Fresh Flavours: Peter Mac Launches New Menu for Patients
01 August 2025
Fresh Flavours and Thoughtful Nutrition: Peter Mac Launches New Menu for Patients
Peter Mac has launched a brand-new patient menu, designed to deliver both comfort and nutrition during a time when food plays a vital role in healing and wellbeing.
Developed collaboratively by Peter Mac’s Food Services, Nutrition and Speech Pathology teams, the updated menu features a wide variety of familiar favourites and nourishing options — including meals like baked meatballs, roast pumpkin and spinach gnocchi, lamb rogan josh, and vegetarian enchiladas.
The menu was designed with feedback from patients, and with a careful focus on both flavour and nourishment, taking six months to develop.
“When you’re unwell, it’s often the little things that make the biggest difference — and food is one of them,” says Peter Mac’s Food Services Dietitian, Kate Graham.
“Our role is to make sure meals not only taste good, but support people’s energy needs, treatment side effects, and recovery.”
Almost everything is cooked from scratch in the Peter Mac kitchen — from the stocks and sauces to the hearty main dishes — using fresh vegetables and quality ingredients.
Head Chef Kevin Pham says the team takes great pride in this approach.
“Food can provide a moment of comfort in someone’s day. We’ve created meals that feel like home — warming curries, bakes, pasta dishes — all made fresh and with care.”
To ensure that the meals are appealing to a wide range of tastes and cultural preferences, patients can choose from vegetarian, vegan and softer texture options, all clearly labelled on the menu.
The kitchen team has also been working closely with dietitians to adapt recipes to meet individual dietary needs, including high-protein meals and modified textures for patients experiencing side effects like mouth ulcers or difficulty swallowing.
“It’s not just about calories,” Kate adds. “It’s about making food appealing and accessible — even if someone only has a small appetite. Every mouthful counts.”
The new menu is available to all inpatients at Peter Mac’s Parkville campus and will continue to evolve with seasonal ingredients and patient feedback.
As Kevin puts it: “We’re here to support our patients in every way — and food is a big part of that story.”
Check out some of the tasty new items below.
New lunch items:
- Chicken alfredo penne
- Tuna patties
- Slow cooked meatballs
- Chicken rendang
- Lamb rogan josh
- Meatloaf
- Chicken rissoles
- Moroccan lamb stew
- Chicken tikka
- Beef ragu
New dinner items:
- Massaman beef curry
- Hungarian beef goulash
- Baked tikka fish
- Chicken Cacciatore
- Vegetarian hokkien noodles
- Vegetable & caramelised onion frittata
- Vegetable& chickpea ratatouille
- Roast pumpkin and spinach gnocchi
- Cheesy spinach quiche
- Chickpea & corn fritter
- Creamy pumpkin & cheese ravioli
- Fish lemon butter sauce
- Chicken mushroom pie
- Mongolian beef
- Sweet sour chicken
- Baked fish tomato & basil sauce
- Spinach & fetta filo parcel
- Pesto penne
- Mushroom leek risotto
- Tofu Aloo Gobi
- Nasi Goreng
- Vegetarian enchilada
- Pumpkin & spinach lasagne