El Paso, Texas – The El Paso Fall Home & Garden Show featured a new culinary demonstration from the El Paso Community College (EPCC) culinary arts program. On Thursday, EPCC chefs prepared original dishes that highlighted ingredients grown and harvested on campus, reinforcing the college’s emphasis on farm‑to‑plate education.
Garden‑grown ingredients take center stage
Students showcased a mushroom pasta and honey‑glazed cauliflower wings. Both dishes used fresh produce from EPCC’s newly established garden and honey from the college’s on‑site apiary. The apiary, a collection of beehives, supplies the honey that sweetens the cauliflower wings.
Instructor emphasizes agricultural awareness
Chef Edgar Morales, the culinary instructor leading the program, explained that the demonstration is designed to teach students the full lifecycle of food. “It’s important for the students here to understand how tightly and how deeply we depend on the agricultural system,” Morales said. He added that when harvest time arrives, students see the direct rewards of their labor, whether it’s honey or fresh vegetables.
Program growth and community outreach
EPCC’s ecosystem projects, including the garden and apiary, were launched earlier this year. This marks the second year the culinary school has participated in the Fall Home & Garden Show, an event that draws homeowners, gardeners, and local businesses seeking improvement ideas for the borderland region.
Morales noted that the showcase offers a dual benefit: it promotes the culinary program to prospective students and encourages gardeners in the community to adopt sustainable growing practices. By demonstrating how a simple garden can supply high‑quality ingredients for restaurant‑level dishes, the program hopes to inspire more families to grow their own produce.
Looking ahead
EPCC plans to expand its garden and apiary initiatives, aiming to integrate more hands‑on agricultural experiences into the culinary curriculum. The college sees this as a way to strengthen ties between education, local agriculture, and the broader community.
The Fall Home & Garden Show continues through the weekend, offering additional workshops, product displays, and home‑improvement ideas for residents of El Paso and surrounding areas.
Original reporting: El Paso News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
