How Snapchef Helped Boston Children’s Hospital Save $2.5 Million While Building a World-Class Culinary Team
The Vision
In 2016, Boston Children’s Hospital leadership—led by Shawn Goldrick—set out to redefine hospital dining with The Chef’s Playground, a first-of-its-kind, interactive, chef-driven dining experience within a hospital setting.
This wasn’t just a renovation—it was a transformation. The goal was to replace the existing servery with a dynamic, guest-facing culinary space where fresh, innovative food concepts were prepared in front of customers. But bringing this vision to life required more than just a new space—it demanded a highly trained, hospitality-focused culinary team capable of delivering an elevated dining experience.
The Challenge
The hospital needed to demolish the existing servery, upgrade kitchen equipment, and build out an entirely new Chef’s Playground space—all while keeping food service uninterrupted.
The biggest problem? Service continuity.
The original plan required a temporary servery to maintain operations during construction—a costly and labor-intensive solution estimated to cost $2.5 million.
At the same time, Boston Children’s Hospital needed to recruit, train, and retain a specialized culinary team capable of delivering a premium dining experience both during the transition and long after The Chef’s Playground opened its doors.
The Turning Point
Over dinner at Blue Ginger, one of Boston’s most iconic restaurants led by Chef Ming Tsai, Snapchef and Boston Children’s Hospital leadership reimagined the challenge. Instead of spending millions on a temporary buildout, a bold idea emerged:
“What if we launched a Boston Children’s-branded food truck and partnered with a rotation of local, chef-driven food trucks? We could keep customers engaged with high-quality, diverse food options—without the costly temporary buildout.”
This conversation also sparked early ideas around:
- Developing signature menu concepts for The Chef’s Playground
- Bringing in guest chefs and local culinary talent to enhance community engagement
- Turning a challenge into an opportunity to build excitement before launch
- Leveraging Snapchef’s expertise to create and train a dedicated team that could seamlessly transition from the temporary service model to the permanent Chef’s Playground operation
The Solution
- Invest in a Boston Children’s-branded food truck to serve hospital guests and staff
- Partner with 3-4 reputable local food trucks to rotate through service, offering fresh and exciting menu options
- Maintain high-quality dining experiences throughout construction
- Allow hospital leadership to focus on launching The Chef’s Playground without the distraction of a temporary servery buildout
- Recruit, train, and onboard 25 full-time culinary team members, ensuring they were fully prepared for both standard high-volume service and interactive guest experiences
The Impact
- $2.5 million in cost savings by eliminating the need for a temporary servery
- Seamless dining experience for guests and staff throughout construction
- Stronger community engagement through local food truck partnerships
- 25 full-time staff trained and onboarded ahead of launch, ensuring operational readiness
- Higher staff retention by keeping the same team engaged and motivated throughout the transition
This wasn’t just about maintaining service—it was about leveraging creative thinking, strategic staffing, and operational excellence to elevate the dining experience.
Why It Worked
Boston Children’s Hospital had a vision. Snapchef helped bring it to life by delivering:
- Strategic workforce planning to ensure a seamless staff transition
- Innovative problem-solving that turned a challenge into an opportunity
- Hands-on execution to recruit, train, and develop a world-class culinary team
This was more than just problem-solving over dinner—it was about leveraging Boston’s rich culinary community and reimagining hospital dining in a way that engaged staff, patients, and guests.
By thinking outside the box, Snapchef helped create a vibrant, chef-driven dining experience that saved millions, strengthened community ties, and built a talented culinary team that continues to serve at the highest level.
