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“When I think back all the way to where I ended up in the hospital and almost died, to being where I am now—I feel like I was given a second chance.”
As a former oil field worker living with diabetes, Mike Carrillo would have been the last person to predict a culinary career in his future—let alone one that focused on healthy, plant-based cooking.
But when a health crisis that almost claimed his life forced him to completely transform his relationship with food, he discovered not just a new way of eating, but a whole new calling in life.
Follow Mike’s story from the oil fields of West Texas to the culinary classroom, where he works to encourage others to embrace their passion and lean into their potential.
From the Oil Fields of West Texas
Mike Carrillo has spent his entire life in and around West Texas. Growing up in Hobbs, New Mexico—right on the Texas border—his earliest memories of food were shaped by his Hispanic heritage and family traditions.
“Being raised by a Hispanic grandmother, she introduced me to a lot of flavors from our culture,” he recalls. But food wasn’t something he paid much mind to at that age. “Growing up in the ‘70s and ‘80s, you ate what was put on the table.”
As Mike grew older, he initially tried the traditional route of higher education, briefly pursuing studies in computer science. But it didn’t feel like the right fit.
“It wasn’t quite my time, I guess,” he says. So, like many others in West Texas, he found work in the oil fields instead. He would spend the majority of his early career in the industry, eventually finding a niche in the high-pressure world of sales and management while running an oilfield trucking company.
But in December 2001, that career was cut short. A serious accident left Mike unable to work for more than four years, requiring multiple surgeries to reconstruct his shoulder. During his recovery, he fell into depression.
“I started putting on a lot of weight,” he says. “At my heaviest I got up to 398 pounds on the scale. I’m pretty sure it was over 400 by the time it was said and done.”
It was during this period that he developed Type 2 diabetes. Mike had the understanding that diabetes often means permanent life adjustments, and was resigned to accept this. And, indeed, diabetes did wind up defining the path his life has taken since then—though not in the way he would have anticipated.
A Health Crisis, and a New Perspective
Mike resigned himself to a life of managing diabetes through medication. By August 2020, he was using three different insulin pens and taking two different pills—yet his blood sugar remained stubbornly high. At its peak, his A1C level had reached 10.3, an extremely high reading that’s nearly double normal levels.
Then came what seemed like a minor health issue: an ingrown hair. At first he paid it no mind, but when he developed a fever during the height of COVID, the situation quickly became serious. Knowing that his diabetes put him at higher risk, Mike took a COVID test as soon as he could. But the test came back negative—which only left him more worried, because now he didn’t have an explanation for why he felt so ill.
That’s when his wife, an RN, examined him and immediately recognized the danger. Mike went to see his doctor that very day, and soon found himself in the emergency room.
“They started running tests, and they came back and said they’d already called an ambulance and were prepping the operating room,” he says. That little ingrown hair had led to an infection that went septic and spread throughout his body. Mike’s condition required emergency surgery, and he spent ten days in the hospital.
Mike experienced significant weight gain and developed Type 2 diabetes following his workplace accident (right); after embracing a new lifestyle, a rapid transformation followed (left).
On the drive back home after he was discharged, Mike looked at his two sons and had a revelation.
“Out here in the oil fields, you’ve got to have a macho bravado about yourself,” he says. “But I remember coming out of the hospital, I was scared. I was thinking, ‘What’s going to happen to them if I don’t make it through this?’”
That fear became motivation. He knew it was time for a change.
And he had an idea of where to start. Two weeks before his hospitalization, Mike had enrolled in a diabetes reversal class—though he hadn’t taken it seriously at the time, in part because its message didn’t resonate with him.
“Throughout your journey with diabetes, you always hear the phrase, ‘Food is medicine,’” he says. “But one thing you don’t get taught is how, or why. Why is food medicine?”
He hadn’t planned to go back, but now he had a new motivation to take his health into his own hands. So, with nothing to lose, he called and re-enrolled in the online class.
The Face of Health: Reversing Diabetes
The diabetes reversal program started simply enough.
“It was very basic food—a lot of cauliflower and broccoli, very basic recipes,” Mike recalls. These plain, plant-based recipes were a far cry from the flavorful dishes he was used to, and he still had his doubts about “food as medicine.” But he made a commitment to stick with the program.
“At that point, I didn’t have anything else,” he says. “All the medicine I was taking, obviously it wasn’t working. So I put my head down. I was like, ‘This is all I got.’”
The changes came quicker than anyone expected. His blood sugar began dropping from the mid-300s to the 90s. Doctors started taking him off medications one by one—a process that brought its own anxieties.
“Only a diabetic would understand the kind of anxiety you feel,” he says. “You’re stuck on this medication for years, and now you’re starting not to take it. It was scary getting off each one.”
Because it was during COVID lockdowns, Mike didn’t immediately notice the extent of the transformation happening to his body. It wasn’t until later, when he and his wife were getting ready to go out one evening, that he tried on one of his old shirts.
“It fit me like a kid putting on his dad’s shirt,” he remembers. By then, he had lost more than forty pounds.
