San Diego Mesa’s little known gem, the M Fusion Café, is quickly becoming a frequent dining haunt by both students and faculty looking for a wholesome, affordable meal.

Nestled directly behind the cafeteria in room H-105, the M Fusion Café boasts an eclectic and fascinating array of menu choices.

The café is run almost entirely by students, with the exception of a few key instructors to guide adept pupils in their quest for culinary excellence. Many of the enrollees are considerably new to the cooking game, while others have been in the biz for quite some time.

Although the café is not new to the campus itself, it wasn’t until Michael Fitzgerald, associate professor of the culinary program, opened its doors to both faculty and students six years ago. Last year, Fitzgerald brought in Executive Chef Tonya Whitfield from The Brigantine Restaurant Group to run the café.

Whitfield began working at The Brigantine as a sous chef, and was later appointed the first female executive chef in company history. After seven years of working the line, Whitfield returned to her culinary alma mater as an instructor.

The menu, which is developed daily by the culinary program’s students, boasts traditional staples such as grilled ham steak and cream of broccoli soup, but also gives way to new creations like Japanese fried shrimp salad. Lunch is served Monday through Thursday from 11:15 a.m. to 1 p.m.

The typical meal cost is $7.75-$8.50 with the latter including your choice of protein entrée, two sides, a freshly baked dinner roll, and a soup, salad, or dessert. The famed “Free Dessert Thursday” is still in effect so save your money and get a free dessert with any meal purchase.

The curriculum addresses the backbone of traditional culinary techniques. This is not to say creativity is not encouraged, however fundamentals are stressed daily in the classroom.

Whitfield shows the students proper knife skills, how to accurately measure products, classical sauces, and a cornucopia of practices seen in today’s modern kitchen.

The classroom is divided into two sections, and students are assigned to a partner for the semester. Half of the class is responsible for the dining service, while the other half is diligently working on specific task roles designated by Whitfield in a separate kitchen in back.

Each week the paired students rotate stations; one week they may be working on stocks and sauces, and the following they may be baking cakes and dinner rolls. Each student is exposed to each role at least once so that learning is dispersed evenly amongst classmates.

Although Whitfield’s students cook the food, there is a separate class assigned to preparing and assembling the menu items. Chef Peter Robson instructs a morning class from 8 – 11 a.m. that is tasked with designing and producing the menu for service each day.

During the fall semester Chef Robert Reid hosts the Mesa Supper Club in room H-105 on Monday and Tuesday evenings from 4:15 p.m.-6:00 p.m., which focuses on haute cuisine and classical French cooking with his own unique twists.

One can dine on braised veal shank, French onion soup and crème brulee for a mere $15. There isn’t a restaurant in town that can beat that price. All food is prepared and served by the students, and the menu changes approximately 3-4 times before its Dec. 6 closing. Parking is available to patrons during dinner hours in the overflow section of Lot A.

To get to M Fusion Café or the Mesa Supper Club at H-105, go to the southern end of the cafeteria, make a left down the hallway, and go through the wooden gate.