Garden of Eatin’ Grab & Go Cafe Opens April 28
We are excited for our friends over at Nova Medical Group who are opening this great new cafe designed to promote health and wellness. Visit our website to get involved in the Health & Wellness Initiative or to take the Healthy Business Challenge! -AL
Offering seasonal, healthy lunch menus with a focus on fresh, local ingredients
ASHBURN, VA (April 22, 2014) – A new café designed to promote optimal health – The Garden of Eatin’ Grab & Go Café – will hit the Loudoun F&B scene on Monday, April 28th.
Serving Northern Virginia, the café’s seasonal lunch menus will feature an array of salads, sandwiches, wraps, and bowls – each crafted with fresh, local ingredients, aromatic herbs, and bold spices – and, all at an affordable price.
With a firm belief that proper diet and nutrition are at the helm of disease prevention and optimizing health, Dr. Grace Keenan – CEO & Founder of Nova Medical & Urgent Care Center – saw a dire need for the new café.
“As a doctor, I strive to help others optimize their wellness and feel complete,” says Dr. Keenan. “I do not believe that doctors are here just to treat disease. Wellness clearly involves much more than the absence of disease. According to Stedman’s Medical Dictionary, wellness is ‘The condition of good physical and mental health, especially when maintained by proper diet, exercise and habits.’ As a nation, 75% of our healthcare costs are attributed to chronic disease, and chronic disease is sedentary to our lifestyle choices. Four modifiable health risk behaviors – lack of physical activity, poor nutrition, tobacco use, and excessive alcohol consumption – are responsible for much of the illness, suffering and early death related to chronic diseases. So, by changing these four aspects of how we live, we can drastically reduce both the incidence of disease and our healthcare costs. I hope that the Garden of Eatin’ café will help us take one step closer to embracing proper nutrition.”
Curated by Executive Chef Kiet Ly, all meals have been designed to promote optimal health and are gluten-, dairy-*, and nut-free. Recipes have been reviewed and approved by Nova Medical Group’s registered dietitians and naturopathic doctors.
Chef Kiet is well-versed in international cuisine, but specializes in healthy cooking. He understands the power of food on a personal level. After two decades of driving his culinary career, his personal health became a major concern. With a poor diet and an inactive lifestyle, Chef Kiet reached a weight of 500 pounds. After learning the importance of nutrition, he began to combine his new knowledge with his culinary experience and skills. Chef Kiet began to experiment with healthy recipes – still using bold, fresh ingredients and flavors – and found that eating healthfully can be enjoyable and extremely tasty.
After three years of embracing his new lifestyle of eating healthfully and regularly exercising, Chef Kiet lost 250 pounds – and counting. As he continues on his “Journey to Wellness,” he hopes to inspire others along the way through his carefully crafted seasonal menus.
Located in the Nova Medical Group Ashburn building (21785 Filigree Court), the café will be open Monday – Friday, 8 a.m. – 3 p.m. The café will also offer catering services.
“As an employer, I am tired of hosting off-site meetings and asking for healthy options and being presented with M&M filled trail mix. Or, muffins and granola bars covered in icing…And, sandwiches smothered in sauces,” says Dr. Keenan. “I hate seeing pizza, Chinese, and other fast foods coming into our building on a daily basis at lunchtime. My employees deserve better; their health is important to me.
For my fellow Loudoun County employers, if this is a concern of yours as well, the café will have the ability to cater corporate events, meetings and other functions. It can provide your staff with healthy, energy-boosting foods that will help you to foster a healthier, more productive workforce and ultimately create a culture of wellness within your organization.”
Those interested in attending the “soft opening” of the Garden of Eatin’ Grab & Go Café, sampling a few dishes and meeting Chef Kiet can register to attend the Loudoun County Chamber of Commerce After Hours Mixer & Wellness Expo on Thursday, April 24th. For additional information, please visit www.novagardenofeatin.com.
*Select seasonal sauces may contain dairy; all meals have been properly labeled with your health in mind.
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Melanie Schmidt
Senior Director of Public Relations & Business Development
Nova Medical & Urgent Care Center, Inc.
21785 Filigree Court, Suite 203
Ashburn, VA 20147
703.554.1100 x 333
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