New WT Executive Chef Brings World of Experience to University Kitchen

Copy by Chip Chandler, 806-651-2124, cchandler@wtamu.edu

CANYON, Texas — Picky college palates are no problem for West Texas A&M University’s new executive chef.

Chef Julio Rubio, a longtime resident of New York, arrived on campus in the spring to lead the team of Aramark employees who provide daily meals in the University Dining Hall. Rubio also is responsible for catering and food innovation on campus.

Rubio, 49, was born in El Salvador but emigrated at age 6 to the United States, where his family settled in Yonkers, N.Y. After working in the kitchen with his father, who also worked as a chef, Rubio apprenticed under Chef Willie Nuenlist and trained in classical French techniques, rising through the ranks in the Hilton Hotels International Corp.

“After 30 years of cooking, I have found a way of making people happy,” Rubio said. “The reward of a chef is to cook something good that you’re appreciated for. There’s not a paycheck that can compare to that.”

Rubio is the author of the 2017 release “Cooking with His Love” and the forthcoming “Victory.”

“Julio brings with him a wealth of culinary talent that he has picked up over 30 years of experience,” said Michael Ives, Aramark food service director for WT. “Although this is his first experience working in higher education, his background has made him well versed in every aspect of culinary from the simple barbeque to the finest dining experience.”

Prior to the Covid-19 pandemic, Rubio was the food service director and executive chef for Camp of the Woods in the Adirondacks in upstate New York, but when the pandemic upended his career, he and wife Emily decided to try their fortunes in a new state.

“I didn’t even know where Amarillo or Canyon were on a map, to be honest with you,” Rubio said.

But he quickly found a home.

“I love the town, I love the students here, and I love the school,” Rubio said.

Even when they offer constructive criticism.

“What I love about them is they’re honest,” Rubio said. “If they don’t really care for something, they’ll come to you. That’s the feedback I love to hear.”

Providing welcoming, student-centered facilities is a key component of the University’s long-term plan, WT 125: From the Panhandle to the World.

About West Texas A&M University

WT is located in Canyon, Texas, on a 342-acre residential campus. Established in 1910, the University has been part of The Texas A&M University System since 1990. With enrollment of more than 10,000, WT offers 60 undergraduate degree programs, 40 master’s degrees and two doctoral degrees. The University is also home to the Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum, the largest history museum in the state and the home of one of the Southwest’s finest art collections. The Buffaloes are a member of the NCAA Division II Lone Star Conference and offers 15 men’s and women’s athletics programs.

—WTAMU—