NEW BISTRO TO HOLD OPENING MONDAY AT VALLEY BAPTIST-BROWNSVILLE

Brownsville, September 21, 2007  –- A new deli-style bistro, open to the public, will officially open this Monday (Sept. 24) as part of a project to provide greater convenience and more healthy food choices for family members of hospital patients, visitors and staff at Valley Baptist Medical Center-Brownsville.

“The Bistro will have kind of a convenience store feel and will feature ‘grab and go’ foods such as sandwiches, salads, microwaveable TV dinners, and a variety of snacks, including gourmet ice cream and assorted vanilla yogurt parfaits,” said Ben Jarvis, General Manager for Food Service for Valley Baptist. “For breakfast, there will be fresh-cut fruit such as cantaloupe, watermelon, and strawberries, plus a variety of drinks, including gourmet Java City coffee, juices and soft drinks.”

The Bistro will be open for breakfast and lunch, Monday through Friday, from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on the first floor of the Edelstein Professional Building, 800 W. Jefferson, adjacent to the hospital. Several other services have recently opened in the Edelstein Building for the convenience of Valley Baptist employees and visitors, including an Employee Service Center and a branch of 1st Community Bank, with additional on-campus services being planned.

Valley Baptist Medical Center-Brownsville and the hospital’s food service partner, ARAMARK Healthcare, are also planning a full-scale renovation of VBMC-Brownsville’s cafeteria, located in the basement of the main hospital building, to offer more food choices -- such as a grill, more hot food choices, and an expanded salad bar, in additional to traditional cafeteria food. That renovation is expected to be completed by January.

“We are striving to improve customer service for our employees and visitors alike, by changing the traditional perception of hospital food and offering some exciting and healthy food choices,” said Leslie Bingham, CEO of Valley Baptist-Brownsville.

Orlando Meza, a chef with extensive culinary background and education, is helping in developing recipes for the “Elements for Life” concept at the Bistro and for the upcoming cafeteria renovation, along with Julio Trejo, Food Service Director for VBMC-Brownsville, and Shelly Cronan, Assistant Food Service Director. Noe Silva is serving as manger for the Bistro. For more information, visit www.ValleyBaptist.net.