TSU Workforce Readiness — Class 16: Garden-to-Table ...

2026-10-29 · 18:00:00 · Houston

Cecilia Lane Building, Texas Southern University

Cecilia Lane Building, HOUSTON, TX 77004

Hosted at Texas Southern University, this free session features a 90-minute garden-to-table cooking demonstration led by Chef McCoy and a guest chef.

Join us in person for TSU Workforce Readiness Class 16 and learn garden-to-table cooking tips! 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

Founder brief

Who should attend

Food entrepreneurs, aspiring culinary professionals, and hospitality operators working with seasonal produce will find immediate value here. Anyone exploring farm-to-table concepts, menu design, or operational food waste reduction can pick up practical kitchen techniques to inform their business models.

What happens

Attendees watch a live hybrid cooking demonstration focused on evaluating harvest vegetables, selecting cooking methods, and building balanced flavors. The chefs explain real-time flavor adjustment, ingredient cross-utilization, and practical trim use to cut kitchen waste while discussing garden-to-table menu innovation.

Who's in the room

Participants include Texas Southern University students, local gardeners, hospitality staff, and culinary founders. Chef McCoy and a guest chef lead the demonstration, organized under the TSU Workforce Readiness Series alongside Travel Villa Kitchen.

How to prepare

Bring a notebook to capture specific notes on produce preparation, flavor layering, and ingredient cross-utilization methods. If you manage a food venture, consider preparing questions about balancing seasonal supply chain shifts with kitchen waste reduction.

Organizer: Travel Villa Kitchen

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At a glance

Tickets
Free
Refunds
Refunds up to 7 days before event
Sectors
Agtech food

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