TSU Workforce Readiness — Class 16: Garden-to-Table Cooking Demo

GARDEN-TO-TABLE COOKING DEMO

TSU Workforce Readiness Series — Class 16

Seasonal ingredients become memorable dishes when cooks understand how to prep, layer, and balance flavor.

Join Chef McCoy and a guest chef for a 90-minute garden-to-table cooking demonstration focused on turning fresh harvest ingredients into practical, flavorful dishes. Participants will see how chefs evaluate seasonal produce, choose cooking methods, build flavor, and reduce unnecessary waste in a professional kitchen.

This extended session is designed for TSU students, aspiring culinary professionals, food entrepreneurs, hospitality workers, gardeners, and community participants who want to strengthen their confidence with seasonal ingredients and hands-on kitchen technique.

WHAT YOU’LL LEARN

• How to evaluate and prep seasonal vegetables, herbs, and other harvest ingredients

• How chefs choose cooking methods based on an ingredient’s texture, moisture, flavor, and intended use

• Foundational flavor-building techniques using salt, acid, fat, heat, aromatics, herbs, and spices

• How to layer flavors and adjust a dish as it cooks

• Practical approaches to cross-utilization, trim use, and reducing kitchen waste

• How garden-to-table thinking can inform menu development and food-business creativity

WHAT TO EXPECT

This 90-minute hybrid session includes live cooking demonstration, chef explanation, ingredient discussion, practical technique observation, and participant questions. In-person attendees will meet in Kitchen Lab A at the Cecilia Lane Building.

Virtual-access details will be emailed to registered attendees before the session. Virtual attendees will receive demonstration and observation access; any hands-on participation occurs only in the in-person kitchen lab under instructor direction.

Food may be prepared in a shared teaching kitchen that handles common allergens. Please disclose serious food allergies or dietary restrictions during registration. We will make reasonable efforts to provide ingredient information, but we cannot guarantee an allergen-free environment.

REGISTRATION OPTIONS

• TSU Student Registration — Free

Available to currently enrolled Texas Southern University students. Please bring a valid TSU student ID for in-person check-in.

• Community Admission — $10

Open to community members, aspiring cooks, food entrepreneurs, gardeners, hospitality professionals, and anyone interested in seasonal cooking and flavor-building techniques.

Advance registration is required. Please arrive at least 10 minutes early if attending in person.

ABOUT THE TSU WORKFORCE READINESS SERIES

The TSU Workforce Readiness Series is a 19-class professional-development program supporting practical hospitality, culinary, business, and workplace-readiness skills. Eligible TSU students may apply qualifying attendance toward program participation and capstone requirements. Community admission does not include TSU student-program or capstone eligibility.

Presented by Travel Villa Kitchen in partnership with Texas Southern University.