NHS Grampian to lay on ‘right royal feast’ for patients

People in hospital over the Coronation weekend will still be able to mark the occasion, as NHS Grampian’s catering team lays on a gourmet meal for all in-patients.

Ruaraidh Mackinnon, Patient Catering Manager, said: “We pride ourselves on providing high quality meals, 365 days a year, but events like this are a great opportunity for our team to do something extra special. We want to ensure people still feel part of this historic occasion during their hospital stay.”

The three-course meal will be served at lunchtime on Saturday 6 May. Patients will start with Cream of Leek soup, then their choice of Chicken Balmoral, venison in a red wine and mushroom sauce, Coronation Quorn, or pâté with a caramelised onion chutney. All main courses come with the usual trimmings, before the meal rounds off with lemon posset, shortbread, and special Coronation cupcakes, donated by the NHS Grampian Charity.

Ruaraidh added: “As we do with all our menus, alternatives will be available for those patients on a Level 4 (pureed) diet, or with other special dietary requirements.”

The in-patient catering team at NHS Grampian produce 1.8 million meals every year, providing nutritious meals to people in every hospital in the region. The kitchen at ARI was one of the first hospital kitchens in the UK to achieve gluten-free accreditation in 2019 and continues to hold this accreditation. The kitchen at Royal Cornhill Hospital achieved gluten free accreditation in 2021 and we hope to be the first health board in the UK to have accreditation across the board.   

This celebration menu follows similar special events to mark Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee and the 70th anniversary of the foundation of the NHS.