Two Intermountain Health chefs are finalists in a national competition of healthcare and senior dining chefs hosted by the Association for Healthcare Food Services.
(PRUnderground) July 7th, 2025
Two executive chefs from Intermountain Health have been named as one of five finalist teams in the U.S. to qualify for a national culinary competition of healthcare and senior dining chefs hosted by the Association for Healthcare Food Services (AHF) and held in New Orleans Aug. 21-23.
The annual competition highlights the best chefs in healthcare and senior dining facilities who are re-defining the industry with their self-operated culinary services that design and create their meals in-house rather than contracting with a food service company.
Intermountain Health’s Executive Chef Roberto Rodriguez, based in Salt Lake City, and Executive Chef Joseph Westley, based near Denver, will represent Intermountain Health during the live competition.
Finalist teams were selected from a record-breaking number of submissions across the country through a blind review process and were evaluated by industry leaders using a standardized scoring rubric based on the official competition rules. Criteria include strict adherence to nutritional and cost guidelines, as well as recipe quality, technical skill, and culinary innovation.
To qualify, each team selected ingredients from two curated market baskets and turned them into a delicious, nutritious dish that costs less than $2 and has reduced sodium, fat, and calorie levels. The goal is to impress the judges with not only taste and flavors, but also with a variety of colors, textures, and artistic presentation.
The dish prepared by the Intermountain executive chefs includes recipes for Pan-fried Andouille Crab Cakes, Pecan Sweet Potato Mash, Eggplant Dirty Rice with Red Bean Sauce and Remoulade Sauce, topped with an Okra Relish.
“My inspiration for the dish was my previous trips to New Orleans, one of my favorite cities in the world,” said Chef Rodriguez. “I wanted to put as much of the heart of New Orleans cuisine on one plate as possible. I tried to incorporate different components of the traditional dishes the area is known for such as red beans and rice, dirty rice, and crab cakes.”
“To bring the dish to life, we used a variety of classic cooking techniques including sautéing, boiling, pan-searing, puréeing, and emulsifying,” he added.
“This dish will not only make you excited, but it will also make your taste buds excited,” said Chef Westley. “The competition is done in pairs because two sets of hands are better than one in the kitchen. This allows chefs to divide up the workload so we can focus on quality and sanitation.”
The two chefs came together in Utah recently to practice their dishes. The details of the recipes will be available from Intermountain Health and AHF after the competition in August.
Intermountain Health is a nonprofit system that serves approximately 35,000 meals daily to patients, caregivers, and visitors. Intermountain’s culinary services staff includes more than 1,600 caregivers supporting guests and communities at health facilities in the Intermountain West.
Intermountain Health’s culinary philosophy is rooted in the belief that food is a vital part of healing, well-being, and community. Intermountain chefs and culinary service staff aim to deliver meals that are not only nutritious and safe but also comforting and culturally attuned to the diverse populations of patients, caregivers, and guests we serve.
Intermountain Health’s culinary goal is to create a dining experience that supports recovery, energizes staff, and fosters a welcoming environment. This commitment is reflected in a focus on culinary innovation, minimally manipulated ingredients, sustainability, and service excellence—ensuring every plate contributes to our mission of helping people live the healthiest lives possible.
For more information about culinary career opportunities at Intermountain Health click here.
NOTE TO MEDIA: Images and video available upon request.
About Intermountain Health
Headquartered in Utah with locations in six states and additional operations across the western U.S., Intermountain Health is a nonprofit system of 33 hospitals, approximately 400 clinics, medical groups with some 4,600 employed physicians and advanced care providers, a health plans division called Select Health with more than one million members, and other health services. Helping people live the healthiest lives possible, Intermountain is committed to improving community health and is widely recognized as a leader in transforming healthcare by using evidence-based best practices to consistently deliver high-quality outcomes at sustainable costs. For up-to-date information and announcements, please see the Intermountain Health newsroom at https://intermountainhealthcare.org/news.
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