Bertha, an Alaska Native elder, had traveled hundreds of miles away from her village to receive medical care. Like many patients, her first days at the hospital were jarring. She was far from the comforts of home and was facing fears that come with hospitalization. Bertha yearned for a source of comfort. To heal, she needed a connection to home that wasn’t provided by modern medicine.
While in the hospital, Bertha’s room was inundated with unfamiliar people, so it came as a surprise when, finally, something familiar came through the door. Executive Chef, Amy Foote, had prepared traditional herring eggs for Bertha and had them sent to her room. A dish that is otherwise nonexistent on a standard hospital food menu.
Upon eating her first bite of herring eggs, Bertha’s entire demeanor changed. Her tired, hardened expression gave way to a warm, rapturous smile. In a moment, she had transported back home. She was connected back to her culture. And culture heals.
That seemingly simple exchange of herring eggs led to a monumental shift in how we provide food to our native patients.
The photo of Bertha that captures this moment hangs in the kitchen’s office at ANMC and serves as the daily reminder for our mission.
At NMS, we provide food service at the Alaska Native Medical Center, which is the largest tribal-run health organization in the country. There we started the Traditional Native Foods Initiative. This innovative, sustainable program is built around the belief that traditional foods heal.
“We create our menus using about 60 percent traditional ingredients. It encourages people to go out and gather and hunt, as they normally do, and would and have for thousands of years. And then it also encourages that sharing culture and the reciprocity culture of, you know, providing for your elders and people who need care and, in the hospital, — to partake in the foods that they’re used to and help them feel comforted.” –Executive Chef Amy Foote
The traditional food program at ANMC is just one example of how NMS incorporates culture into our operations.
When you need a food service partner who can help fulfill your mission to deliver the best possible care sustainably and economically, look no further.
