Every Year, We Try to Give Something Back

Before 2fifty, before the smoker, before any of it, Fernando studied engineering at ITCA-FEPADE. That's the school that shaped him. This year marked the fourth year 2fifty has gone back to teach a barbecue class there.

This year's visit included Erick Boon, Public Diplomacy Officer at the U.S. Embassy, who joined the room to speak with the students. Fernando and Debby also awarded two new scholarships to students in ITCA-FEPADE's Culinary program, adding to the ones they've given in past years.

Fernando: The Fire Travels

Fernando talks about Texas barbecue the way he actually thinks about it: clean fire, wood, time. No shortcuts, no gas assist. The technique travels. Salt, pepper, smoke, and patience don't belong to Texas. They speak with a Salvadoran accent just as easily, through corn, red beans, jícama, loroco, curtido. The fire is universal. The flavor is local.

Debby: What Running a Business Actually Looks Like

Debby talks about the side of the business that never makes it onto Instagram. Payroll. Permits. The decisions no one posts about.

Success doesn't remove the problems, it just changes them. Getting customers becomes keeping quality. Paying rent becomes making payroll for a real team. She's honest about that in front of a room of students who are about to enter the industry themselves.

In His Own Words

One of this year's scholarship recipients, Gabriel Torres, shared this after the event:

"I want to thank 2fifty Texas BBQ with all my heart, especially Chef Fernando and Chef Debby, for giving me this scholarship and for believing in me. This means a real opportunity to keep growing in my Culinary studies and get closer to my goals. I'm grateful for this support, and I'm committed to making the most of it. Thank you for believing in me and for being part of this journey. I'm truly grateful."

Gabriel Torres

Why They Keep Going Back

2fifty started at a farmers market stall, grew through a pandemic, and turned a pizza shop into a smokehouse because there was nowhere else to put the growth. Now they take that same energy back to the school where Fernando got his start, every single year.

Four years in, this is still a class 2fifty teaches, and a way to give something back to the country that made them.