Café M at TAFE New England will continue to offer morning teas, lunches and dinners in 2015 with special events planned throughout the year. Focus caught up with Helen Steward and the students at the Armidale Campus for dinner, what an amazing night.

Tell us about the training café, Café M, at TAFE Armidale Campus
Café M is a modern and vibrant training environment designed for Hospitality students to practice their industry and employability skills. Ultimately, it is designed to prepare students to work in the Hospitality industry locally, nationally and abroad. The general public can experience Café M when it is open and see our students in action.
Recently, Café M showcased the final dinner prepared and served by the Stage 2 commercial cookery apprentices. Local chef, David Hill, from the Quality Hotel Powerhouse was the guest chef who lead the students in preparing and serving a 5 course degustation dinner to 50 guests from the local community and hospitality industry.

How long has M block been established?
In its current form, it has been open for just over 3 years and includes training facilities in hospitality, tourism, massage and fitness. The new M block was built on the original M Block footprint which was a modest building fitted out as a hospitality facility in 1992.
TNE has been providing Hospitality training in the region for many years and now includes two very smart hospitality training facilities at both Armidale and Tamworth campuses.

Can you tell us about the planning that went into the new M block?
There was significant consultation between the TNE community and the project team throughout the design and construction process. As a result, M Block is a state of the art training facility for students studying hospitality, tourism, massage and fitness. It includes a large commercial kitchen with an adjoining café/dining area and bar; gymnasium, massage clinic and general purposes seminar rooms.

Café M showcases some amazing students, what are some of the backgrounds they come from?
Café M operates as a simulated work environment for hospitality students and focusses on preparing students for employment in industry.
Our students come from extremely diverse backgrounds and are all ages. They include, commercial cookery apprentices already employed in the industry, people looking for a career change having worked in other industries previously, young people who have just left school, people who need to build skills and confidence to gain employment and trainees from the local industry gaining formal off-the-job training.

What do your student do after they have completed their training and having had experience through Café M?
We are very proud to say that, over the years, many students have gained employment in the local industry. Almost all local hospitality businesses host at least one person who has trained in hospitality through TNE. Employment ranges from commercial cookery apprenticeships, waiters, cooks, bar attendants and café assistants. After a period of time, some return to do further study such as the Diploma of Hospitality if they are keen to develop skills and employment in supervision and management.
Tell us about the teaching staff at Café M
There are a range of staff involved with training students at Café M. Collectively we have over 100 years of hospitality industry and educational experience. All teachers are professionally qualified and experienced and, have backgrounds in catering, commercial cookery, bar work, management and small business operation in restaurants and cafes. We are all actively engaged with the hospitality industry within employment or our professional networks.