Tampa General First in the Nation to Earn Joint Commission's CHEF Recognition

Program points to Tampa General’s Food is Medicine Initiative as a national model.

Tampa, FL (Oct. 21, 2026) — Tampa General Hospital (TGH) is the first health care organization in the nation to earn recognition from the Joint Commission’s Commitment to Healthy and Enticing Food (CHEF) program, which honors hospitals and care settings that integrate healthy, delicious and clinically appropriate food into their operations, culture and community engagement.

"At Tampa General, we know nutrition plays an important role in the healing process. In partnership with Chef Geoffrey Zakarian, we embarked on a journey to transform our menu and delivery model and elevate the food we serve, as well as the patient experience. Our sophisticated selection of nutrient-dense, high-quality, wholesome food is setting our patients up for the best possible outcomes and long-term success after discharge," said John Couris, president and CEO of Florida Health Sciences Center | Tampa General. "We're grateful for the prestigious recognition from Joint Commission, and we're hopeful our story will inspire others to join us."

The goal of the CHEF program is to elevate and restore the role of healthy and enticing food as a critical component of patient satisfaction, patient safety, quality improvement and overall health outcomes. CHEF aims not only to make food in healthcare settings healthier; it also emphasizes the importance of maintaining enticing dishes that people want to eat.

“I think Tampa General is a great example of showing what can be done,” said Jonathan B. Perlin, MD, PhD, president and CEO of Joint Commission. “Getting behind the notion of food is medicine through its commitment to healthy, enticing food.”

Joint Commission, the nation's oldest and largest standards-setting and accrediting body in health care, presented the recognition certificate to Melissa Golombek, executive vice president and chief operating officer at Tampa General Hospital, in Washington, D.C., during its UNIFY 2026 event. The annual gathering convenes health system CEOs, clinical executives, innovators, payers and policy leaders and aims to address critical challenges and shape the future of healthcare and patient safety.

“This recognition belongs to the team members who bring this work to life every day, and I’m grateful to The Joint Commission for continuing to push our industry to raise the bar in hospital food and beyond,” said Golombek. “At Tampa General, we often ask our team members to challenge convention and seek new approaches to complex problems. That mindset is not just one of our principles. It is part of who we are.”

Several years ago, Tampa General embarked on a journey to revolutionize hospital food service. In partnership with Chef Zakarian, TGH launched a new world-class menu inspired by the Mediterranean diet, rooted in science and crafted for flavor, balance and recovery.

By prioritizing whole foods, organic produce, and locally grown and harvested products, with no added or artificial sweeteners and no processed foods, Tampa General offers its patients a dining experience where culinary excellence meets evidence-based nutrition.

The menu is part of Tampa General’s Food is Medicine initiative, which has earned acclaim from U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Brooke Rollins and Dr. Mehmet Oz, Administrator for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS).

As one of the nation’s premier academic health systems, Tampa General Hospital is committed to delivering world-class care, from advanced medicine to the food that fuels recovery. Tampa General’s focus on patient nutrition is one example of how the academic health system is reimagining care at every level, blending cutting-edge science with whole-person healing.