The Culinary Arts class at Tupelo High School has a new cafe to use as a lab to get real-life, hands-on experience. The Wave Cafe is a renovated classroom that provides a place for students to have an authentic restaurant atmosphere.

The class plans to host a monthly luncheon for the Association for Excellence in Education, at which students will serve local chefs, managers and owners of restaurants. They also plan to have monthly luncheons for teachers, who will be able to enjoy a $6 meal.

“We devised a plan where we would invite people from the food service industry around the Tupelo area to, once a month, come into our cafe,” Culinary Arts teacher Marion Henson said.

The culinary students hosted a luncheon Nov. 20 for teachers to come and enjoy lunch in their cafe. Assistant Principal Adam Lindsey was very pleased with his overall experience.

“It was awesome,” Lindsey said. “I felt like I was at an establishment in the middle of Tupelo.”

With the smell of coffee and the sound of Christmas music softly playing, the cafe offered a welcoming, friendly environment. The students, dressed in matching T-shirts and aprons, were standing ready to serve their customers. Lindsey said he was impressed with the students and their advanced skill and preparedness.

“The students were professional and everything was first class,” he said. “It wasn’t just them going through the motions; it was a real experience.”

Students, Henson said, will get to take on the roles of serving, cooking, working the cash register and cleaning.

“The students are going to change positions each time,” she said. “All of them will have a chance to do all the different positions.”

Henson said that a comment card is given to every customer to get feedback. Through these, the students’ service is evaluated.

“We encourage them to make suggestions of things they might need to be learning or doing better,” she said.

The cafe was funded through an AEE grant written in the spring of 2015 and awarded in May.

“The grant was requesting funds to help furnish the dining room and help provide food for guests we might invite,” Henson said.

Senior culinary arts student Devin Jefferson, who has applied to Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts, said the new cafe gives him valuable experience.

“It teaches us how to serve to others,” Jefferson said. “When we do get into the real world, we’ll have some experience.”

Fellow culinary student Kasee Avery, a junior, agreed.

“We need experience,” Avery said. “It’s good to practice in here.”