Cura Hospitality’s Guest Chef Program continues to elevate the on‑site dining experience for healthcare team members, patients and visitors across Allegheny Health Network (AHN) hospitals in Pennsylvania.
Cura—part of Elior North America—launched the Guest Chef Program in 2023 across all Cura-managed hospitals and communities nationwide (150 accounts) to bring variety, engagement and a sense of occasion to onsite dining. “For AHN, it breaks up the routine of daily service, fosters collaboration among chefs across the network, and introduces new, often healthier recipes that connect to local flavors and community interests,” says Brian Marsh, Cura Hospitality vice president of operations for AHN. The program highlights top culinary talent from across the AHN system, who prepare and serve foods from this unique action station directly inside hospital cafés.
Diners Respond with Enthusiasm on Guest Chef Days
Patients and team members consistently respond with enthusiasm to the program, with participation increasing by 15–18% on Guest Chef days, as diners come specifically to experience a signature dish that isn’t typically offered on the daily menu. Examples across the AHN system include:
- AHN Allegheny Valley Hospital (Natrona Heights) recently hosted a Guest Chef event featuring a fun surprise visit from The Pirate Parrot, the mascot of MLB’s Pittsburgh Pirates. Over lunchtime, guests enjoyed a three‑course, chef‑crafted meal made with locally sourced ingredients—including foraged mushrooms, asparagus and potatoes—prepared by Cura Chefs Zach Barensfeld (AHN Allegheny General in Pittsburgh) and John Phelan (AHN Forbes in Monroeville). The highlight of the menu was a beautifully seared rainbow trout—a hometown favorite, and the perfect warmup for the area’s trout-season opener in April.
- The 2026 Guest Chef season kicked off at AHN Wexford Hospital (Wexford) with an event led by 2024 Cura Chef of the Year Booker Betts of AHN Forbes, who prepared a premium chef-crafted plate featuring hand-stuffed chicken breast topped with red pepper coulis, seared bay scallops in beurre blanc accompanied by fried risotto cakes and seared asparagus.
- From there, this systemwide culinary showcase moved to AHN Forbes Hospital on January 28, where Cura Chef Justin Fritz of AHN Canonsburg (Canonsburg) and AHN Jefferson (Jefferson Hills) delighted café guests with his crowd-pleasing smoked gouda lobster mac and cheese and hand-fried beignets. On February 11, Cura Executive Chef Charles Wise of AHN Saint Vincent (Erie) brought his winter-inspired menu of blood orange salad and scratch-made root vegetable pot pie to AHN West Penn Hospital (Pittsburgh).
- The momentum of this highly anticipated culinary program continued at AHN Allegheny General Hospital, where a vibrant Mexican‑inspired experience was led by Andrew Castillo, Cura executive chef at AHN Wexford Hospital and Dorian Settles, Cura sous chef at AHN Allegheny General. Guests enjoyed a flavorful menu featuring pork pozole, hand‑rolled taquitos, arroz con leche (scratch‑made rice pudding), and refreshing pineapple and watermelon agua fresca. The event sold 156 plates, driving strong participation and enthusiastic feedback from guests.
- Most recently, AHN Wexford Hospital—one of the newest in the AHN system—hosted a Guest Chef event on April 8th featuring Brittany Davis, a Cura sous chef at AHN West Penn. She created a kofta smash burger with fennel and orange slaw, paired with a blood orange fizz, and finished with a lemon anise olive oil cake. Guests appreciated not only the flavors but the opportunity to experience something handcrafted, personal and distinct from traditional hospital fare.
“The guest chef program at West Penn Hospital has been great across the board,” says Douglas Johnston, chief operating officer, AHN West Penn Hospital. “In general, it creates a buzz and excitement in the cafeteria, giving both employees and visitors a much-needed uplifting distraction during their day. The guest chefs themselves—be it a West Penn employee or a local business—look forward to ‘wearing the apron’ and engaging with everyone that comes through the cafeteria.
Healthy Competition Among Chefs
“The most surprising benefit of the guest chef program has been the healthy competition between the West Penn chefs for who can create the best and most unique menu,” adds Johnston. “Each month’s menu is owned by a different chef, and it has been a pleasure to watch them serve their self-crafted menu with pride—even more of a pleasure to grab a dish for lunch!”
Across AHN’s hospitals, Cura continues to deliver fresh flavors, strong engagement and meaningful business impact. “We not only enhance patient care but also create unique culinary moments in our cafés that offer guests and staff more than a brief respite—providing a welcoming place to enjoy uplifting meals, special events and a true sense of community,” sums up Cura Hospitality’s Marsh, who oversees the network’s dining at AHN.
