MAKE Cafe offers farm-to-table dining and job training
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MAKE Cafe serves a mission-driven, farm-to-table brunch in Normal Heights. Photo: Todd Prodanovich
MAKE Cafe, a new brunch spot in Normal Heights, is providing a true farm-to-table experience for its customers and employees.
Why it matters: Local nonprofit MAKE Projects opened the restaurant in June, giving San Diego refugee and immigrant women meaningful work experience to build their English speaking and job skills.
How it works: The 12-week job training program starts at the urban farm and ends at the cafe.
- For the first month, participants work at the MAKE farm, growing vegetables, packing and distributing "community supported agriculture" produce boxes and helping with school field trips, kids camp activities and tours.
- In month two, they work with the chefs in the cafe's kitchen preparing, plating and running the food, plus bussing tables and dishwashing.
- Their third and final month is spent in customer-facing roles as cashiers and baristas.
"We're not preparing people for a culinary career per se," founder Anchi Mei told Axios. "What we do is teach a lot about what transferable skills are, and also the importance of social communication and teamwork."
- It's a "real source of confidence building" and demonstrating how the skills they learn are going to take them to their next job and future career, she said.
Dig in: The farm also fuels globally inspired dishes at the counter service restaurant that serves breakfast, brunch and lunch.
- Chef Ashley McBrady's menu integrates cultures with items like ginger rice congee, a crispy lentil kofte wrap, cardamom and coconut brioche donuts and a classic breakfast sandwich. They serve specialty coffees, teas and juices too.
- Grab a table inside or in the courtyard, which has nine large garden beds growing lettuce, eggplant, tomatoes, corn, summer squash, scallions, herbs and flowers.
Best bites: Mei's favorite dish is the turmeric chicken bowl — greens, sesame vinaigrette, garlic rice, shaved vegetables, spicy Somali biz baz sauce, peaches, feta and cashew dukkah with harissa potato crisps. ($17)
- Her more indulgent pick is the roasted banana crepe with homemade almond granola, brown sugar caramel and a caramelized banana chai cream. ($14)
The big picture: MAKE Projects evolved over the last decade from a food and farming program at the San Diego International Rescue Committee to a nonprofit organization running a local farm, education programs and full-service restaurant.
- In its early days, the program ran an urban farm and catering business out of St. Luke's Episcopal Church in North Park and grew its business with help from Amplified consultants.
- In 2023, MAKE Projects became a nonprofit and received a federal workforce development grant that allowed it to scale up its operation with a bigger farm outside Snapdragon Stadium and a temporary restaurant in North Park.
Between the lines: The program recruits from the San Diego College of Continuing Education Mid-City campus, and many program participants and graduates go to school while working.
By the numbers: About 40 women will go through this farm-to-table program each year, but that could grow with the business.
- Four women also work exclusively with the summer kids programs on the farm.
- As part-time employees, they make the city's $17.75 per hour minimum wage.
- More than 400 refugees and immigrants from more than 30 countries have participated in MAKE Projects' program since 2017.
📍 Stop by: MAKE Cafe is open 9am–2pm, Thursday–Sunday, at 4712 Felton St. in Normal Heights.