria. As customers came through the line, I was able to interact with them and give them a flyer with five tips for a healthier Thanksgiving. The response from the hospital staff and patient visitors was overwhelmingly positive. I even heard a couple people comment that they were planning on making the dish for their own families at Thanksgiving, which was the biggest compliment I could receive!
The project gave me a chance to interact and work with a lot of the staff, including the cooks, executive chef, administrative assistant, operations manager, cashier, printing manager, and the dietitians. When orchestrating a large project like this, preparation and communication are paramount skills to have. Showing that you’re passionate and excited about the results really gets people on board and motivated to help in any way they can. I was so pleased with the final result and felt that the day went off without a hitch!
A piece of advice that I would give my fellow interns would be to give your all in every aspect of the internship. You’re not going to love every single task you do but keep an open mind. I didn’t think I would like food service all that much, but so far, it’s been an educational and rewarding experience. I feel like it’s given me a great knowledge base of the inner workings of the kitchen, and I will be that much more prepared when I head into my clinical rotation in a couple of weeks.
A piece of advice that I would give my fellow interns would be to give your all in every aspect of the internship. You’re not going to love every single task you do but keep an open mind. I didn’t think I would like food service all that much, but so far, it’s been an educational and rewarding experience. I feel like it’s given me a great knowledge base of the inner workings of the kitchen, and I will be that much more prepared when I head into my clinical rotation in a couple of weeks.