The final results were stunning. At the end of the three-month course, his A1C had dropped to 6.1, and he was completely off all medications. The hospital was so impressed, they featured him in their marketing campaigns.
“I was on billboards,” he says. “You go to the hospital today, and on certain floors, there’s a poster of me up there with my story. I like to tell people—especially people who knew me in my oil field days—that I was actually the face of health in West Texas for a very long time.”
Five years later, Mike has maintained a 100-pound weight loss and remains medication-free. But the most profound change was internal. He had discovered a purpose: sharing the healing power of plant-based eating with other diabetics.
“Having that happen to me, actually living it, blew my mind,” he says. “I felt like I had this mission. I felt like diabetics needed to know about this. Because I’d been in their shoes, I understand how they feel.”
After the Crisis, Inspired to Head Back to School
Eager to share what he had learned, Mike first pursued certification as a health coach. But after completing the program, he felt he still wasn’t able to reach people the way he wanted to. That’s when he discovered Escoffier.
The decision to enroll in culinary school wasn’t immediate.
“For a few years I went back and forth with Escoffier,” he recalls. “I would call them, talk to them a little bit. I didn’t know if it was right for me.” Previous attempts at education had never worked out, and he was hesitant to try again. But finally, after one more conversation with admissions, Mike felt that his time had come.
Once the program started, everything changed.
“I went from one of those students trying to sit in the back of the class to one of those students that was in front of the class,” he says of his experience with his online program. “I was always asking questions. I always had my hand up. I always did my homework.” For the first time in his life, he had found an educational environment where he truly flourished.
Initially planning to get a certificate, Mike’s enthusiasm for learning led him to pursue an associate’s degree in plant-based culinary arts instead.
“The closer I got, the more excited I got,” he remembers. “Even when I didn’t know what I was going to do, I was still just excited to know that I graduated with a degree at 50 years old. To me, that was going to be the crowning moment.”*
*Information may not reflect every student’s experience. Results and outcomes may be based on several factors, such as geographical region or previous experience.
Mike graduated from Escoffier’s Plant-Based Culinary Arts Associate Degree program in the spring of 2024.
In the spring of 2024, that crowning moment finally came when Mike graduated with an Associate Degree in Plant-Based Culinary Arts. Little did he know, however, that this culmination was only the beginning of a completely new chapter.
An Unexpected – and Life-Changing – Job Offer
During his time at Escoffier, Mike had been sharing his culinary journey on social media, posting about his experiences with plant-based cooking and diabetes management. Unknown to him, someone at Odessa College had been following his progress with interest.
One afternoon, Mike received an unexpected phone call—and an even more unexpected request. Would he be interested in leading Odessa College’s culinary program as its department chair? Mike was astonished.
“I told him, ‘I didn’t come from an educational background. I’m not any kind of instructor or teacher. My background is in business.’” Despite his doubts, Mike agreed to visit the campus.
What was meant to be a casual visit quickly turned into something more. After sharing his story with a member of the school’s administration, Mike found himself whisked into a series of interviews.
“I’m sitting at the end of the table with all these instructors with doctorate degrees,” he remembers. “It was a little intimidating. But being older, being more experienced, it didn’t terrify me.”
Two hours later, Mike had navigated a process that typically takes four months and was offered the position of Department Chair of Culinary Arts. The former oil field worker who had once been skeptical of education was now being entrusted with shaping a culinary program.
“They were like, ‘We want you. We want you to be part of the team,’” he says. “Everything was fast-tracked. It’s just how my life has been.”
Unexpected opportunities have opened up to Mike in this new chapter of his life – from interviews and media coverage to a whole new profession.
“I Love Coming to Work”: Embracing a New Role
Taking on the role of department chair meant diving into a world that combined hands-on culinary work with academic leadership. Mike found himself overseeing not just a teaching program, but also a live kitchen that operates as a regular restaurant. His days became filled with everything from helping his lead cook run the kitchen to handling administrative duties and developing curriculum.
In time, Mike was elevated to the role of Executive Director of Culinary Arts, and the college gave him significant autonomy to reshape the program. “They told me, ‘This is your program—you tell us how you want to do it,’” he says. He’s using that freedom to create a more cohesive experience across the college’s different campuses, standardizing how the curriculum is taught while incorporating elements from his own education that he found valuable.
What surprised him most was how well his Escoffier education had prepared him for this role.
“I didn’t realize how ready I was… until I actually got into it,” he says. “I want to share that same experience with my new program. I want these students to walk out and be able to walk into a kitchen, get asked to do a chef’s test, and know how to pass it.”
*Information may not reflect every student’s experience. Results and outcomes may be based on several factors, such as geographical region or previous experience.
*Information may not reflect every student’s experience. Results and outcomes may be based on several factors, such as geographical region or previous experience.
Through his new position, Mike has also discovered an unexpected community of Escoffier graduates in West Texas. He’s already hired several as instructors, with more joining his team soon.
“One of the things I told HR is, I can vouch for Escoffier graduates,” he says. “I know how they were taught, and I know the skill level of the instructors they were under.”
