Tom Pitucci, Margorie Michele, Bill Rudolph, Bob Russell, Michele Volpe, Joe Tierney, Gary Ginsberg, and Rob Canney formally debut the new cafeteria with a ribbon-cutting ceremony.
The multi-phase renovation process is finally complete, and the newly refurbished and refreshed Atwood Café is open for service!
“The old cafeteria was small and in definite need of an upgrade. We wanted to open everything up and create a much more inviting, consumer-friendly space,” said Rob Canney, manager of Food Services at PPMC. “There’s 25 percent more seating, including bar seating with charging stations, and the increased openness makes it much easier to navigate and to see all of the menu options. We’ve removed the deep fat fryer – now there are baked French fries – and expanded the salad bar, and there are always roasted vegetables on the menu.”
The café’s move in a healthier direction lines up with PPMC’s “Good Food, Healthy Hospital,” pledge, and this was reflected during the new space’s formal unveiling on Valentine’s Day. While there were festive treats like chocolate covered strawberries and a special chocolate raspberry blend at Ellis Coffee, intern Jessica Young also manned an “Ask the Dietitian” table stocked with delicious, nutritious salsa samples, and information about good fats, healthy grains, and the pitfalls of sugary drinks. Different menu items also featured chili peppers – the “Superfood of the Month.”
After entering the raffle for Phillies and 76ers tickets (congratulations to April Parker and Valencia Bryant of Environmental Services!), staff had the chance to visit the revamped food counters, now with a much more efficient traffic flow. As everyone settled into the newly airy space to enjoy their lunches, CEO Michele Volpe and associate executive director for Operations Bob Russell, MS, took hold of the ceremonial scissors, and together with Canney, assistant executive director Gary Ginsberg, chief Human Resources officer Margorie Michele, MPA, PhD, safety manager Bill Rudolph, project manager Joe Tierney, and P. Agnes project executive Tom Pitucci, they led the ribbon cutting ceremony.
“There used to be a courtyard right where the ribbon was cut,” Canney said. “Now everything’s connected – from the entrance, you can see all the way back. We’re hopeful that the improved speed of service and the healthier menu selections will ensure a more satisfying experience for everyone who visits. I also want to offer some special thanks to Karen Ruscoe, MHS, CIC, and Patty Evans, MS, CIC, of Infection Control, and to Jason Gunn, Larry Congiu, and Dan Fiermonte of Information Services who were all integral in making this project a success.”