Lakewood High School's Ranger Cafe Serves Experience, Deals: Restaurant Row

Lakewood High School's Ranger Cafe serves experience, deals: Restaurant Row

By Joe Crea, The Plain Dealer

Christine Gordillo

The 80 students enrolled in the program earn high school and even college credits (through a partnership program with Cuyahoga Community College) while acquiring abilities essential to future jobs -- as chefs, cooks, bakers, pastry chefs and kitchen assistants, or in front-of-the-house jobs as dining room managers, food and beverage directors and even hotel operations chiefs.

"It's a learning experience all the way through -- in the kitchen, front of the house, our catering jobs, barista service," says Devan Sharosky, one of the program's culinary instructors. "They learn all the basics."

"The more we involve the kids, [we] broaden their horizons right away and they begin to understand all they can get into," says chef Rob McGorray, senior culinary instructor.

In the process, local diners take advantage of some tasty fare at affordable prices.

Open from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday, the cafe accommodates up to 50 guests with reservations who can order from a set menu of dishes of the day that feature seasonal ingredients. Luncheon-size portions are priced modestly: the quiche-of-the-day, served with mixed greens in a house vinaigrette, costs $4; either the West Shore Chicken Salad (with garden vegetables on a bed of greens, served with bread) or a meatless entree (angel hair pasta with vegetable) is $4.50, as are four sandwich offerings. Side dishes ($1-$1.50), beverages ($1) and desserts ($2.50) are available. Meat entrees top out at $6 for a serving of roasted pork with risotto of the day and seasonal vegetables. (Daily seafood selections are based on ever-changing market prices.)

The Ranger Cafe @ West Shore

What: A new training restaurant, open to the public, operated by West Shore Career-Technical District.

Where: Lakewood High School, 14100 Franklin Blvd. (Signs indicate designated parking areas and secured entry to the facility.)

When: 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday. Last seating is about 12:30 p.m.

Policies: Seating is by reservation only. You must call at least 24 hours in advance; your call will be returned to confirm your time.

Prices: Most main-dish salads, quiches, entrees and sandwiches are $4-$6. Beverages, side dishes and desserts range from $1 to $2.50.

Catering: A limited number of events are planned into the program curriculum. To inquire, leave a message for Rob McGorray or Devan Sharosky on the Cafe's reservations line.

Reservations, more information: 216-529-4165.

Meanwhile, guests can enjoy other displays of student creativity. Paintings by Lakewood High students are being mounted for exhibition in the sunny dining room. The sound system soon will play music produced by other students. Even the menus reflect youthful creativity: Participants in the digital design program produced them.

All earnings from restaurant sales, as well as from a variety of catering projects that are part of the curriculum, are funneled back to defray operating costs, says Linda Thayer, director of the program.

"It's a self-sustaining account," says Thayer. "Everything they buy, from chef jackets to food, comes from profits from the program -- so we don't have to take additional funds from the districts and the taxpayers."

There is sort of a trade-off in visiting such a dining room. Guests are in an educational setting, where instructors are teaching everything from basic cooking techniques and safe food-handling practices to proper interaction with guests and other facets of customer service. Instructors McGorray and Sharosky supervise as if they were running a professional kitchen.

"Which it is," says McGorray.

Still, exercising patience is part of the experience. The students are learning as they go.

But with check averages running between $7 and $10 for a fairly complete midday meal, it's a small price to pay.