Onslow Staff are very lucky in lots of ways – cool kids to teach, great support staff, inspiring leadership, but one of the very best things about working at Onslow are the fabulous students who run Kai Cafe every Thursday at Interval. Most of these ākonga use learning support in some way, but one thing they all have in common is a passion for creating food, making coffee and providing excellent customer service.
The majority of these young people hope to have either a career pathway in the hospitality industry, or at least part time jobs to earn some spending money. Many of them have done STAR courses to get a feel for the industry and now need to practice what they have learned.
With the support of Kaiakos John Robinson, Patricia Marti-Torres and Kim Cooper, students plan, shop for, prepare, cook and serve a different menu each week for eight members of staff. Yr 13 Trades Academy student Rebekah manages all the email bookings (it’s often booked up well in advance), as well as the control of food and drinks at the pass on Thursdays.
Entering the Learning Support department hallway, we were greeted by Alex, dressed in chef whites, at the door and told we can sit at any one of the neatly set tables in the sunny kitchen space. Next up was Eddy, who asked what we’d like to drink – espresso coffee, hot chocolate or tea? We took a seat, and before we knew it, hot herbal tea arrived.
The menu today was freshly made garden pizza with rocket, the optional garnish was red and green jalapenos (waiting at the table with a warning note just in case we thought they were diced capsicums!). The Pizza had mushrooms, red onion, capsicum and plenty of cheese. The tomato topping was made from produce grown by students in the school learning garden. The first taste of our “Garden to Plate” goal. The pizza base was prepared from scratch the day before. After a second helping of pizza, a freshly made piece of carrot cake with real cream cheese icing topped with chopped walnuts arrived. We could also help ourselves to fresh yoghurt.
There were plenty of cafe ‘staff’ on hand to ask if we needed anything else, and take our dirty dishes away. The service was first class and the servers looked really smart in their whites.
Running during Onslow’s interval, it’s a perfect 30-minute break – a chance to enjoy a delicious meal, catch up with colleagues and step away from the desk or classroom.
John and Patricia gently keep an eye on the service team that consists of Rebekah, baristas Alex and Adam, servers James, Pearl and Eddy, not to mention the “dish washing machine” Jack. Thank you again for the delicious fresh food and service all for $7! Needless to say we didn’t need lunch, and I’m emailing Rebekah in case there are any spaces left next week!
Our Thursday Kai Cafe is a fantastic resource, allowing students to hone their hospitality skills and build connections with staff across the school, fostering a more united community. And don’t forget Fridays! Staff can enjoy delicious, hot, vegan soup and fresh bread, available for dine-in or takeaway at lunchtime. Once again, all prepped, cooked and served by students. This on-campus initiative provides nourishing food, supporting everyone’s ability to teach, learn, and contribute effectively. Ngā mihi nui to the wonderful Thursday Kai Cafe team! See you next week.