{"id":25787,"date":"2025-11-02T12:31:28","date_gmt":"2025-11-02T12:31:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/25787\/"},"modified":"2025-11-02T12:31:28","modified_gmt":"2025-11-02T12:31:28","slug":"unique-staten-island-cafe-boasts-a-menu-and-a-mission-to-warm-your-soul","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/25787\/","title":{"rendered":"Unique Staten Island cafe boasts a menu and a mission to warm your soul"},"content":{"rendered":"

A little note before you read this: Part of the joy of this job goes beyond tasting\u2014it\u2019s seeing food service training in action. Programs like On Your Mark were making an impact back when I ran American Grill on Forest Avenue\u201424 years ago!\u2014and it\u2019s remarkable to see them thrive today. Stories like this truly touch me. Generally speaking, we need more initiatives like this across the industry, because structured training doesn\u2019t just build skills\u2014it shapes a workforce with care, manners, and attention to detail.<\/p>\n

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. \u2014Pumpkin pancakes stacked high, chocolate-stuffed French toast drizzled with ganache, and an Apple Pie Smoothie that tastes like autumn in a glass\u2014On Your Mark Caf\u00e9 in West Brighton serves fall on a plate. But behind the seasonal flavors is a story that makes every bite matter.<\/p>\n

\"OnJennifer Allen attends to the details of service including how to navigate between tables during a lunch rush. (Advance\/SILive.com | Pamela Silvestri)<\/p>\n

\u201cI had to try them\u2014I\u2019m the waitress,\u201d said Jeanine Long, laughing as she angled a plate of pumpkin pancakes for a photo. \u201cThey\u2019re delicious. You have to taste everything to see if it\u2019s going to be good or sell. I love the fall\u2014and the fall-like mood.\u201d Moments later, Janice Wong slid up to the table and gave Jeanine a quick high-five.<\/p>\n

\"OnJanice Wong, left, and Janine Long explain some of the nuances of the new fall drink line. (Advance\/SILive.com | Pamela Silvestri)<\/p>\n

Across the room, Jennifer Allen appeared tableside with a smile to take an order. At the door, Anthony LaDuca jumped up to hold it as guests headed out. \u201cHave a nice day!\u201d he said sweetly.<\/p>\n

These unchoreographed gestures are the heartbeat of On Your Mark. The caf\u00e9 is operated by the nonprofit of the same name\u2014a Staten Island organization that, among other services, provides vocational training and employment opportunities for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Here, the mission isn\u2019t a footnote on the menu or a paragraph on a website\u2014it\u2019s the rhythm of the shift.<\/p>\n

\"OnAnthony LaDuca works with his colleagues who also help create the new seasonal specials. (Advance\/SILive.com | Pamela Silvestri)<\/p>\n

\u201cThe most rewarding moments come when an individual learns another skill or reaches a goal,\u201d said Joe Gori, director of Employment Initiatives. \u201cIt\u2019s definitely a feel-good place. I wouldn\u2019t change it. Everyone has an impact just by supporting.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"OnJoe Gori chats with a server, Jennifer Allen, as the lunch rush begins. (Advance\/SILive.com | Pamela Silvestri)What\u2019s cooking\u2014now<\/p>\n

The caf\u00e9 lives at 639 Forest Ave. and runs Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. The attached chocolate shop keeps the lights on until 4 p.m., which explains the sweet streak on the menu: S\u2019mores Waffle, Dubai Pancakes with pistachio cream, shredded phyllo and a dark-chocolate drizzle, and the Chocolate Nutella Flatbread\u2014a crisp plank layered with chocolate and Nutella, strawberries, and a final scatter of crushed chocolate-covered almonds.<\/p>\n

\"OnThe next door chocolate shop has provided inspiration for some of the specials like this insanely chocolatey “stuffed” short stack made with fluffy pancakes and a garnish of chocolate covered almonds. (Advance\/SILive.com | Pamela Silvestri)<\/p>\n

\u201cPeople see that [flatbread] go by and that\u2019s usually it,\u201d a staffer said, brushing her hands together in the universal \u201cdone deal\u201d gesture.<\/p>\n

The caf\u00e9 keeps a steady cadence. Supervisors offer guidance in the open kitchen, helping individuals with tasks\u2014or stepping back when confidence takes over. <\/p>\n

\"OnJeanine Long knows the specials and recommends some of her favorites. Part of the job requires test-tasting. (Advance\/SILive.com | Pamela Silvestri)<\/p>\n

Or they\u2019re hands off. Jeanine can easily tick through the daily specials: Tuesdays are cheesesteaks. Wednesday is the chicken cordon bleu wrap\u2014\u201cgrilled chicken, ham, Swiss and a little Dijon mustard.\u201d And Thursday is the honey barbecue chicken sandwich\u2014\u201cI like the coleslaw on it,\u201d Jeanine added without hesitation, \u201cYou get that extra crunch.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"OnOn Your Mark Caf\u00e9 has its regulars from West Brighton and beyond.(Advance\/SILive.com | Pamela Silvestri)<\/p>\n

There\u2019s soup, too\u2014broccoli cheddar among the rotating pots\u2014plus omelets, flatbreads, wraps, salads, and sandwiches from breakfast through lunch.<\/p>\n

