The culinary team at Conemaugh Memorial Medical Center recently claimed another industry recognition with two recipes submitted by Executive Chef Blake Eckenrod selected as Food Management’s Best Healthcare Recipe Contest winners.

Chef Blake’s Pierogi Skillet, inspired by the flavors and traditions of western Pennsylvania, was awarded Best Regional Dish. The recipe includes pierogis, kielbasa, brussels sprouts, bacon, butter, scallion, onions, bell pepper, and shredded cheddar, and it’s a popular favorite at Crossroads Café at Conemaugh Memorial Medical Center.

In the Best Plant-based Chicken category, Chef Blake’s Indian Butter Cauliflower was selected as the winner. This vegetarian spin on traditional Indian Butter Chicken features cauliflower, garam masala, curry powder, cumin, garlic, butter, tomato paste, and cilantro. Crossroads Café regularly features plant-based meals and globally-inspired cuisine choices to serve the hospital’s internationally-diverse staff.

Chef Blake Eckenrod is a Johnstown native, and a graduate of Westmont Hilltop High School and Indiana University of Pennsylvania. He has been working in the culinary arts since age 15. Chef Blake served as Executive Sous Chef at the Holiday Inn, Harrigan’s Café and Wine Deck, and the Conference Center Downtown Johnstown before joining HHS and Conemaugh Health System in 2019. He was recently promoted to Executive Chef at Conemaugh Memorial Medical Center.

“Our goal is to provide healthy, delicious meals that fuel our hardworking personnel and deliver a first-class dining experience to our patients and guests,” said Tonya Spada-Dixon, Market Director, Food and Nutrition. “Chef Blake’s creativity and passion for creating inventive dishes and executing them to perfection is an inspiration to each of us. I am so proud to see him, and our entire team by extension, recognized with this well-deserved honor.”

The culinary team at Conemaugh Memorial Medical Center was also recently awarded the 2021 HHS Team of the Year, a recognition based on the team’s ability to exemplify HHS’ core values and their demonstration of outstanding operational performance, work ethic, and customer service.

HHS is a support service provider with over 750 customers across the globe. HHS partnered with Conemaugh Health System in 2019 to provide food services at Conemaugh Memorial Medical Center’s Main and Lee campuses and Conemaugh Miners Medical Center. Because of the success and performance results at these facilities, Conemaugh Health System expanded the partnership with HHS to include food services at Conemaugh Nason Medical Center and nutrition counseling at Conemaugh Meyersdale Medical Center in 2021.