Concordia Café Offers Passionate Love for Good Food
By Concordia Connection Staff Writer
When you enter the Concordia Café and discover that the menu special is Falafel Tacos, Swedish Meatballs, or roasted Veg Paella, you may think you’ve mistakenly stumbled into an internationally acclaimed eating establishment instead of our very own hospital dining spot.
This is a logical mistake, considering that the Concordia Café Chef and culinary mastermind, Phil Chudy, pours his passion and creativity into each and every freshly made, in-house meal that the Café produces.
From his traditional take on Coconut Curry Dahl, to his fresh interpretation of a citrus pulled pork poutine, Phil regularly comes up with unique dishes that originate from his love of food and community.
Phil’s career began as a woodworker, but the demand for these skills waned during the winter months, propelling him to secure employment as a kitchen dishwasher. Humble beginnings, yes, but this is where he discovered his love of food as he moved from washing dishes, to food prep, and beyond.
Phil’s vision for the Café was birthed from observations made during his Dad’s hospital stay, “whenever we would visit him he would always say that there was nowhere to go, especially when there was bad weather”.
When Phil accepted the position as Concordia Café Chef Manager, he felt tasked to create a, “welcoming place which would be a bright spot for all”.
This friendly atmosphere, and the selection and quality of food, soon made a difference to all those who entered its’ doors. Phil credits his staff for helping to maintain this environment.
“I’ve got a good crew of people here. They are rock stars and I’d be lost without them.”
Phil is in his 13th year in the food industry, over a year of that at Compass which he said is, “probably the most favorite job that I’ve had”.
He is constantly working to improve his menu and always welcomes new food suggestions. His plans are to create a bigger selection so people don’t have the same thing all the time, making for a very bright and tasty future for our Café.
The Concordia Foundation is pleased to work with Compass (Eurest)Food Services to provide food and drink for staff and visitors at Concordia Hospital. There is also the Compass Marketplace that operates 24/7 with coffee, drinks and fresh food available in the downstairs café as well as in the lobby of the hospital
