Executive Chef Austin Clark of St. Luke's Hospital, Boise

Born and raised in the Midwest, Austin attended a culinary program and apprenticed for three years at the Ritz Carlton in Kansas City before moving out west to Salt Lake City. In Salt Lake, Austin took advantage of the opportunity to work and ski at some of the finest resorts in the Wasatch. Stein Eriksen Lodge in Deer Valley and Snowbird. Ultimately moving into the valley, he then went on to work for the Wyndham Hotel and Gastronomy Restaurants. After 10 years in Salt Lake, Austin came to Boise to raise his family in a smaller town. Starting to work first as the Executive Chef at the Doubletree Downtowner for three years, he then moved into health care as the Executive Chef at St. Luke’s, where he has been for the last four years.

Though to some, for a Chef to go to work in health care is akin to a culinary graveyard, Austin has taken it as an opportunity to really affect change in an area that change is much needed. Embracing his philosophy of "creative approachable food, made with the freshest ingredients", Austin has been able to attract a talented staff of culinarians from some of the areas finest restaurants. Food preparation at the hospital ranges from patient feeding to black tie catered events for hospital donors.

The customer service and variety of products available through Tri-City Meats has made Austin's job much easier. "Tri-City meat's Sales staff and Customer service staff has supplied me with the personal contact and open communication that is critical in acquiring the best products for my clients." "They have helped me and my staff take "hospital food" to an entirely new level and helped us achieve what we feel is a new paradigm in the way hospitals and health care units can feed their patients, patient's families and employees." "Thanks to Gus, Cindy, Angelo and all the Tri-city people for making it easy for me to do my job."