“You should be very proud of the opportunity afforded to your students,” Dr. Roger Barnes of the Missouri Department of Education told the gathering of students, faculty, and community leaders. All were gathered at the ribbon cutting for the Poplar Bluff Technical Career Center’s new 4,600-square-foot culinary arts facility and improved Mule’s Cafe.
The building came about through a series of grants totaling $1.3 million from the Area Career Center Construction fund bill, the Community Development Block Grant from the Missouri Department of Economic Development, and the Vocational Enhancement Grant. The PB R-I school district also matched $513,800.
“I’m very thankful PBTCC was awarded this grant,” TCC Superintendent Leigh Ann Cornman stated. “It will result in more employable grads.”
Amber Hornbeck of the Ozark Foothills Regional Planning Commission said, “This will benefit Butler County and the surrounding areas.”
She emphasized the need for more trained workers in the state of Missouri.
“That’s a tremendous boost to our local economy,” she added.
Barnes recognized PB R-I’s investment in the future of the workforce. He explained the new culinary arts center will join 57 other similar sites across the state currently enrolling 186,000 students.
Poplar Bluff R-I Superintendent Aaron Cornman thanked Dille Pollard Architects, Zoellner Construction, and other community partners for making the facility a reality. Along with the ribbon cutting, culinary arts instructor Brandon Moon unveiled the new student-designed logo for the Mules Cafe.
“We have very creative students,” he affirmed.
Attendees were treated to an array of cookies fresh from the new ovens. Students were hard at work serving plates, pouring drinks, and washing dishes in the state-of-the-art kitchen. Moon said he will be able to expand the culinary arts program from 20 to 30 students due to the added space.
He showcased an electric meat smoker, walk-in fridge, digital point-of-sale system, ceiling electric outlets, and improved kitchen ergonomics. Moon said while the new Mules Cafe is not open yet, he hopes to start serving customers in the coming month.
“They get excited,” he described his students’ reaction to the facility, “It’s theirs finally.”
Moon hopes to simulate the conditions of a full-fledged restaurant as much as possible. The cafe will shift to a set menu, and the cooks will receive the orders from the cashiers digitally instead of by voice or paper.
“This helps make it more realistic,” Moon noted.
With a large number of new systems and appliances to learn, he felt confident the culinary arts center would produce well-trained and employable graduates.
“My motto for this year is ‘one day at a time.’” Moon affirmed. “This is a dream come true.”