Health Pro: Chef serves up comfort at Rockledge Regional
Wayne T. Price
Q: Why I got into this career?
A: I have always had a passion for food and have felt natural in the kitchen.
Q: What service I provide?
A: Delicious and nutritious food for the patients. Catering requests for all events that are held at the hospital whether it is a small patient experience luncheon or large events such as Paint the Night Red.
Q: What makes this area fulfilling for me?
A: At the end of the day, I know I am assisting in the healing process. Food is medicine. It contains the nutrients to help patients heal when it’s prepared properly and in correct portions.
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Q: When did I realize that it was the right career path for me?
A: When I was working at the Mayo Clinic, a gentleman came up to me with a tear in his eye, shook my hand and said, “Thank you.” He told me that his son was in the Mayo Clinic battling cancer and that the only thing he looked forward to was the food, which put a smile on his face. That’s when I knew I made the right decision on my career. As culinary professionals, we were able to put a smile on that boy’s face and make him happy for a brief period of time. That’s the power of food.
Q: What’s the latest advancement in my field?
A: Webtrition is a computer program developed by Compass. Its recipes are tested by chefs and certified dietitians to make sure they are healthy and meet people’s nutritional and dietary needs.
Q: Best advice I can give for current and potential patients.
A: Hospital food is not what it used to be. Food-service specialists such as Morrison Healthcare are making a huge impact on the way hospital food, tastes and looks – and it’s just going to get better.
Have an idea for the Know Your Health Professional, contact Wayne T. Price at 321-242-3658 or wprice@floridatoday.com.
Get to know your health pro
Name: Stephen Scheck, Executive Chef
Where am I based: Rockledge Regional Medical Center, 110 Longwood Ave., Rockledge, FL 32955
Education: Orange-Ulster Vocational School (N.Y.) (culinary arts); Johnson & Wales University, associates degree in culinary arts.
Professional background: During my college years, I worked in Marriott Hotels, then for a catering company in Central Valley, N.Y. In 2004, I started working for Compass Group doing corporate dinning. I later transferred to Morrison Healthcare when I made the move to Florida after 38 years in New York. I traveled for a year going to numerous hospitals – the various Mayo Clinics and other systems – to either open up a new account or help a struggling account.