Local Chef Donates Cooking Class Proceeds to Voz de Niños Kids Attending TAMIU Summer Camps

Engaging and generous are words that help describe Pete Mims.

Proprietor of two local restaurants, Border Foundry and Trattoria Mia, Mims has taught entertaining cooking classes at Texas A&M International University (TAMIU) in recent months that have drawn large crowds.

Teaching attendees how to assemble a Thanksgiving dinner or delicious tapas and paella, his cooking classes, offered through TAMIU’s Continuing Education Office, are also accompanied by music and dance.

Mims is now donating proceeds from his Cooking Series Demonstrations to Voz de Niños, a court-appointed volunteer organization advocating for the interests of abused and neglected children in the court system.

Thanks to Mims’ support, four foster children Voz de Niños selected will receive scholarships to attend TAMIU’s Dusty’s Junior University Summer Camp and Programming Camp this summer.

“One day, Susan Foster (TAMIU Continuing Education director) came by the office and asked me if I would be interested in doing cooking classes to raise money and I said yeah sure, I’ve never done it before but I’m into trying new things any time,” Mims said, “I think that this is great. Anytime we can do something to help the kids, that’s what we’re here for.”

Mims explained the classes he has offered at TAMIU have been fun.

“The first one we did was last November before Thanksgiving,” Mims said, “We did a full Thanksgiving cooking demonstration; eight courses.”

He explained he cooked all of the dishes ahead of time at one of his restaurants, Border Foundry, and that later at TAMIU’s Student Center, he prepared each dish in front of class participants.

“We also had a cookbook and showed them how to prepare a turkey,” he said, “ We had a turkey ready to go, so, at the end of the night, we had a big Thanksgiving dinner,” Mims said.

The second class, a large paella cooking demonstration, was equally entertaining, he said.

“We had Spanish tapas, a Spanish dancer and a guitarist there, and I even had TAMIU President Dr. Pablo Arenaz, helping me make the paella,” he said.

Mims said he plans to offer an Italian food cooking class in October at TAMIU.

During the last few years, Border Foundry has helped various community organizations by donating dinners and cooking for events for kids, Mims said.

"We enjoy it and anything we can do to help the community, it’s our city and we’ve got to help them,” Mims said.

Priscilla García, executive director for Voz de Niños, said the organization is grateful to Mims for his generosity.

“We are very grateful for the opportunity that Mr. Mims has afforded our children,” García said, “We will be giving four children the opportunity to experience something that they probably wouldn’t be able to in their homes.”

Voz de Niños chose children who are excited about technology and new opportunities to participate in Dusty Junior University’s Summer Program, García said.

“We are very thankful to the University and Mr. Mims for being able to contribute to our children in such a generous way so that they can enjoy a fun summer camp,” she concluded.

TAMIU Dusty’s Junior University runs from June 4 - July 26 for kids ranging from kinder to high school. Registration is currently underway here.

The catalogue for Dusty’s Junior University can be found here.

For more information, please about TAMIU Dusty’s Junior University Summer Camp, please contact Michelle Begwin, Office of Continuing Education administrative associate, at 956.326.2837, email michelle.begwin@tamiu.edu or visit the Student Center, room 118.

University office hours are 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. Monday-Friday.