This new cafe is a training ground for future chefs and restaurateurs

When diners eat at a new South L.A. restaurant, they’re not only going to get their fill of hearty comfort food dishes, they may also be helping to launch the next great local chef or restaurateur.

The 60th Street Cafe, a new student-run cafe and culinary training program, opened to the public in early November as part of a nonprofit organization’s goal of helping underprivileged youth build careers in the food and hospitality industry while offering affordable food to the neighborhood.

“We train our students. They’re in the kitchen, they’re learning all things within a very short amount of time. It’s an intensive program and then we work to place them afterward,” said Sherri Francois, the executive director of the SoLa Foundation, a nonprofit that works to empower underprivileged residents of Los Angeles with workforce development training.

The foundation opened the cafe and culinary training program at its campus dubbed The Beehive at 1000 E. 60th St.

“On our campus we had a full commercial kitchen and cafe retail space that was sitting idle for a long time. So we collected a lot of data and what we learned from our community was that there was huge appetite for culinary arts and culinary training,” Francois said.

The cafe trains students in every aspect of the food industry, from running a restaurant to waiting on customers to cooking in the kitchen and coming up with new menu items.

“We can equip them with the skills they need to get jobs in the hospitality industry, including starting their own restaurants,” Francois said. “They’re learning all things in the kitchen like how to make sauces, how to prep chicken, how to serve, presentation, cost analysis, customer service,” she added.

Currently diners can order dishes such as the 60th Street Breakfast Burrito, burgers, avocado egg rolls, sandwiches, wings, bowls and other items.

“I thought this was amazing. I thought this was the best opportunity for people who want to learn,” said 25-year-old Compton native Cheresse Colbert, one of the first students in the program who now plans on opening her pop-up and catering business after training at the cafe.

“At the end of the journey I know for sure I’m going to be in the food industry,” said Colbert, who created pies for the menu during her time at the cafe.

“I was actually very emotional about that. I was very excited. It made me open my eyes to see how far I can go with cooking and baking. It was a proud moment,” Colbert said.

Currently there are 12 students learning about the food industry at the cafe, which is open to the public with all profits going into the workforce program.

“All of our dishes are very flavorful, our chefs pride themselves on maintaining that. And here’s the best part, not only will you love the food but you know that you’re also continuing to indirectly inspire these future chefs, these future culinary experts,” Francois said.

The 60th Street Cafe is located at 1000 E. 60th St. Los Angeles, Los Angeles. Operating hours are 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday-Friday. For more information go to thesolafoundation.org/culinarycafe