Elaine Chu

As a registered dietitian and the Director of Food Service Transformation and Strategic Projects at Fraser Health, Elaine Chu is an Everyday Champion who advances food in health care for both people’s health and planetary health. 

Spurred on by scientific evidence which shows that the food system worldwide accounts for one-third of global greenhouse gas emissions, and that Canadian health care makes up 4.5% of the country’s carbon footprint, Elaine realized that the hospital food system is a significant lever to achieve optimal and sustainable use of resources in health care for today and in the future.

Over the years, Elaine has pioneered initiatives to reduce the carbon footprint related to hospital food systems but have also focused on enhancing patient satisfaction through thoughtfully designed, nutritious and delicious meals. By engaging staff and fostering cross-health authority collaborations, Elaine has ensured that these improvements are deeply integrated into the hospital’s culture, emphasizing respect for patient choices, safety in meal preparation, and equitable access to high-quality food options.

Elaine has demonstrated a profound passion and commitment to improving health and quality through her extensive work in food services and sustainability initiatives. Her dedication is evident in several key projects that have not only enhanced the quality of patient care but also promoted environmental sustainability.

Elaine’s leadership in the We CARE Enhanced Customer Service Pilot Project aimed to improve patient meal satisfaction and reduce food waste by offering menu Choices, providing Assistance during meal time, delivering Respectful customer service, and creating a positive eating Environment. This project reflects her commitment to advancing food in health care, aligning with the principles of quality improvement by ensuring that food services meet patients’ individual needs and preferences.

In 2022, Elaine’s passion for quality and sustainability continued with the Homemade Salad Dressing using Homegrown Herbs project, which replaced commercial dressing packets with healthier, homemade alternatives using herbs grown in the Patient Wellness Garden. This initiative not only improved the quality of food but also reduced plastic waste and encouraged greater consumption of salads, demonstrating her commitment to safety and appropriateness in patient care. Melissa LeBlanc, a dietitian in Clinical Nutrition, said: “Elaine is a passionate individual who is a champion for the environment and dedicated to making small changes that have a big impact. I’ve had the pleasure of working alongside Elaine on a planetary health initiative and Elaine is humble, funny, creative and truly an inspiration to me and to so many who work with her.”

The Eat for Our Future Food Fairs at Royal Columbian Hospital in 2022 and 2024 further highlight Elaine’s dedication to engaging health care staff and the community in sustainability. These events educated and empowered participants on sustainable food practices, emphasizing messages like “Less waste, more plant-based, and choose local wisely.” The fairs attracted over 1,500 participants and facilitated the adoption of new plant-based options for patient menus, underscoring her passion for promoting equity and accessibility in health care services.

In 2024, Elaine collaborated with a team of dietitians in Fraser Health to launch the first ever Dietitian Planetary Health Recipe Contest, to position dietitians to be the driving force to promote a sustainable food system, and to leverage their passion and skills in food to develop new plant-based options for patient menus. The recipe contest concluded with a “Taste & Vote” public event at Royal Columbian Hospital that invited hospital staff and visitors to sample the final recipes and vote for the winner. The “Taste & Vote” event was overwhelmingly popular and attracted over 400 participants – it was highly regarded as a fun, delicious, engaging and informative opportunity to learn about food and planetary health.

“Elaine is the type of leader we all hope to be,” said Sheila Finamore, Executive Director RCH & Executive Clinical Lead RCH Redevelopment. “She is passionate about improving the quality of work experience both for the providers and the communities we service. She is compelling, collaborative and kind. She brings joy into our workplace while leading innovative work. I am so fortunate to have her as a colleague.”

Elaine’s work extends beyond local initiatives. She is currently leading multi-health authority collaborations and provincial working groups to advance the “Food Strategy for People and Planet” at a systemic level through six pillars: Satisfaction, Menu, Waste, Procurement, Engagement and Measurement. Her efforts in signing hospitals onto the Coolfood Pledge demonstrate a commitment to reducing the carbon footprint of hospital food services, showcasing her dedication to long-term sustainability for people and planetary health.

“Elaine Chu’s enthusiasm and passion for improving food services is only matched by her high energy which results in completing projects of great benefit for hospital staff and patients. Her creative leadership also inspires and encourages others such as myself to continue to forge ahead in this difficult area of change and to do it with a smile and laughter. Elaine would be a very worthy recipient of this award to recognize and acknowledge all her hard work in food services to lead positive change and I am most honoured to work with her in this area through Nourish Leadership Cohort 3,” said Eileen Wong, a physician lead with Providence Health Care and Long-Term Care Quality Improvement.

Elaine Chu’s unwavering dedication to improving health and quality through innovative, sustainable, and patient-centred initiatives exemplifies her passion and commitment. Her work not only enhances the patient experience but also sets a benchmark for the health care sector in embracing environmentally responsible practices.