El Paso, Texas, February 9, 2026 – When Danny Calleros walked into a kitchen at 16 years old, he didn’t start at the stove. He started at the sink.
“I heard you want to be a chef,” Chef Jesus Lugo told him at the time. “So, you need to start as a dishwasher.”
Calleros didn’t hesitate. “Let’s go.”
That willingness to begin at the bottom, to scrub dishes twice when asked, and to learn that success is built on discipline and detail, helped shape the chef he is today: Executive Chef at Ardovino’s Desert Crossing (ADC) and a 2026 James Beard Semifinalist for Best Chef Southwest.
A former El Paso Community College (EPCC) Culinary Arts student who graduated in 2011, Calleros credits his mentors like Chef Rick Webb, director of EPCC Culinary Arts in 2011 and current EPCC Culinary Arts Director Chef Jesus Lugo, for laying the foundation that carried him from the classroom into one of the region’s most respected kitchens.
“I think about Chef Rick Webb all the time. He was a great mentor and a great chef,” Calleros said. “I studied under him at the Transmountain campus. And then Chef Lugo hired me when he had La Cuesta. He taught me that nothing is given to you. You must work hard from the bottom to learn.”
Today, Calleros finds himself competing for a prestigious James Beard Award alongside top chefs from Arizona, Nevada, Oklahoma, and New Mexico. But for him, the nomination is not a personal victory.
“My initial thought was that we need to work harder. This isn’t a win; this is a nomination. We can’t get comfortable and celebrate,” he said. “I keep saying we because even though my name is on the list, it’s because of all of us. Without my team, I’m not me, and this wouldn’t be possible.”
That team includes current EPCC Culinary Arts students learning under his leadership at ADC.
Marco Morales, a sophomore at EPCC graduating this semester, works directly under Calleros while rotating through kitchen stations.
“Here we don’t really have a set station,” Calleros said. “We like to rotate. Marco has been doing a great job moving from pizza as a pizzaiolo to manning the grill and learning everything.”
Morales began at the grill station handling proteins and heavy dishes. Now, he’s mastering the brick oven at the pizza station and exploring his interest in desserts during downtime.
“My primary focus is learning as much as I can so I can execute at a professional level,” Morales said. “It’s incredible to know I’m part of a James Beard Semifinalist kitchen. This is the best kitchen I’ve worked in. We all push each other to be better.”
Morales plans to stay at Ardovino’s after graduation before eventually pursuing his goal of living and cooking in Mexico City, drawn by its vibrant food culture from fine dining to street tacos.
Calleros sees something special in students like Morales.
“He has ambition, dreams, and he’s artistic. You can see it on the plate,” Calleros said. “In school, you feel like you have to follow guidelines. There are fundamentals you must keep to, but sometimes it’s good to let them explore new ways.”
This mentorship cycle, from EPCC classroom to professional kitchen and back again, is a testament to the strength of EPCC’s Culinary Arts program and the impact its faculty has on students long after graduation.
Chef Jesus Lugo, who once hired Calleros as a dishwasher, now watches with pride as his former student leads a nationally recognized kitchen.
“It’s always exciting to see them succeed. That’s our whole purpose,” Lugo said. “I tell them that one day, I hope they take what we taught them and run with it. It’s a joy to see them succeed in their careers.”
Olubukola Adebiyu, who graduated from EPCC Culinary Arts in 2024, apprenticed under Calleros and now runs her own emerging catering business, Hadassah Catering and More, specializing in African cuisine.
“He was very accommodating, always attentive, always willing to show me things,” Adebiyu said of her time working with Calleros.
For Calleros, creating opportunities for young chefs is part of his mission.
“My future is working to create a positive culture for my chefs to grow. When they’re better, I’m better. I love these guys — they’re my team.”
For more information on the EPCC Culinary Arts program, please visit: https://www.epcc.edu/Academics/CulinaryArts
Danny Calleros is the executive chef at Ardovino’s Desert Crossing in Sunland Park, N.M.
EPCC Chef Jesus Lugo and EPCC Culinary Arts Student Marco Morales
EPCC student and cook Marco Morales bakes bread in an outdoor oven at Ardovino’s Desert Crossing
The kitchen staff at Ardovino’s Desert Crossing includes executive chef Danny Calleros, right, and EPCC student and cook Marco Morales, second from right
News Release and photos, courtesy: EPCC
