Phoenix, AZ (June 3, 2025) – When you think of gourmet meals, a hospital might not be the first place that comes to mind. But for Steve Anderson, head chef at The CORE Institute Specialty Hospital (CISH) in downtown Phoenix, delivering delicious, thoughtfully prepared meals with a touch of fine dining is part of his everyday mission. Anderson brings his culinary experience from a restaurant known for its upscale and sophisticated dining, serving meals that are more than $100 per person – Morton’s The Steakhouse.
A move to Phoenix in the late 1990’s led Anderson to land a coveted position at the Scottsdale restaurant in a short amount of time, from line cook to executive chef, overseeing a $5 million operation. People and the media began to take notice of Anderson as he was featured in publications including Phoenix New Times. But after 14 years with the restaurant, shifting ownership and the demands of a young family, Anderson was prompted to seek a new chapter in his life. So, he chose to work at CISH.
“I needed a change,” Anderson recalls. “My daughter was still a baby and the long hours weren’t sustainable anymore. I saw a job posting at the hospital and thought, ‘Why not try something different?’”
Originally from the heart of West Texas—Midland, Odessa, and Lubbock—Anderson’s journey into the culinary world began at home, inspired by his mother and rooted in the flavors of his Southern upbringing. As the youngest of seven children, Anderson learned the value of home-cooked meals early on while helping prepare food for his large family. Many of his dishes today evolved from versions of the recipes he grew up with.
His first taste of professional cooking came at just 14, in a small, family-owned restaurant. It was a humble beginning, but it sparked a passion that evolved and grew stronger. While attending Texas Tech University in Lubbock, Steve worked as a lead line cook at a local Tex-Mex restaurant and eventually helped open additional locations throughout the region before he landed his coveted position at Morton’s.
Using his sophisticated culinary background, Anderson has been able to transform the hospital dining experience at CISH. With the support of his sous chef, Ismael, Anderson leads the creation of menus that evolve with culinary trends, seasonal ingredients, and occasionally—even the team’s lunchtime cravings. The kitchen offers daily specials and house-made soups, keeping meals fresh and exciting for the hospital’s doctors, nurses and staff.
“The most rewarding part of this role is the creativity,” Anderson says. “I have the freedom to experiment, to update the menu when something isn’t working and to try new ideas. It’s all about making people happy with good food.”
Anderson’s culinary style is deeply Southern with a strong French influence, a nod to the blend of cultures that shape both cuisines. His philosophy is simple: serve the freshest food possible and make people smile.
Looking ahead, Anderson draws inspiration from travel. With upcoming trips to Southern California, New Mexico and Canada, he’s always thinking about how new experiences can spark fresh ideas for the CISH menu.
Reflecting on his journey, Anderson shares, “I’ve found that surrounding yourself with hardworking, like-minded people makes a huge difference. We’ve built a great team here at the hospital—not just in the kitchen but throughout the entire building. That’s what makes it all worth it.”
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About The CORE Institute Specialty Hospital
Our unique approach to patient care allows our physicians and staff to become experts in the most advanced orthopedic surgical procedures to ensure patients receive the best results for their conditions.
All we do is orthopedics. This singular focus means our physicians are among the best in Arizona, and with nurse-patient ratios lower than most hospitals, our staff can be more attentive and responsive to your needs. We are continually updating our technology to provide patients with the most advanced surgical techniques to address their orthopedic conditions and improve their quality of life.
The hospital is owned and managed by Healthcare Outcomes Performance Company (HOPCo), a physician-managed company focused on transforming the patient care experience and improving the practice of medicine. HOPCo uniquely manages orthopedic practices and hospital service lines across the country to enhance the experience for patients and physicians. Through management of the entire continuum of care, patients receive the right evidence-based care at the right time and in the right place. For more information, visit thecoreinstitutehospital.com.
About Healthcare Outcomes Performance Company (HOPCo)
Healthcare Outcomes Performance Company (HOPCo) is the global leader of integrated musculoskeletal value-based health outcomes management, digital analytics, practice management, and health system service line management. This includes comprehensive expertise across all MSK specialties, including orthopedics, spine, pain management, rehabilitation, neurosurgery, and neurology. HOPCo’s integrated care, analytics, and facilities development platforms have proven to increase the quality of patient care while reliably reducing the total cost of MSK care across the care continuum for practices, health systems and payors alike. HOPCo’s affiliated payors, practices and health systems successfully participate in highly efficient value-based contracting (bundled payments, population health programs, and other advanced risk-based arrangements) utilizing HOPCo’s proprietary platforms, IT solutions, digital patient-physician engagement tools, integrated analytics, advanced medical economics and standardized care pathways. Visit www.hopco.com to learn more.
Contact:
Annebeth Ahrenholz
Communications Specialist
Healthcare Outcomes Performance Company (HOPCo)
Annebeth.ahrenholz@hopco.com
Annebeth Ahrenholz is a communications specialist
at Healthcare Outcomes Performance Company (HOPCo) where she leads content development and media outreach for orthopedic practices in the musculoskeletal (MSK) space. For media inquiries, please contact her at annebeth.ahrenholz@hopco.com.
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