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While some people spend many of their adult years trying to figure out what to do with their lives, Chris Puga knew exactly what he wanted to do since childhood—become a chef. His love for food started as a child watching Emeril Lagasse on TV, when Chris would run around the house yelling, “Bam! Bam!” just like his idol.
His early passion turned into a relentless drive to succeed, pushing him to take every opportunity to learn, grow, and build a career that exceeds even his own expectations.
Today, Chris is the Food and Beverage Director for Destination El Paso, where he oversees large-scale event venues that serve thousands. From running restaurant kitchens to mentoring students and now helping shape El Paso’s culinary scene, his story is proof that if you follow your passion with a bit of perseverance, anything is possible.
Built from Scratch: A Legacy of Perseverance and Passion
Chris’s grandfather has a story fit for the movies. Edmundo started his own business in El Paso, Texas, in 1975, selling hardware door-to-door to local customers. In 1977, he hopped a moving train to relocate to Los Angeles with the goal of finding a job and saving money to grow the business.
Although he planned to stay in L.A. for three years, things moved faster than Edmundo had anticipated, and just two years later, he was headed back home to grow his business with a business partner. He sold a house he had purchased in L.A. and sunk the money into the enterprise.
What began as door-to-door nails and hardware sales evolved into a hardware store, then a multi-million dollar plumbing company, and eventually real estate investments across the El Paso area. Edmundo had discovered an industry that he was passionate about and enjoyed working in, a lesson he passed down to his grandson.
Although the family business was plumbing while Chris was growing up, his Mexican family was also filled with cooks. No one was a professional chef, but Chris loved seeing what type of beautiful art he could create with his hands, which often took the form of pastries and cakes.
“I followed the footsteps of my grandfather,” Chris said about why he pursued becoming a pastry chef. “Loving what he did and succeeding in it. He’s the one that pushed me to go to culinary school.”
Finding His Path in Food from Childhood to Culinary School
As an elementary school student, Chris became known as the “little chef” around school by making pastries for his teachers. Coming from a Spanish-speaking home, he struggled to read English and was placed in Special Education classes, where he underwent annual evaluations until eighth grade. During these meetings, his principal, Ms. Polanco McNeily, would tell his parents and teachers that Chris was destined for something great because of his dedication to the baking industry.
By middle school, Chris was designing cakes and begging his mom to allow him to visit a family friend to watch her design wedding cakes.
“I was so amused with the creativeness of it,” Chris said. “And this lady would make incredible, beautiful cakes. And I would literally just sit there and watch her.”
When Chris moved to high school, Ms. McNeily was so excited about his passion for baking that she contacted the district office to ensure he would be enrolled in Riverside High School Culinary Vocational School. Chris credits this push from the principal for helping him pursue his dream career.
“She truly believed in my passion and was an incredible supporter of my dreams and work,” he said.
After completing training at the vocational school, Chris turned down a scholarship to attend Johnson & Wales University and instead enrolled in the local community college to stay close to his family.
Hitting the Limits of the El Paso Culinary Scene
After a couple of years, Chris realized that his vocational high school had such a strong program that he wasn’t learning anything new at community college. On top of that, as he began to learn more about El Paso’s culinary industry, he realized that the ceiling in the local industry was limited. He started to feel the pull to “hop a train” for a new location, like his grandfather did, where he could expand his opportunities.
Another challenge that reinforced this decision came from his experience working at a local bakery. Chris had taken the job with the hope of gaining hands-on experience and developing his skills, and while the owner initially offered tough but valuable training, the environment quickly became toxic. Instead of being mentored, Chris found himself belittled and mocked.
The situation created a turning point for his career. Chris realized that staying in that environment would limit his growth, and if he wanted to thrive in the industry, he needed the kind of education and experience that would prepare him to lead differently. So, he began to explore the next steps for his culinary career.
Excelling at Escoffier
While researching his options, Chris found Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts—and because he was ready to get out of Texas and try something new, he enrolled at the Boulder campus. Chris’s dad drove him to Colorado, the school paired him with a roommate, and they found a house together. It was a big move out of his comfort zone, but Chris knew this was something he needed to experience.
Chris was excited to start a new chapter when he enrolled at Escoffier.
During his time at Escoffier, Chris focused on taking every opportunity he could. He wanted every Chef Instructor to know his name. He would always volunteer at weekend events like Oktoberfest. Because he was always in the office trying to meet people, Chris wound up working the front desk while in school.
After Chris graduated in 2015, a few of his friends encouraged him to move to Dallas, Texas, where they lived. One of them had worked at the Omni Hotel and recommended Chris to her employers. He moved to the city with no expectation of becoming an executive chef, but during the performance-based interview, Chris did so well that he was offered the role of Executive Pastry Chef. And just like that, Chris achieved his goal of becoming a “Titled” Chef before he turned 25.
“I assumed my work had made a strong impression, as it was the quickest and easiest interview I had ever had,” Chris said. “Probably because I was doing what I truly love.”
Using a Culinary Education to Make a Difference
Although Chris enjoyed working at the Omni and learning how to run events, after two years, he began to feel the urge to be near family again. His connections at his alma mater in El Paso told him there was an open position for a culinary teacher at nearby Bowie High School, and they thought Chris would be good with the students because of his charismatic personality and drive.
At Bowie, a home economics class was beginning to grow as the school looked for ways to help students and their families improve their nutrition. The school had already built gardens where students grew fruits, vegetables, and herbs, and it was looking to establish a culinary program to begin putting that food to use.
Five students in the class came up with the idea to purchase and run a food truck, and over the course of four days, they raised $57,000 in donations from local businesses. The school created a new teaching position to support the growing program, and they wanted Chris for the job based on his culinary experience and reputation.
