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A Steamboat Springs caterer is scheduled to take over operations at the City Cafe in April.

Olivia Murray has a bachelor's degree in culinary arts from Johnson & Wales University and owns Mountain High Catering. She's been in Steamboat for a couple of years but started the business only a couple of months ago. Murray will replace Sharon Stone, who has run the cafe for two years.

Murray "put together a really good proposal, a nice approach to how it's going to work," said Anne Small, Steamboat's purchasing and risk manager. "She's got some wonderful menu ideas with good pricing."

The City Cafe sells breakfast, lunch and snacks at Centennial Hall on 10th Street. Stone bid to run it again, but the city chose Murray's proposal. Small is writing the contract, which will go to the Steamboat Springs City Council for approval.

Murray's grand opening is scheduled for April 1, Small said.

Murray said she planned to offer two breakfast specials and two soup specials a day, as well as other meal items and specialty coffee drinks. She also plans to offer cookies, brownies and other treats.

"I'm trying to get together now with a company to see if I can offer everything organic-wise, as far as fruits and vegetables go," Murray said.

She's working with Bear Mountain Ranch in Kremmling to offer buffalo, bison and grain-fed meat, as well. Murray plans to focus on locals, with value cards for coffee drinks. She also wants to add more displays, such as nutrition information.

Murray plans to have "an abundant amount of food that people can come in and pick and choose from," she said. "There isn't really anything you can see with your eyes or touch with your hands, so we're looking into display cases."

Murray has years of experience. She worked at a five-star, five-diamond resort in the Miami area and as a private chef in Westhampton Beach in New York. For the past seven years, Murray has been general manager for food service for IBM in Boulder and in Austin, Texas.

"IBM all through the U.S. and overseas, as well, has cafes for employees and things like that," she said. That network included large and small operations.

The City Cafe is the only cafe of its kind in town, Murray said.

"I'm really hoping to shoot for the locals on this one and find a way for the city employees to get a great meal, fresh," she said.

Small said Murray's plan was impressive.

"It was a good overall proposal and approach," Small said.