MHSC café has new leadership

Remodel and new offerings are planned

The café at Memorial Hospital of Sweetwater County has some changes on the horizon, along with new leadership.

Robert Adams is the hospital’s new Dining Services Director. Unidine, the hospital’s contracted food service provider, also has hired Ben Freeman as the new Chef Manager.

“Rob is an accomplished executive chef with over 30 years of culinary experience,” said Chief Clinical Officer Kari Quickenden. “We are excited to welcome Rob to his new role and look forward to the innovative changes and leadership he will bring to the department.”

Adams said he first came to Sweetwater Memorial because he was “looking for an opportunity to use my skills to help in a healing manner.

“I find serving caregivers and patients rewarding,” he said. “My favorite part of the job is having an opportunity to interact with patients to make sure their needs are being met.”

There are big changes coming to the café, said Adams, who oversees a staff of 21.

“We’re planning a full remodel and plan to add a deli station where we can serve sandwiches, paninis and pizzas on a daily basis,” he said.

Another change is the addition of new Chef Manager Ben Freeman, who previously worked as the executive chef at Western Wyoming Community College for five years. He’s been in the food service industry for 30 years, including 26 years as a trained chef.

“I kind of just fell into the culinary world.,” Freeman said. “I was going to college in Iowa to be an architect. In order to pay for college, I took a job at a golf resort. The chef took a liking to my work and trained me as a garde manger and saucier. I continued my education in the culinary arts and obtained my International Executive Chef Accreditation.”

He now specializes in French and Italian foods, and also in gluten free and allergy free cooking.

The MHSC café serves meals daily: Breakfast from 8 to 9:30 a.m., lunch from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., and dinner from 5-6 p.m.