The University of Houston Dining Services team added an event to its Cultural Dining Series in late February by observing Go Texan Day at Cougar Woods Dining Commons. Go Texan Day, currently in its 71st year, marks the unofficial start to Rodeo season in Houston and features Houstonians dressed in Western attire.

The idea for Go Texan Day at a dining common emerged after UH Dining Services, in consultation with Auxiliary Services, aimed to align programming with Houston traditions.

“We know how spirited Houstonians are, and how proud Texans are, and we know what an important tradition rodeo is to the community, so we were able to really take those ideas and put them into an event format,” said Alexcis Mendoza, district marketing manager, UH Dining Services.

Go Texan Day at Cougar Woods Dining Commons offered students, faculty, and staff an opportunity to experience Texas’ rodeo culture through traditional barbecue foods, line dancing, and a mini–Maker’s Market experience set up outside of Cougar Woods.

The market included vendors from the university’s Maker’s Market, aiming to replicate the vendor booths set up during the Houston Rodeo.

“It embodies the essence of the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, beyond just barbecue or livestock, but in local businesses and community engagement,” said Mendoza.

For freshman Jemima Osime, the Go Texan Day event is among the best that UH Dining Services has organized and even joined in on the line dancing.

Upon entering Cougar Woods, attendees could smell the smoked meats outside the dining hall. Inside, they enjoyed traditional barbecue dishes and watched a cookoff competition featuring three UH chefs—Chef Randy Abrams, Executive Chef Benito Gavirio, and Chef Ray Soendjaya.

Chef Gavirio prepared birria tacos, Chef Abrams made a traditional smoked pork dish and Chef Soendjaya cooked a coconut curry chicken leg. Attendees voted for their favorite dish, with Chef Gavirio winning the overall competition and Chef Soendjaya recognized for the most creative dish.

The birria tacos were so popular that Freshman Biology major Kennedy Dedman made one request for UH Dining Services.

“They need to have them more often,” Dedman said.

Mendoza highlighted the positive feedback received about the cookoff and the interactive nature of the event. The smokers set up outside Cougar Woods allow students to observe and smell how the barbecue is prepared, now a part of the Cougar Woods Dining Commons experience.

Jaden Gomez, an accounting sophomore, appreciated the event for offering different food options. Management Information Systems junior Jasmin Galvan agreed, stating, “It was exciting to see everyone happy and enjoy the variety. I don’t visit Cougar Woods often, but it was interesting to try something new.”