Students buzzed around in the cramped kitchen at the Mules Cafe on Westwood Boulevard for one last time.
“Hot!” a student called out as he weaved between preparing tables with a steaming tray of hoagie rolls made from scratch.
“Crossing!” another communicated as she passed behind him.
Brandon Moon, the culinary arts instructor, gave clarifying instructions in between answering questions for the present location’s “last hurrah.”
The Mules Cafe, staffed by students from the Poplar Bluff Technical Career Center, has been in its current building for as long as he can remember and well beyond his eight-year tenure. He applauded the students’ ability to make do with the cramped quarters but brimmed with excitement for the new facility set to open this year.
The new building materialized from a series of grants totaling $1.3 million from the Area Career Center Construction fund bill, Community Development Block Grant from the MIssouri Department of Economic Development, and the Vocational Enhancement Grant.
The Mules Cafe is a partnered program between area high schools and Poplar Bluff Technical Career Center. It provides hands-on experience in the culinary world for students hoping to get a leg up in the industry.
The new facility upgrades the program from the old 2,600-square-foot space to a new state-of-the-art, 4,600-square-foot culinary arts center. While it includes a former conference room, the rest is new construction.
Referencing the old facility, Moon said, “This kitchen is not laid out like we need.”
He expressed the desire to prepare students for the industry and revamped the program from a cafeteria-style to a made-to-order restaurant. With the new kitchen and dining area close to the high school, Moon hopes to simulate the conditions of a customer-focused eatery.
In addition to the facility, the program will receive a new electronic order system to replace the archaic pen and paper, streamlining order times. Junior Lucas Longhibler affirmed the modern kitchen will feature more freezers, storage space, dishwashing stations, and handwash sinks.
He also looked forward to a decongested workspace with a larger facility. In his first year with the program, Longhibler intends to go to culinary school after graduation.
“I like to get creative with food,” he explained.
Moon elaborated the new location next to the high school will attract more customers, decrease transit time for participating students to class, and provide better exposure.
“Success in a stressful environment could be helped by a better layout,” he clarified.
Moon hopes the experience students gain from the Mules Cafe program will set them up for success in the highly competitive world of culinary arts. With a new facility, he is confident the program will give the best training possible.