Serving Up a New Career

If you have ever worked as a chef in a restaurant, you may understand the difficulties that come with the industry— long hours spent in sometimes cramped kitchens, a taxing pace of work, and very few days off. For some, the fast-paced environment of a restaurant kitchen is invigorating; they crave the adrenaline. Morrison Healthcare Regional Executive Chef Gino Haznedaroglu grew tired of the lifestyle – he longed for more stability, guaranteed time off, and a career that was still driven by his passion for food and serving others. The icing on the cake would be the opportunity to witness his guests enjoying the hard work and passion he put into their meal for a change.

So, in 2017, Chef Gino finally took a leap. Where he would land, he wasn’t sure, but after 8 years in private restaurants, he was in search of something new. First things first, however, it was time for an overdue and well-deserved vacation. Just as he was heading out of town for a little rest and relaxation, he stumbled upon a job opportunity as a Traveling Sous Chef with Morrison Healthcare. He applied and soon after received a call from the head of culinary at Morrison Healthcare asking if he would be interested in interviewing for the role upon his return. He was hired on the spot.

Since the beginning of his time with Morrison Healthcare, Chef Gino has appreciated the endless opportunity to grow within the company, something he has aimed to do from the start. He loves the nonstop action and learning involved with each café. As a Traveling Sous Chef, he loved getting to meet new people and the opportunity to network and learn from them. He attributes his success to the experiences he had while getting to travel to new cafés. “Morrison Healthcare is like one big family. We’re a melting pot. Everyone is different and has something new to teach you. You just have to soak it all up,” he shared, “It’s extremely rare to find a place like this.”

Chef Gino embraces challenges and has a passion for food, which helped him grow from a Traveling Sous Chef to Regional Executive Chef. However, the one thing he loves the most is finally witnessing the fruits of his labor and seeing guests and patients enjoying his dishes.

One patient that has stood out to him, in particular, was a woman in the hospital who had just given birth and was not enjoying the food. After learning more about the patient, he discovered she was from Jamacia. One of Chef Gino’s teammates was from Jamacia and knew exactly how to help. Together they prepared special lunches and dinners for the new mom to help guarantee her experience was great. The patient was beyond appreciative to know that they had gone above and beyond just for her. It’s those Power of Food™ moments that keep Chef Gino’s passion for food and people alive.

If he could give his younger self a piece of advice, it would be to be patient; everything will fall into place when it’s time. He would like to extend a big thank you to everyone he has met along his journey so far that has helped him become the successful chef he is today. We can’t wait to see where Chef Gino’s passion takes him next at Morrison Healthcare!