GREAT EXPECTATIONS
Gourmet Catering Service

Hospital food this isn't.  Virginia Regional Medical Center has added catering to a growing list of dietary services.

Warm asiago dip with fried pita chips.  Coconut shrimp with orange marmalade.  Greek chicken wings with Tzatziki dipping sauce.  Do these culinary creations sound like the fare produced in a most hospital kitchens?

For customers of a new catering service offered by VRMC's Dietary Services Department, such menu items are just part of the first course.

"We're currently working on finalizing our catering menu, but it will include a diverse selection of appetizers, gourmet salads, cold and hot sandwiches, main entrees, and desserts," said Sasha Maninga, VRMC's manager of dietary services. "Our goal is to put together a menu that proves that food coming out of a hospital kitchen can be high-quality and absolutely delicious!"

The Dietary Services Department first stepped into the role of caterer when it began providing menu items for meetings and events at Virginia Regional Medical Center.  Later, the department was asked to provide an array of food items for Festival of Trees.

"We really started experimenting with new and interesting menu items when we started doing Festival of Trees," said Maninga, who began working in VRMC's Dietary Services Department as a high school student 16 years ago.  "It's a special time of year, and for that reason, we wanted to make the food special."

In 2007, Festival of Trees included food influenced by the cuisines of Tuscany, Asia, and the Caribbean.  Over the course of the five-day celebration, Maninga and her staff catered breakfasts, lunches, and dinners and served a total of 1,600 meals.

"We have a great team in Dietary Services, and the cooks and support staff really enjoy putting together the food for these special events," said Maninga.  "It gives them a chance to try out new recipes and be creative."

When the word got out about the quality and taste of the food at Festival of Trees, people started asking if VRMC was open to catering other events.

"We have the staff, equipment, and interest to do it, so it made sense," said Maninga.  "We're really just getting going, but we've already catered several special events like birthday parties and banquets.  At this point, all food must be picked at at VRMC, but someday we may be ale to deliver it as well."

For more information about VRMC's new catering service, please call 218-749-9486.

Menu Sample:

Tuscany Chicken Wrap
Oriental Chicken Salad
Peppered Beef Roast
Thai-Style Red Curry Over Rice
Black Forest Ham With Cherry Glaze
Wild Rice Soup
White Chocolate Raspberry Torte