Chris didn’t have a background in education, and in order for the school to hire him, Chris had to get his CTE (Certified Technology Education in Culinary Arts). He found the test difficult, but after he started working with the students, Chris quickly discovered his purpose in the work.
The food truck hadn’t yet arrived when Chris started working at the school, but instead of waiting, he sprang into action to get the students ready so they could hit the ground running when it did. He created a student-run catering company where the students gained hands-on experience running a food business. They learned how to plan menus, order ingredients, manage costs, and serve at events ranging from intimate gatherings to city events with 1,200 guests—similar to what Chris’ Chef Instructors had helped Chris explore during his studies at Escoffier.
When the food truck arrived, Chris had planned on shutting down the catering company, but the community demand led to students continuing to run both the catering business and the food truck.
Chef Chris and his students were featured on the cover of The City magazine for their work with the Oso Good food truck.
Changing Lives Through a Culinary Education
Chris saw the chance to introduce his students to all the opportunities that existed within the culinary world. Drawing upon his working experience as well as his Escoffier education, he began to show them how culinary skills could help them improve their immediate circumstances. By developing real-world abilities, students could begin helping their families make money. He knew if he could help them with the resources today, their tomorrow could be better.
“I had to give [these students] the opportunity to show them that you’ll graduate, but you’re now going to do something with your diet, and now you’re going to not just get yourself out of this, but you’re going to get your family out of this,” Chris said. “And you’re going to use culinary to get yourself out there.”
The community noticed the work he was doing with the students, and local news outlets covered the story. Chris won Teacher of the Year his first year of teaching, and the Oso Good Food Truck received the El Paso Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Entrepreneurial Spirit of the Year Award for 2018.
Culinary Camp Puga Helped Kids When They Needed It Most
The culinary program continued to run strong until the pandemic, when Chris shifted to creating video lessons for his students when they couldn’t attend class in person. He also started a Facebook show called Culinary Camp Puga aimed at teaching children how to make simple meals.
Chef Chris Puga teaches Culinary Camp Puga campers how to make phyllo bread pudding.
Eventually, the local El Paso PBS station caught wind of it and collaborated with Chris to create “Kids in the Cocina,” a 30-45 minute show on its Facebook page. The show incorporated simple math concepts into cooking and worked to encourage children and families to cook, learn, and bond together.
Chris’s Fast-Track Journey From Chef to Director Before 30
In 2021, Chris decided it was time to step out of the classroom and back into his culinary roots. The school was testing different lunch ideas, so he assisted in helping to improve the nutritional value of what was offered in the cafeteria. But within a year, he learned of a position opening up at a new facility called the Starlight Event Center that was run by the Education Service Center (ESC)-Region 19. He applied and was hired to do catering and events, which he’d developed a passion for during his days at the Omni.
After only four months in this role, the county Judge stepped into Chris’ office and said, “There’s a spot for you managing city facilities.” They knew of him because of his time in education and the influence he had on the students’ lives. Chris was shocked. After a quick interview process, he became the Food and Beverage Director for Destination El Paso, overseeing a 100,000-person convention center, two theaters, and an outdoor amphitheater for large-scale events.
When Chris left Escoffier, his goal was to be in the entertainment hospitality world by the time he was 30 and a Food and Beverage Director when he was 45 years old. He achieved both by the age of 28. He has fallen in love with the industry because of its diversity. His work spans large concerts all the way down to the nitty-gritty customization of small events and weddings.
Chris enjoys the creativity of organizing events big and small, like Hispano in Albuquerque, NM, where he assisted the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce with acting as Food and Beverage Director.
From Leaving to Leading: How Chris Is Creating Culinary Opportunities in El Paso
Chris originally left El Paso because of limited culinary opportunities. Now, he wants to help create them for others. He’s currently in the process of launching a 2026 event called Provecho Amigo, a city-wide culinary festival highlighting the diverse flavors of El Paso and spotlighting local chefs, restaurants, and food entrepreneurs.
There is a popular saying often attributed to Mahatma Gandhi that says, “Be the change you want to see in the world,” and this is exactly what Chris is working to accomplish. He wants to help El Paso’s food scene rival the likes of Austin and San Antonio. So, instead of wishing it were different, he has become an advocate for El Paso’s food future, helping bring exposure and opportunities to current and future El Paso culinarians.
“Again, I truthfully love this industry and everything that has to do with it, really, and that’s what I tried to push on those students—it’s not just being a chef or a pastry chef. There’s so much more to it,” Chris said. “There’s the photography, there’s the fashion, there’s all these other things, like the cheeses and the wines and the education. I think we are the one career path that has so many different lines. You can just really do so many different things with food. You just have to be creative.”
With that same drive, Chris has set his sights on his next goal: to become a VP or CEO of a company in this industry by the time he turns 55.
Your Culinary Journey Starts Here
Chris Puga’s journey is more than a simple success story—it’s encouragement that opportunities can come to those who are brave enough to follow their passions and try new things.
From his own life experience, he saw how one person’s belief in you can change everything. That’s why he’s excited to help build up the next generation of culinary professionals and shape El Paso into a thriving culinary destination.
If Chris’s journey has you thinking about your own future in food, know that there are many ways to get started. Whether you’re interested in the kitchen, events, or entrepreneurship, getting the right training can help you build a strong foundation.
Escoffier offers programs for those ready to take that first step. Contact us to learn more about our culinary programs today.
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*Information may not reflect every student’s experience. Results and outcomes may be based on several factors, such as geographical region or previous experience.
