Media Contact: Michael Schwartzberg, GBMC Media Relations Manager

(O): 443-849-2126/Cell: 410-258-3465eMarch 2:]

GBMC Staff Member Prepares To Leave For Olympics in Beijing

Charles Village Resident Will Help Prepare And Serve 3.5 Million Meals For 60,000 Guests

BALTIMORE, Md. – June 9, 2008 – Michael Phelps is not Baltimore’s only connection to the 2008 Summer Games in Beijing.  Matthew Sercombe, an ARAMARK employee contracted to Greater Baltimore Medical Center and a resident of Charles Village, departs in late June for a three-month ‘opportunity of a lifetime.’

The Food Production Manager at GBMC for the past two-and-a-half years, Sercombe is one of 125 ARAMARK chefs and 7,000 ARAMARK staff from around the globe who will be working in China.  “This is a great opportunity,” said Sercombe.  “The Olympics are about as big as you can get and I’m very much looking forward to something special.”

Sercombe applied through ARAMARK, the official catering provider for the 2008 Summer Games, about a year ago and was eventually selected.  Since getting the notification, it has been a “whirlwind” of VISA applications, inoculations, and forms, said Sercombe, for who Beijing will be his first overseas trip. 

He will help as ARAMARK serves an expected 3.5 million meals throughout the duration of the Olympic games and Paralympic games in the Olympic Village, two Media Centers and two Media Villages, providing catering services for about 60,000 guests (athletes, coaches, officials, and media).  

ARAMARK chefs have created a “World Menu” of more than 800 recipes, on an 8-day schedule rotation, featuring Asian cuisine -- a focus on traditional Chinese dishes along with other Asian culinary influences; Mediterranean cuisine from Italy, Greece, Northern Africa, and southern Spain; and International dishes from North and South America, the Caribbean and Europe.

Sercombe has an extensive background in the food service industry over the past 23 years, working his way up from a dishwasher to serving as executive chef at several restaurants.  As GBMC’s Food Production Manager, Sercombe’s responsibilities include oversight of the kitchen and food quality, ensuring kitchen operations run smoothly, making sure all patients receive their food, and ordering supplies.

In fall 2005, GBMC opened a renovated and refreshed café,   an ultra modern eatery that is setting new standards in hospital dining. At nearly 4,000 square-feet, the new café is almost twice the size of the hospital’s original servery, which had largely been unchanged since GBMC opened in 1965.  Patrons of GBMC’s café can enjoy fresh sushi as well as items from various stations, including “Sizzle” (hot grill); “Stuffed” (deli); “Home” (breakfast and lunch entrée selections); “Sautee” (daily made to order dishes consisting of a protein and vegetable); “Simmer” (soup); and “Crisp” (salads and fruit).

About 44,000 transactions are handled each month in GBMC’s cafeteria – everything from purchasing a beverage to a full meal.  In a typical week, the kitchen goes through about 700 pounds of french fries, 360 pounds of burgers and 360 pounds of chicken tenders.  Sercombe said he might come back to the hospital with a few Chinese dish ideas to add to the menu, but noted that authentic Chinese food served overseas is unlike Chinese cuisine served in America.  For example he noted, rice is considered a pheasant food and is not typically served with meals as it is in the United States.

A native of Seattle, Sercombe said he expects the biggest challenges will be feeding so many people at any one time and overcoming language barriers with a diverse international group.  He is trying to learn some Chinese language before leaving, and plans to set up a Facebook account and utilize a webcam on his laptop to stay in touch with friends, colleagues, and his wife.  Sercombe hopes to see some tourist sights while in China and hopes to get the opportunity to see some of the Olympic events, particularly basketball and soccer.

Editor’s Note:  Interviews with Matthew Sercombe prior to his departure can be arranged by contacting Michael Schwartzberg. 

About GBMC
GBMC includes Greater Baltimore Medical Center (GBMC), Central Maryland’s leading community hospital; Gilchrist Hospice Care, which provides comfort and care to patients with life-limiting illnesses; and the GBMC Foundation, which supports the GBMC mission by managing fundraising efforts.  The 298-bed Medical Center, located on a beautiful suburban campus, serves nearly 22,000 inpatients annually and provides approximately 60,000 emergency room visits. For more information, go to www.gbmc.org                

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