In this first-person narrative, Jean-Pierre Enriquez, Extension’s new nutrition specialist for southern Nevada and an assistant professor in the College of Agriculture, Biotechnology & Natural Resources, invites readers to see food as more than sustenance. Every dish, whether served at home or in a restaurant, carries with it centuries of tradition and heritage. Just as ancient carvings preserve glimpses of past cultures, the foods we eat reflect histories shaped by work, ritual and healing. 

Growing up in Ecuador, I learned early that food was never just about eating. It was tradition, culture and a connection to the land. I remember the smell of roasted quinoa, cassava and anise drifting through Andean kitchens, flavors that carried centuries of history and resilience. In those highlands, every meal told a story.

My academic journey has taken me from the Ecuadorian Andes to the fields of Honduras, the hills of Tennessee, the bayous of Louisiana, and now to the sun-drenched desert of southern Nevada in my position for our University as an Extension nutrition specialist and assistant professor. Each stop has deepened my understanding of how food connects to identity, health and community.

I earned my bachelor’s and master’s degrees at Zamorano University in Honduras, studying food systems, sustainable agriculture and nutrition across Central and South America. A semester at the University of Tennessee’s Food Sensory Evaluation Lab sparked my interest in how culture and taste shape eating habits and health.

“I learned from an early age that identity is not a barrier but a bridge, and food is at the center of that connection.”

Back in Honduras, my master’s research focused on chronic disease prevention, combining lab work with hands-on nutrition education. I helped students from more than 20 countries explore sustainable diets, learning that healthy eating isn’t just about nutrients but also about culture, environment and community.

At the Smith Center for International Sustainable Agriculture in Tennessee, I tackled food security from multiple angles, studying both global issues, such as agricultural innovation in Cambodia, and local challenges, such as food access among minority college students in the U.S.

I earned a Ph.D. in human nutrition at Louisiana State University, where I worked with communities through the LSU AgCenter Extension’s Flavors of Health Program. I focused on culturally responsive nutrition education, chronic disease prevention and the often-overlooked food insecurity among graduate students. My research also reached Latin America, exploring how malnutrition affects communities in the Andes and Mesoamerica.

Now based in southern Nevada, I am putting my passion into practice. I work alongside diverse communities, including many Hispanic and Latinx families, to help them honor food traditions while adapting to new lifestyles. From classroom workshops to hands-on community events, my goal is simple: make healthy eating both culturally meaningful and sustainable.

I look forward to being an active participant in programs and initiatives such as the Nevada Tribal Food Sovereignty Summit, which highlights how local food traditions and cultural identity can drive food security in Tribal and rural communities, an approach I champion wholeheartedly.

To me, Hispanic and Latinx Heritage Month is a reminder that identity is not a barrier but a bridge. My journey from the Andes to the United States, from labs and kitchens to community gatherings, shows how food sits at the center of who we are, connecting people, history and the environment in powerful ways.

About the author:

Jean-Pierre Enriquez, assistant professor in the College of Agriculture, Biotechnology & Natural Resources’ Department of Nutrition and Extension nutrition specialist for southern Nevada, will also conduct research as part of the University’s Experiment Station.