Six teams of El Paso Community College culinary students turned up the heat this week, cooking fajitas and mixing margaritas in front of a sold-out crowd for a cause that goes well beyond bragging rights. When the judging ended, ten culinary arts and travel and tourism students walked away with $1,000 scholarships apiece, money meant to cover tuition, equipment, or simply one more semester in school.
The 9th Annual Fajitas and Margaritas for Scholarships event was hosted by the El Paso Community College Foundation and the EPCC Culinary Arts program, according to KTSM 9 News. Guests, members of the EPCC Board of Trustees, the EPCC Foundation Board of Directors, and a panel of celebrity judges sampled and chose the best recipes from the competing student teams. The night also featured a silent auction stocked with more than 100 items — specially crafted gift baskets, bottles, artwork, home décor, aguas frescas, and a pastry package assembled by EPCC culinary arts students themselves.
Six Teams, Six Wildly Different Takes on Fajitas
The competition itself played out like a culinary tour of flavor combinations rarely seen on the same table. Team La Abeja, which included chef Edgar Morales, served a Cajun blackened chicken fajita with smokey rajas alongside a honey buttered corn margarita. Team La Frieda, led by chefs Steven and Danirabe Lowry, plated smoked beef fajitas tuile paired with a piloncillo cinnamon margarita finished with apricot cold foam.
Team La Bota, featuring chef Javier Sotelo, brought al pastor fajitas with cucumber, jalapeno, and lime margaritas. Team El Apache, led by chef Santiago Reyes, served Korean BBQ pork belly fajitas with a smokey sandia margarita. Team El Nopal, with chef Cristina Navarro, offered charred skirt steak fajitas on a red beet tortilla alongside a passion fruit and prickly pear margarita, while Team La Muerte, led by chef Jose Ortega, presented yakitori beef pinwheels with a roasted pineapple tepache margarita.
When the scores came in, Team El Apache swept the night, taking home the Golden Skillet Fajita Winner award, the Best Side-Dish Street Food award, and the Best Decorated Serving Station award. Team La Abeja claimed the Margarita Glass award for best margaritas. The celebrity judges panel included Melanie Bradley, Rulis Gonzalez, Amber Nevarez, Jenny Solo, and Brooke Underwood, per the same KTSM account. Gonzalez serves as executive chef and owner of Starlight Gastropub, while Underwood is president and CEO of Destination El Paso. Tejano Jack and members of the EPCC Spirit Squad helped hand out the awards, and the Tango Tejano dance group — led by Cynthia Gamez, Ubaldo Armenta, Hilario Gamez, Yadira Ochoa, Armando Saenz, and Maria Kuz — entertained the crowd throughout the evening.
Where the Scholarship Money Actually Goes
Beyond the trophies, the real prize of the night was financial: ten students received $1,000 scholarships for demonstrating their talents, maintaining good grades, and contributing service to the college, the outlet reports. Recipients included Adriana Picca, Arianna Villalobos, Dario Jones, Genesis Jordan, Kevin Rodriguez, Priscila Esparza, Samantha Mendez, Solomon Griffin, and Teresita Prieto, along with Patricia Rodriguez, who received a scholarship in travel and tourism.
Prieto, a culinary arts and pastry major who competed on Team El Apache, says she plans to put her scholarship money toward equipment needed for her classes, with an eye toward eventually opening her own catering business after finishing her degree. EPCC's in-state tuition and fees were $3,274 in 2025, making a $1,000 award a meaningful contribution toward a student's costs.
That financial cushion can help students manage the cost of staying in school. EPCC President Dr. William Serrata said that support and investment in scholarships help students stay in school, graduate, and achieve their dreams, per KTSM's report, while EPCC Foundation Director Dolores Gross said the event helps students succeed through both scholarships and emergency assistance funding.
A Foundation Built to Keep Students Enrolled
The EPCC Foundation, an independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit established in 1999, supports scholarship programs and emergency financial assistance, according to the EPCC Foundation Annual Report. The foundation says it strives to make college affordable and accessible to community members seeking higher education and workforce training, aiming to help El Paso students prepare for careers without accumulating debt. Since 2010, the foundation has awarded more than $260,000 annually in student scholarships with the help of community supporters.
Fajitas and Margaritas is just one piece of a broader fundraising push tied to EPCC's Culinary Arts program. In July, the department hosted “America 250: Red, White and Brew,” a $75-a-ticket showcase pairing student-created dishes with custom beers from eight local El Paso breweries, according to KVIA ABC 7. Chef Jesus Lugo was at Thirteen09, and the Administrative Services Center includes a brewing area and an apiary garden.
Events like Fajitas and Margaritas channel community support into student scholarships.
