This column serves as a spotlight, highlighting the everyday people who work and live in Callaway County. The Fulton Sun takes a moment with someone who is not usually featured in the news but is just as instrumental in making the community the strong and beautiful place residents here know and love.
The Brick District Playhouse in downtown Fulton reopened its café June 28, and in March, Brian Mann was named the new general manager. Mann was born in Orlando, Florida, and graduated from high school in North Carolina in 2005. He met his wife, Jessica, in Orlando and they had their first child there before deciding to leave city life and move to Holts Summit in June 2017.
A month later, Mann was hired as a line cook at Glenn's Cafe in Columbia and was quickly promoted to lead cook and then sous chef within 90 days, before eventually being named head chef. He left Glenn's in March 2020 to become a stay-at-home dad when his wife returned to work as a medical assistant at Community Health Center of Central Missouri in Jefferson City. He returned to the workforce a year later at the Playhouse Café.
Brian and Jessica Mann live in New Bloomfield with their two children, Emily and Brian Jr.
Q: What was your first job?
My first job was a paint-ball instructor at a Christian church camp in Tennessee. I shot a lot of children with paint balls and I watched a lot of other children shoot a lot of other people with paint balls, and watched a lot of children cry. Ultimately, I taught them how to shoot safely with paint balls, not be out on the course just pointing the gun anywhere with no mask on.
Q: Who inspires you most?
Nowadays, I would say it's my children and my wife. I really just want to give them a life that was better than my own in just providing for them. I want to give them opportunities that maybe I never had when I was growing up.
Q: What have you done in your life that has been the most fulfilling?
Besides family, I guess it would be my persistence on just wanting to continue to be better in my own self, my career, my own hobbies, or whatever it may be. Ever since I jumped on to the kitchen aspect, I've always wanted to become better, not just as a cook, but more just in the whole aspect of the kitchen itself. I'm intrigued with how the whole operation works, and the more crazier it feels, the more organized I get. It seems like in chaos I just seem to work more efficient.
Q: What is something you are proud of that you have been recognized for?
A lot of my old friends ... that keep up with social media in some aspects just say how much of a good dad I am. It's nice to hear that, especially when you're not (looking) for that, and then you get to hear the gratitude from other people that you don't expect to hear from say something like that to you, so it makes you feel good.
Q: If you can do any job in the world, what would it be?
A job that I would like to do, ultimately, would be charity work, just giving. Truly what I would like to do is just go out and just give to people who don't have anything -- countries or whatever it may be.
Q: What is a job you wouldn't want to do?
Any job that would scare me would be more like public speaking, like to a giant auditorium or a stadium of people. It seems like it would intimidate me, just because of the amount of people and the pressure.
Q: What is your favorite thing about Callaway County?
The hospitality of the people was the biggest eye-opener. People show that they actually (care) here. Callaway County just has more friendliness and a just more inviting atmosphere. People actually take the time and actually pay attention. You get more time, more personalization, you just get more greeting and friendliness from everybody you meet, instead of just a quick glance.