Texarkana College Culinary Arts Graduate Lands Job at Austin Restaurant 

For 24-year-old Tyler Standridge, cooking has always been more than preparing food; it is a passion shaped by years of hard work, dedication, and a commitment to mastering his craft.

A graduate of the Culinary Arts Program at Texarkana College, Tyler recently took a major step forward in his culinary career after completing a four-day stage, or culinary internship, at Lutie’s Garden Restaurant in Austin, Texas. During the stage, Tyler worked alongside professional chefs in a fast-paced, high-level kitchen, demonstrating the skills and professionalism he developed through the Culinary Arts Program at Texarkana College.

“After the four-day period was up, they offered me the job,” Tyler said. “Showing my hard work and the focus on my craft is what I believe landed me this opportunity.”

Tyler’s love for cooking began long before culinary school. As a child, he spent time cooking with his mother and later became the cook on camping trips with the Boy Scouts of America. By age 15, he landed his first job at a pizza restaurant and immediately fell in love with working in a professional kitchen.

“By the time I was 18 and graduating high school, I knew that this was what I wanted to pursue in life,” Tyler said. “There is just something about the chaos of a kitchen that I can’t seem to step away from. I love it.”

At Texarkana College, Tyler discovered that the Culinary Arts Program taught far more than recipes. Through hands-on learning and professional instruction, he developed discipline, teamwork, and adaptability: all essential skills for success in the culinary industry. That passion eventually led him to enroll in the Culinary Arts Program at Texarkana College, where he refined his skills and prepared for a professional culinary career.

The Texarkana College Culinary Arts Program provides students with hands-on culinary training, industry-recognized skills, and opportunities to learn from experienced chefs. Students gain experience in food preparation, kitchen operations, baking, sanitation, and hospitality management while preparing for careers throughout the restaurant and hospitality industries

“Culinary Arts taught me more than just how to cook,” he explained. “It taught me how to follow directions to the T, listen to my superiors, and take in their knowledge and experiences within and outside the field.”

Tyler credits the program with helping him master the fundamentals that every aspiring chef needs to succeed. From knife skills and sauces to problem-solving under pressure, he learned that the smallest details often make the biggest difference. However, one of the most valuable lessons Tyler learned during the program was the importance of perseverance and growth.

“Not everything has to be perfect, and almost nothing will be,” he said. “It’s the strive for perfection that matters most.”

For students considering a future in Culinary Arts, Tyler offers simple but meaningful advice:

“Master and hone those basic skills. Stay organized, clean as you go, and be ready for anything,” Tyler said. “It’s worth it in the end to look out into that dining room and see the smiling faces and hear the laughs of the people enjoying the fruits of your hard work and determination.”

As for where the future will take him, Tyler remains open to every opportunity ahead.

“I’m going to keep doing what I’m doing and see where the winds of this world take me.”

Tyler’s journey demonstrates how the TC Culinary Arts Program prepares students for real-world opportunities in the culinary industry. Through hands-on training, industry experience, and professional mentorship, graduates gain the skills and confidence needed to pursue careers in restaurants, hospitality, and beyond.