AdventHealth Partners with Tavern Restaurants to Promote Heart-Healthy Dining in February

January 31, 2022 — MERRIAM, Kan. – Chef-created heart-healthy dining options will be showcased at Tavern in the Village (Prairie Village) and Tavern at Mission Farms (Leawood) throughout the month of February. The restaurants are teaming up with AdventHealth in honor of American Heart Month.

Jennifer Le Blanc, head chef for Tavern in the Village, has created a unique dish that is heart-healthy – low in saturated fat, sodium and other ingredients that are known to increase the risk of heart disease. For each heart-healthy dish enjoyed by diners in February, Tavern will donate 10 percent of proceeds to the AdventHealth Heart & Vascular Center to support various cardiac programs throughout the community.

“We love helping our patients and the community see that healthy and delicious can go together,” said Vickie Franck, Executive Director of AdventHealth Shawnee Mission Heart & Vascular Services. “This restaurant partnership helps us encourage Kansas City diners to develop heart-healthy habits while raising awareness of heart disease during American Heart Month.”

The heart-healthy dish created by Chef Jennifer for Heart Month is a Yogurt and Salmon Salad made with Greek yogurt, honey, rosemary basil vinaigrette, pistachio, beets and shaved parmesan.

The dish will be featured at both Tavern Restaurants, including Tavern at Mission Farms (Leawood) and Tavern in the Village (Prairie Village).

“This partnership is a fun opportunity to show our customers that heart-healthy options can be enticing and delicious, and we are proud to help raise awareness for American Heart Month,” said Jennifer Le Blanc, head chef at Tavern in the Village. “We look forward to introducing this light and flavorful dish to diners throughout the month of February.”

AdventHealth’s Heart Month Restaurant Partnership aims to raise awareness of cardiovascular disease, the leading global cause of death. AdventHealth is home to Kansas City’s first Accredited Chest Pain Center and offers sophisticated medical technology for cardiac and vascular care.

As part of its ongoing efforts to raise awareness of the risk factors for cardiovascular disease, AdventHealth is the Presenting Medical Sponsor for the American Heart Association’s Go Red For Women year-long educational programming, including a luncheon in May.

"From studies supported by the American Heart Association, we know that diets rich in whole grains and polyunsaturated, or ‘healthy,’ fats and lower in processed foods, red meat and salt intake can make an immediate impact on one's cardiovascular status," says Heath Wilt, DO, cardiologist at AdventHealth Shawnee Mission. "These changes don't have to immediate or ‘all-or-nothing,’ as small, incremental changes all add up to heart health."

For more information about AdventHealth’s Heart Month Restaurant Partnership, visit AdventHealthKC.com/HeartMonth. Participating diners are encouraged to help spread the heart-healthy message by posting to social media using the hashtag #AHKCHeartHealth.