Tanner Conley
Staff Writer
Saving the environment has never tasted so good.
On Mon., Matthew Branson, the Head Chef of Washakie Dining Hall, hosted the latest iteration of Cowboy Cooking Classes. The focus of the meal was a vegan alternative to the classic pulled pork sandwich featuring jackfruit and broccoli slaw. While the dish was the focus of the class, it also served as a vehicle for the pros of living a plant-based lifestyle. Such benefits include healthy effects on the body, the potential addition of up to four years of your life and the reduction of your carbon footprint. Branson said this class serves as merely one small piece of a larger puzzle.
“It’s just passing on that healthy way of eating to help the environment out,” Branson said. “Because eating and your diet has a lot to do with how you move through the day and how you motivate [yourself] through the day. I just want to make the world a better place and I think a healthier diet can achieve that.”
He said he strongly reinforced the idea that there is more to eat in the world than just meat and potatoes to get all the nutrients we need on a daily basis. He said he sees veggies and fruits as a way to make your diet more flavorful and more fulfilling.
“I want people to leave here with the understanding that vegetables are cool, and plant-based protein is awesome,” said Branson.
Branson did more than just cook for interested college students and faculty. He also demonstrated proper knife safety as well as various food preparation tips that could be used to influence the meal further.
Emily Smith, a student in the crowd, was a returning veteran of the Cowboy Cooking Class scene.
“I went to the first Cowboy Cooking Class with my roommate and I love cooking.” Smith said, “I am not a vegetarian or vegan myself, but I do try and eat that way, so I was curious to hear what Chef Matthew had to say.”
She said she was drawn to attend this course by her passion for plant-based cooking which developed from a garden lifestyle in her own home.
“I have a big garden back home. I really like cooking from my garden and I was curious to see how they would approach that in a university setting where I didn’t think it would be a super easy thing to have happen,” Smith said.
Smith was particularly fond of the seemingly backstage pass into the world of cooking at Washakie Dining Center.
“I love the samples and it’s also neat to meet some of the staff who are behind the food I eat every day on campus,” Smith said. “I would absolutely come back. I think they are a lot of fun and I learned a lot.”
Cowboy Cooking Classes returns Nov. 18 and students can register for a place in the class.
