Criminology freshman Nikoli Berggren and volunteer Michael Peace prepare the filling for chorizo and egg tacos at the 38th annual Cowboy Breakfast. Student volunteers began working at 2 a.m. to prepare food. The breakfast is the unofficial kickoff to the San Antonio Stock Show and Rodeo. Proceeds benefit St. Philip’s College’s culinary arts program. Go online for more photos. Photo by Kyle R. Cotton
Cowboy Breakfast volunteer Emet Rios waits for firewood to heat up as volunteer Pasqual Valdez Jr. pours lighter fluid onto the fire. Rios uses a wheelbarrow to wheel and shovel red hot wood embers into firepits used to heat and cook the tacos. Photo By Kyle R. Cotton
Event benefiting college’s culinary arts program sets record as it spurs the rodeo season.
By Kyle R. Cotton
kcotton11@student.alamo.edu
For 38 years the Cowboy Breakfast has been the unofficial kickoff of the San Antonio Stock Show and Rodeo, and this year, the breakfast set a record for most tacos served.
“Nothing is official yet since they have to go through and catalog all the tortillas, bags and wrappers, but we know that we set it since there hadn’t been a previously established record,” St. Philip’s College Chef- Instructor Frank Salina said.
Jasmine Sanchez, 54th Street Bar and Grill server, spins Patrice Salas, dance partner and Texas Western Warehouse sales associate, as the Clay Hollis Band performs George Strait’s “Write This down.” Photo By Kyle R. Cotton
Salina said 50 students volunteered starting at 2 a.m. Jan. 29 for the breakfast and thoroughly enjoyed their time.
“I had about a dozen students who didn’t want to leave, so after we were done cooking, we just hung around till 9 a.m.”
The students served a variety of tacos, including bacon, chorizo, sausage, beef and potato and egg tacos.
Chef Wil Thorton said students in the college’s culinary arts program have been volunteering for the last 22 years.
“This event is really all about the students,” Thorton said. “Every year, they come out to volunteer and have a good time.”
Culinary arts freshman Sandy Dreitzler gets ready to flip flour tortillas as her classmates lay more on the grill to be heated in preparation of the coming crowd. Photo by Kyle R. Cotton
Proceeds from the Cowboy Breakfast benefit St. Philip’s culinary arts. Last year, the breakfast generated $12,000 for the program.
Salina expects to see the donations this year total between $5,000 and $12,000.
“It’s a lot of fun; it’s a bunch of cowboys getting together and cooking for the community,” said Bill Wiseman, Cowboy Breakfast volunteer of 30 years.
“It’s completely changed over the years, and the introduction of the chef school has made it all the better,” he said.
Crowds lined up as early as 2:30 a.m. for free breakfast tacos during the 38th annual Cowboy Breakfast. The Cowboy Breakfast is expected to set the record for most tacos served. Photo by Kyle R. Cotton
The 66th annual San Antonio Stock Show and Rodeo runs through Feb. 27 at AT&T Center.
