Pfc. Guadalupe Woods, the night baker for the Marne Bistro dining facility, draws a chalkboard menu sign for the new dining facility. Woods has hand drawn seven signs for the new DFAC, which opened Feb. 1. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. 1st Class Ben K. Na...

Spc. Kera Moncreif, assigned to the Marne Bistro consolidated dining facility, prepare potatoes for the opening day of the DFAC Feb. 1 at Fort Stewart, Ga. The new DFAC will be run by Soldiers from both the 3rd Infantry Division Sustainment Brigade a...

Spc. Kera Moncreif, assigned to the Marne Bistro consolidated dining facility, prepare potatoes for the opening day of the DFAC February 1 at Fort Stewart, Ga. The new DFAC will be run by Soldiers from both the 3rd Infantry Division Sustainment Briga...

FORT STEWART, GA. - It's been a long time since the Soldiers of the 3rd Infantry Division Sustainment Brigade and 1st Airborne Brigade Combat Team had a dining facility to call their own; but on Feb. 1, that changed with the opening of the Marne Bistro behind the 3rd IDSB's headquarters.

"The dining facility had been closed for over five years, so a fresh coat of paint and some new décor was long overdue," said Chief Warrant Officer 3 Ka'Lee Goodwin, 3rd IDSB Food Technician. "The Marne Bistro's first priority is the meal card holders of 3rd IDSB and 1st ABCT, we will do our absolute best to make sure we are meeting their needs and exceeding expectations."

The project to get the new building ready took a lot of effort. After sitting mostly dormant for more than five years, the building needed a lot of work to be ready.

Soldiers came together from 3rd IDSB and 1st ABCT to get the job done.

"We couldn't have done this without the 1st ABCT Soldiers," said Goodwin. The same goes for the operation of the DFAC, she said, Soldiers from both units will work side by side in the daily operation of the facility. "It's just one big, happy DFAC working together to feed this side of post," she said.

Sgt. 1st Class Lakishia Hines, the DFAC manager, said the building needed a deep clean, all the equipment needed to be inspected and repaired or replaced, all the outlets needed to be updated, the whole space needed to be repainted, and the interior layout got redesigned.

"We tried to give it a restaurant feel," said Hines, talking about the layout of the facility. "We wanted it to feel cozier than a typical dining facility."

The Marne Bistro will feature the only coffee bar on post aside from Starbucks, as well as hot sandwiches served daily, fresh waffles made to order during breakfast, and a host of healthy options like grilled chicken or fish.

Goodwin also noted that the Bistro will adapt to what Soldiers want. Through comment cards and monthly DFAC council meetings, the managers will listen to feedback from Soldiers and adjust the menu according to what the majority wants.

"When they talk, we listen," said Goodwin.

The Marne Bistro will be open for breakfast from 7:45 until 9:15, Monday through Friday; lunch from 11:30 AM until 1 PM for lunch Monday through Friday; and 4:45 PM until 6:15 PM for dinner Monday through Thursday. On Fridays, in respect to Marne time the facility will be open from 4pm until 5:30 for dinner. On the weekends and holidays they will serve brunch from 9:30 AM until 1 PM and supper from 5 PM until 6:30.