An electronic newsletter from the Marine Biological Laboratory
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Dining Update
The Swope dining hall received a much needed facelift this past winter as the old servery was gutted and replaced with a new modern one. After 10 years, the MBL in conjunction with Sodexo food service decided that it was time for a change.
A renovation committee consisting of Susan Goux, Homer Lane, Deb Deering, Richard Cutler, Bill Villineau, Dennis Cronin and Pam Oldham was formed in October 2006 to review what was in place and where the space needed to go. “It wasn’t hard to see that a wholesale renovation was in order. The space was old, the equipment dated and in bad repair and it was time to turn it up a notch,” said Bill Villineau, Director of Housing and Conferences. Funds were approved for the renovation and an architect was hired to begin the design process in earnest. The committee recommended a modern design with elements of Cape Cod and the sea life that surrounds us. The result will no doubt be a topic of discussion for some time to come.
Among the changes guests will notice: fresh paint and battens on the walls, a newly refitted salad bar, concept dining including Global Chef, Garden Toss, and the Stacks Deli all wrapped up in a redesigned servery allowing for a dining experience unfettered by trays and lines. Diners will be encouraged to move from station to station in any order they like rather than sliding a tray along a cafeteria counter and waiting for those ahead of you. Want to start with dessert? Be our guest. This will truly be dining without borders. A new grill and griddle will allow selections to be prepared and created while the customer watches. “Grab and go” items will be in a front and center display case for those who can’t stop to smell the coffee. New hot and cold serving areas and a new carving station will keep food at the ready for early arrivals or late risers.
Other exciting changes to look forward to include an “MBL card” declining balance program that will allow guests to take 10% off their meal total and evening hours at the Café Swope for that late night snack attack. It’s an exciting time for housing and food Service at the MBL. We hope you will be our guest.
