Gerard Sperry of St. Thomas Food Tours recommends a stop at MBW Cafe & Bakery where you can check out “My Modern Caribbean Kitchen” cookbook by Chef Julius Jackson.

My Brother’s Workshop is a non-profit Virgin Islands charitable corporation founded by Scott Bradley and organized to provide hope, faith, and purpose to young people in the islands by offering mentoring, counseling, paid job training, education, and job placement. 

Originally focused on carpentry and related construction skills, the organization expanded to include the culinary arts and customer service.

Opened in 2015, MBW Café and Bakery is a popular local enterprise that serves as a training facility while offering quality breakfast and lunch items to residents and visitors alike. Students are rotated through all sections from front of house, cashier, and coffee barista, to prepping, cooking and baking stations. 

When hurricanes Irma and Maria hit St. Thomas in 2017, these extraordinary students stepped up to the plate, becoming “Hurricane Heroes” by establishing a feeding station that served 37,000 meals to community members affected by loss.

These days, the comfortably appointed café is a terrific place to enjoy coffee, artisan baked goods, freshly made soups, salads, sandwiches and more. 

You also will find a display of signature gifts and coffee mugs as well as a cookbook titled “My Modern Caribbean Kitchen” by Chef Julius Jackson. 

A celebrated former Olympic boxer, Jackson is head chef and manager of My Brother’s Workshop Bakery and Café.  His 176-page book features 70 local recipes; many were handed down orally in true island tradition and now are beautifully preserved.

MBW Café & Bakery is conveniently located in downtown Charlotte Amalie at Bakery Square on Back Street.

For more information visit mybrothersworkshop.org or call 340-715-2767.