On the beverage side, the NutriBlend section leans into cooler weather with the Apple Pie Smoothie\u2014apple, honey, and almond milk blended with apple-pie spice\u2014plus the option to add plant protein \u201cfor a different layer,\u201d Gori said.<\/p>\n

\"OnEvery menu item comes with its own skill set, from drinks to sandwiches. (Advance\/SILive.com | Pamela Silvestri)<\/p>\n

When spring arrives, the staff likes to change things up. As daffodils bloom outside, signaling a new season, lighter fare\u2014crisp salads and fresh eats\u2014inspire the kitchen inside.<\/p>\n

\"OnOne of Jonathan Lee’s favorite dishes is a caramelized onion-stuffed burger, a dish he helped create. (Advance\/SILive.com | Pamela Silvestri)Training, baked right into the recipes<\/p>\n

The work behind all the menus is precise and layered with meaning. \u201cAs you can imagine, it was a big deal for us\u2014What are we going to offer people? What\u2019s our actual recipe?\u201d Gori said. \u201cEvery recipe contains a wide variety of skill sets. The consumers had their input here, too.\u201d <\/p>\n

He keeps shifts staffed with intention\u2014about four staff members to 10 participants\u2014so coaching can happen in real time, without rushing anyone past the point of learning.<\/p>\n

\"OnEvery day at work is a joyous one as the staff and their guides work together. Still, there is a great sense of autonomy for workers who interact with guests one-on-one.(Advance\/SILive.com | Pamela Silvestri)<\/p>\n

That also means the team resists the temptation to promote a new item too soon. \u201cWe can\u2019t do it more quickly because they might offer those items prematurely,\u201d Gori said. \u201cSo it\u2019s a delicate balance. We work with everyone\u2014front and back of the house\u2014so by the time something hits the menu, our crew knows it cold and can talk it through when a customer asks.\u201d<\/p>\n

Chef Eric Wanglund\u2014whose r\u00e9sum\u00e9 includes West Shore Inn and Fig & Vine\u2014calls the caf\u00e9 a \u201cfast-paced food life\u201d classroom that still puts people first. \u201cI\u2019m thrilled with how they\u2019ve adapted. Our customers know the mission, so they\u2019re willing to wait. They\u2019re not only understanding\u2014they encourage it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"OnPart of the work day is a social time where colleagues eventually become friends and mentors. Here are Anthony LaDuca, Amy Weiss and Janet Wong. (Advance\/SILive.com | Pamela Silvestri)Jonathan\u2019s arc (and his quesadillas)<\/p>\n

Gori introduced Jonathan Lee, who popped into a chair for a few minutes between tasks. He learned to cook through On Your Mark and now splits time between the caf\u00e9 and Carmel Richmond Nursing Home.<\/p>\n

\u201cI like cooking. I make things fresh. I like to make food,\u201d Jonathan said. \u201cThe customers are satisfied.\u201d His favorite dish to prepare is quesadillas; to eat, it\u2019s the French onion burger. He spoke with pride about cooking at home\u2014American, Italian, and Chinese\u2014and walked through a scratch pot of spaghetti and meatballs like a patient tutor to the initiated: saut\u00e9 the diced onions and garlic until translucent, season with parsley, oregano, and thyme, add crushed tomatoes and paste, then let the meatballs simmer until the sauce tightens.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe has come so far,\u201d Gori said. \u201cHe would work every day if we let him. He truly loves to work.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"OnThe cafe’s daily rhythm includes greeting customers and even holding the door as they leave. It’s a cheery day all around. (Advance\/SILive.com | Pamela Silvestri)Community is the bread and butter<\/p>\n

The caf\u00e9 opened in 2001 as a simple coffee house\u2014couches, a TV, baked goods, coffee\u2014then grew as the neighborhood leaned in. Pandemic years crushed that momentum. \u201cWe were on an uphill swing before COVID and then we fell through the cracks,\u201d Gori said. \u201cPeople moved away, started working from home. The community is the bread and butter.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"OnFlatbread pizzas take a salubrious spin with roasted veggies. (Advance\/SILive.com | Pamela Silvestri)<\/p>\n

Still, Staten Island does what Staten Island does. \u201cI\u2019ll get people who tip on a bill,\u201d Gori said. \u201cWe\u2019ll have regulars who\u2019ll say, \u2018Have that pizza party for them.\u2019 They want the staff to feel celebrated.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"OnPersonal service comes with details that count. (Advance\/SILive.com | Pamela Silvestri)<\/p>\n

Gori\u2019s own relationship to the place is measured in decades, not months. He found On Your Mark in the mid-1990s, when a director visited local high schools. He started at the day camp, picked up weekend support, helped with Friday night swim at the JCC\u2014and kept going. \u201cMy degree is in psychology with a minor in business,\u201d he said, \u201cbut what kept me here is simple: These guys are family to me. They\u2019re family.\u201d He points out small details with quiet pride\u2014the logo character he still calls the \u201cOn Your Mark Man.\u201d<\/p>\n

On Your Mark Caf\u00e9, 639 Forest Ave., operates Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. The neighboring chocolate shop is open til 4 p.m. Proceeds are reinvested into On Your Mark\u2019s programs. <\/p>\n

\"OnThe On Your Mark “man” is the logo of the restaurant which is located at 639 Forest Ave., West Brighton. (Advance\/SILive.com | Pamela Silvestri)<\/p>\n

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