In the fall 2024 semester students in the Manchester chapter of the National Society of Minorities in Hospitality quietly started holding a small café in the front dining room of the Culinary Arts Center on the second floor of the Student Services Center building.
It was an immediate hit!
With the Cougar Café closing at 2 p.m. each day, vending machines had been the only options for food to purchase on campus. But the NSMH café offered freshly baked cookies, muffins and other desserts, hot coffee and tea and a quaint café set-up that encouraged lingering over a hot drink.
Well, the café is back! Starting March 6, the café will be open Tuesday and Thursdays from 2-4:30 p.m. through Thursday, May 1, and expanding its options.
Tamara Blidgen is the manager of the NSMH Café. She was able to offer some insight on plans for the rest of the spring semester.
Who benefits from the café being open?
“Both our club benefits and the general population of students on campus because the main café closes at 2 p.m. The students who are taking night classes are left with no food options so us selling helps us get funds for trips and other expenses. And it also gives back to the students who will have something to eat.”
Who is preparing the food?
“The food from the café is a mix of food from our baking, pastries, and cake classes, as well as students from our club making things like salads, sandwiches and other cookies.”
What is something you think people should know about the NSMH café?
“First, it is a cash only café so you can only pay with cash to buy anything. Secondly, this is still very new for all of us so there will be small mistakes along the way, and I hope that doesn’t deter you from buying from us.”
