ANMC Executive Chef receives Association of Nutrition and Foodservice Professionals Innovation Award

May 7, 2018




Amy Foote, ANMC Executive Chef, was recently notified that she received the Association of Nutrition and Foodservice Professionals (ANFP) 2018 Innovation Award for her efforts and innovation in the service of traditional Alaska Native foods on the Alaska Native Health Campus.

Abigail Solazzo, ANFP Chapters and Leadership Manager, wrote in Foote’s award notification letter, “Your nomination demonstrated a wealth of meaningful accomplishments you have already achieved, along with compelling evidence to support your potential for success in leadership roles and your strong commitment to the nutrition and food service profession.”

As an award winner, Foote received complimentary registration to the ANFP Annual Conference and Expo in Orlando, Florida, this summer, where she will be recognized at the Honors Gala in front of her colleagues from across the country.

“I am humbled by this recognition and am grateful for the opportunity to share our traditional foods donation program and patient menu,” said Foote. “The ANMC Food and Nutrition Program is dedicated to healing our people through food.”

Foote started as ANMC’s Executive Chef in 2015, quickly making improvements in the kitchen and to both the ANMC inpatient and cafeteria menus. When Patient Housing at ANMC opened in January 2017, Foote also assumed operations of the on-site café. She has a passion for cooking with traditional Alaska Native foods, which not only heal our people physically, but mentally as well.

“I believe Amy’s true gift is bonding with people through food,” said Cynthia Davis, ANMC Food Services General Manager. “She listens to traditions, learns the time-honored ways, sources or harvests the ingredients herself, and then shares with our patients as she comforts them on their core level, through the traditional foods that they have been nourished with for centuries. The smiles the patients elicit are ones of pure comfort and joy, proving that traditional foods are the best medicine!”

Foote’s passion for the environment, foraging and respectfully harvesting, utilizing traditional methods, preparation and preservation is something she also shares with her children.

“We make our own everything, from moose roast to jerkies, jams, jellies, pickles, teas, lotions and salves. All from what surrounds us. Not only are we nourished by the ingredients, we are fulfilled by the time in nature harvesting them,” said Foote. “Nature and its beauty inspire me. A culture of living off the land inspires me. That was how I was raised and these methods and traditions must be honored and taught from generation to generation.”

ANMC and our people are lucky to have Chef Amy Foote at the helm of our food service operations. Please join us in congratulating her.


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