The MPHS campus restaurant, The Tiger Den, is open for business! Under the guidance of Chef Kathleen Anker, Practicum in Culinary Arts students operate an actual working restaurant in the front of the newly renovated Mount Pleasant High School. The restaurant is open for business every Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday from 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m.

Students serve a set menu with an added weekly special to allow the students the experience of making various dishes. The set menu includes an entrée choice of pulled pork nachos, pepperoni or supreme personal pizza, cheeseburger, chef salad, grilled chicken salad, or a loaded baked potato (with or without pulled pork). The entrée comes with a choice of two sides from seasonal veggies, wedge fries, mac & cheese, a side salad, or fruit cup, a choice of dessert from a fudge brownie, a pumpkin cream cheese cupcake, a chocolate chip cookie, or New York cheesecake and a drink choice of Coke, Diet Coke, Dr. Pepper, Diet Dr. Pepper, Sprite, water, or tea. The total meal price varies from $6.00-$8.00 depending on the entrée.

Students in the MPHS Culinary program begin in Introduction to Culinary Arts designed to provide training opportunities in the food service and hospitality industries. Instruction includes training in the fundamentals of basic food production, nutrition, sanitation, and restaurant management and services. From there, students can continue into a two-period Culinary Arts course that begins with the fundamentals and principles of the art of cooking and the science of baking. As a third year student, they can continue into a two-period Advanced Culinary Arts course that extends content and enhances skills introduced in Culinary Arts. The Advanced Culinary Arts students prep the ingredients that are served in the restaurant. Finally, fourth-year students can complete the program in a three-period Practicum in Culinary Arts class that combines classroom instruction with actual business and industry career experiences. The Practicum students are responsible for all aspects of running The Tiger Den from cooking and plating, to taking orders, to serving, and finally, cleaning at the end of the day.

To dine at The Tiger Den, park in the front of Mount Pleasant High School and the restaurant is located on the far left side when looking at the building. The Tiger Den operates its own Facebook page where they announce menus and additional information such as unexpected closures. For the latest information, follow them by searching for The Tiger Den – MPHS Culinary Arts on Facebook.

Photo: The MPHS Tiger Den Staff (L to R) Francisco Tovar, Dylan Bennett, Yair Gonzalez, Jahn Leija, Antez Jeffery, Mea Banda, Emilia Vega, Ariana Jones, Michelle Zelaya, Lorena Ponce, Leslie Garcia, Leilani Hardwick, Rocio Herrera, Annie Munoz, Cecilla Villeda