For Mike, this role represents more than just a job. It’s a chance to make a difference.
“I love getting up, I love coming to work. I love creating,” he says. “I love being able to touch young minds… Going forward, all these students that will be graduating, it’s going to be a reflection of me, and I feel like I’m a reflection of Escoffier. I want my students to have the same respect for Odessa College when they graduate that I have for Escoffier.”
Mike maintains relationships with other Escoffier grads, and draws inspiration from Escoffier’s culinary programs as he develops his own.
Opening Minds with the Plant-Based Food That Saved His Life
Despite his administrative duties taking him away from the kitchen more than he’d like, Mike remains passionate about developing plant-based cuisine. Living in the Southwest, he focuses on creating healthier versions of Tex-Mex favorites that focus on more nutritious ingredients while maintaining the flavors people know and love.
“I don’t have a book; I actually live these recipes,” he says of his approach to healthy cooking. “When I tell you something is diabetic-friendly and healthy, I actually mean it. I’m not just eliminating sugar and sticking Splenda in there.”
Instead, he dives deep into the science of cooking, researching everything from alternative flours to innovative techniques for maintaining texture and flavor without relying on conventional fats, sugars, and empty carbs.
His plant-based enchilada soup recently became a hit on campus, opening minds about what healthy eating can taste like. But even when he’s not in the kitchen, his mind is constantly working on new ideas. “Sometimes I lose sleep at night because I literally dream this stuff up. I’ll wake up with an idea and think, ‘That would work.’” He’s constantly jotting down new recipe concepts, always looking for ways to reimagine traditional dishes through a healthier lens—an approach to culinary creativity he feels he was spurred to embrace at Escoffier.
Mike is always creating plant-based versions of classic dishes – like this mushroom-and-tofu chile relleno with almond chipotle sauce, plant-based crema, and spiced pinto beans.
Facing the Future with Gratitude
When Mike first enrolled in Escoffier’s online plant-based diploma program, he never imagined he’d end up leading a culinary arts department of his own.
“I thought I wanted to open a food truck, maybe move it into a brick-and-mortar,” he says. Instead, he’s found himself at the heart of a growing community of culinary professionals.
Together with fellow Escoffier graduates, he’s formed a network that meets regularly to share techniques and recipes. What started as monthly Zoom chats has evolved into a collaborative community of plant-based chefs from across the United States, all supporting each other’s growth and innovation.
While he plans to pursue a bachelor’s degree in culinary management eventually, Mike is focused on his work at Odessa College and embracing new opportunities as they arise; recently, one of his vendors asked him to lead a plant-based cuisine workshop for their chefs.
“When I think about these opportunities,” he says, “I wouldn’t have had them without going to school where I did. I think I’m just more grateful for everything because of my age. I strongly feel like I was given a second chance at this.”
*Information may not reflect every student’s experience. Results and outcomes may be based on several factors, such as geographical region or previous experience.
“Don’t Put Limitations on Yourself”
As Mike has leaned into his second chance, he’s given up on selling himself short. One pivotal conversation with an instructor during a baking class at Escoffier crystallized this new perspective.
“I told [my instructor] I felt like I was starting at the very bottom, because I didn’t have much experience,” he says. “She said, ‘I highly doubt that for you—your experience in management, along with your degree, is going to open more doors than you think.’ That still sticks with me today. When things get hard, I can hear my instructor saying it.”
And now, that commitment to making the most of opportunity is something Mike feels compelled to share with others. When speaking to his students, Mike emphasizes one message above all: don’t put limitations on yourself.
“In culinary, just like any other degree, you can make it anything that you want,” he tells them. “The beautiful part is that it’s a combination of not just nutrition, but art. It allows you to express yourself in any way you want.”
He also pushes back against common misconceptions about culinary careers. “People think, ‘Oh, I’m just going to be a line cook, I’m just going to be stuck on the line,’” he says. “But with culinary, you’re able to create your own pathway. Yes, you’re going to work under some people to get experience—but that experience is helping you create your own pathway.”
For Mike, this creative freedom is what makes culinary education special. “The world is your canvas,” he says. “However you want to paint your world is how you paint it. And there will be an audience for all of it.”
Leaning into Potential—at Any Age
Looking back at how far he’s come, Mike sees his near-death experience as the catalyst that opened his eyes to new possibilities. “It’s kind of eerie to think about, but had I not almost come to death, I wouldn’t have made these choices,” he says. “Most people would be afraid to make a career change at fifty. I wasn’t. I embraced it.”
Mike had no idea where his path would lead him when he started pursuing a culinary education at Escoffier. Now, as he works to revitalize his school’s culinary program, Mike takes pride in helping others discover their own potential—just as he leaned into his own potential when he embarked on a path that’s allowed him to touch the lives of others with the power of plant-based food. “It’s funny,” he says, “how your approach to life determines what you get out of it.”
If you’re interested in learning more about what a culinary education could mean for you, consider reaching out to our Admissions Department for more information.
Financial aid, grants, and scholarships are available to those who apply and qualify, which could mean that pursuing a culinary education may be more attainable than you think.
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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.
