With over 20 years in the culinary industry and appearances on cooking competition shows, Long Beach City College alumna Beverly Gonzalez is using her experience to help students build skills for their futures and give back to the Long Beach community.
As the culinary arts instructor at Sowing Seeds of Change, Gonzalez teaches students how to prepare food, understand agriculture and work with seasonal ingredients. Her goal combines culinary education with hands-on experience to prepare students for employment.
Gonzalez shared the organization’s mission during the Harvest Hoedown on Sept. 19, an event that brought community members together at its new North Long Beach farm. The event supported Sowing Seeds of Change’s Long Beach Gives fundraising campaign, which benefits its urban farm and community programs.
Gonzalez works with students on agriculture, customer service and retail, helping them understand the different skills involved in bringing food from the farm to the table.
“They learn about culinary, they learn about customer service, so a lot of job training. I believe in hands-on training, so we do a lot of that here,” Gonzalez said.
The program teaches students to work with ingredients grown at the farm, incorporating seasonal crops into a culinary lesson. Gonzalez explained that students learn not only how to prepare food, but also where ingredients come from and how to use them in different ways.
Volunteer Panya Krich plays a ring-toss game during the Harvest Hoedown on Sept. 19. The event was hosted by local nonprofit urban farm Sowing Seeds of Change to kick off its Long Beach Gives fundraising efforts. (Araceli Juarez)
“I’ve been in the industry for over 20 years as a chef. Last place I worked at was also another organization. I had started a culinary program there. I worked with adults with individual intellectual disabilities, and so I opened up the project there,” Gonzalez said.
Her work in the culinary arts even took her to television shows like “Hell’s Kitchen” and “Cutthroat Kitchen”.
“I love what I do,” Gonzalez said. “My passion is giving back to the community.”
At Sowing Seeds of Change, Gonzalez’s teaching is part of a broader effort to connect people with food, nature and one another. Lindsay Smith, the organization’s founder, said the program aims to create an inclusive environment where participants can learn and share experiences.
“Part of what we really value about our program, Sowing Seeds of Change, is that we create a safe space where everybody feels welcome,” Smith said.
Smith also explained that there are several benefits that come with being a part of the program.
“Spending time outdoors and reconnecting with the land can be healing and therapeutic. Working with young people of different abilities helps participants recognize their common experiences,” Smith said.
The Harvest Hoedown gave community members an opportunity to experience the farm while supporting the organization’s work. Attendee Rogelio Yates described the gathering simply: “Good food, good cause, it’s a win win!”
Boni Face, a North Long Beach resident, also highlighted the importance of community gatherings.
“Anything that brings people together is good, for a good cause,” Face said. “It’s good to bring people together to break bread and laugh.”
For Gonzalez, the work at Sowing Seeds of Change brings together her culinary background, her connection to Long Beach and how she can use that to bring together her community.
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