This weekend, Big Brothers Big Sisters will be offering a chance for people to learn some culinary skills and the importance of the organization with Big Appetites/Little Bites. The event will take place from 6-7:30 p.m. Saturday at the West Texas Food Bank kitchen located on 1601 Westcliffe Drive.
There, people will get a chance to learn about how to create tasty Asian-style appetizers. Executive Director of the Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Permian Basin Kay Crites says the purpose of the event is to try and get more people to volunteer to be a part of the organization.
“We’re trying desperately to find needed volunteers to try and match with our children and we thought maybe if we coupled it with an opportunity to learn how to make an Asian appetizer, then it might draw a little more interest than just ‘please come learn about Big Brothers Big Sisters,’” Crites said.
Attendees will learn from well-known West Texas Chef Vanessa Mata. Mata will walk attendees through making eggrolls, spring rolls and crab rangoon. Mata’s passion for food began as a child while helping in the kitchen. She attended Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts in Las Vegas, Nev.
She has been a chef in West Texas for the past 10 years, cooking for special events and at various country clubs.
“We’re very grateful for the West Texas Food Bank for letting us use their kitchen because it’s set up for teaching and demonstrating cooking techniques,” Crites said. “We have a local chef who has been to Le Cordon Bleu and works here in West Texas. She’s going to be teaching people how to create, we’re going to have all the supplies there, and she’ll walk them through how to make each of the appetizers. The spring rolls, the egg rolls, and the crab rangoon. Of course, they’ll get to sample what they’ve been making all evening.”
While attendees cook (and eat) their appetizers, staff from Big Brothers Big Sisters will briefly talk about the need for volunteers and the program. Big Brothers Big Sisters provides mentors for children in Midland County and Ector County and strives to ensure that all children achieve their full potential by matching them with a caring mentor.
For more information about enrolling a child or volunteering as a mentor, call 432-687-0195 or go to tinyurl.com/ys53hdtw
