×

The Changed Plate serving up food, healthy lessons at Belpre hospital campus

Photo by Brett Dunlap Chef Peter Valkenberg puts out food as Patricia and Ron Richmond of Little Hocking look on Thursday evening at the opening of The Changed Plate at the Memorial Belpre Medical Campus at 803 Farson St.

BELPRE — A new dining experience in Belpre will help play a role in the nutrition and health of patients at the Belpre Campus of the Memorial Health System.

Local elected officials, business officials and the public gathered for the opening of The Changed Plate at the Belpre Medical Campus in the building at 803 Farson St. on Thursday. Officials held a ribbon-cutting ceremony.

The restaurant is located in the complex’s newest building alongside the Diabetes Education Center, the Endocrine Center, therapy services and an extension of the center’s wellness center. People got to try samplings of food.

The Changed Plate will be offering breakfast and lunch to the public as well as educational programs and cooking demonstrations for the community.

DeeAnn Gehlauf, Memorial’s vice president of business and organization development, said food is a big part of everyone’s life, whether if it is family meals at home or to maintain good health, which was the aim of this restaurant.

Photo by Brett Dunlap Mark Beecher of Parkersburg tries some of the offerings at the opening Thursday of The Changed Plate restaurant at the Memorial Belpre Medical Campus at 803 Farson St.

“The Changed Plate is part of our health initiative, called ‘Live Memorial Well,”‘ she said. “We know that you come to us often when you are sick or need medical care, but we want you to think of us as your partner and resource for how to live a healthy life. Food is certainly a part of that.”

The restaurant will be an example of what can be done with wholesome, nutritious food that tastes great, Gehlauf said.

“We know that food can be useful in the healing process,” she said. “We know that eating healthy can prevent disease and that is the story and the relationship we want to be able to have with you.”

In addition to the restaurant, its kitchen will also be used for cooking demonstrations for patients at first, such as oncology, cardiac and diabetic patients, and eventually the public sometime in the future.

“We are going to focus on our patients first,” Gehlauf said. “The staff will be collaborating to put those classes together and help teach our patients, the public to cook and eat healthier and the little changes we can make in our lives to be healthier every day.”

Photo by Brett Dunlap Mary Sue Hofmann of Washington selects food to try at the opening Thursday of The Changed Plate restaurant at the Memorial Belpre Medical Campus at 803 Farson St.

Mary Sue Hofmann of Washington came to see what healthy foods were being offered at The Changed Plate.

Mark Beecher of Parkersburg owns a business in Belpre, Central Van and Storage, and is involved in the business community.

“This is a new thing and I wanted to be able to find some new food,” he said. “Maybe I can be a little more healthy.”

Patricia Richmond of Little Hocking attended with her husband, Ron, who is diabetic and has had health issues lately.

“We wanted to try the food,” she said. “We also wanted to learn a little more about all of this.”

The Changed Plate will be serving two signature dishes, the Farmhouse Flatbread for breakfast and the Classic Italian Flatbread for lunch, in which 10 percent of the proceeds goes to Hunger Solutions, a community-based, collaborative plan to raise awareness and help eliminate hunger in the region. It is a partnership among Memorial, Peoples Bank, Marietta College and Bricker and Eckler Attorneys at Law.

“We wanted to come together and find a way to reduce hunger in the Mid-Ohio Valley and increase people’s access to nutritious food,” Gehlauf said. “We hope this building will become a hub for the communities we serve for health and wellness.”

Karen Waller, director of the Belpre Area Chamber of Commerce, said the new facility represents the changes people are seeing around Belpre with new business and development.

“We are excited about the growth we are seeing in this part of the area as well as our city and the valley as a whole,” she said.

Belpre Mayor Mike Lorentz talked about how developments came to Belpre when Memorial built the medical complex in Belpre.

“I couldn’t be more pleased or happier with the progress we have made in this community,” he said. “This is going to be an amazing place for us.

“Marietta Memorial has truly uplifted our community and changed the face of Belpre, Ohio, and I think for the better,” Lorentz said.

NEWSLETTER

Today's breaking news and more in your inbox

I'm interested in (please check all that apply)
Are you a paying subscriber to the newspaper? *

Starting at $4.62/week.

Subscribe Today