Renowned chef and restaurateur Jose Garces and Dr. Beatriz Garces, founders of the Garces Foundation, will address students of the Class of 2024 at Temple University’s College of Public Health graduation ceremony on May 8 at the Liacouras Center.

Founded in 2012, the Garces Foundation works to improve public health in Philadelphia through programs for the city’s immigrant communities, including English language instruction tailored to the service industry, food pantries, Community Health Days providing free dental and medical care, and most recently, an increased focus on procuring and providing food supplies to the food insecure. 

Dr. Garces is a graduate of Temple’s Kornberg School of Dentistry, where she is a part-time faculty clinician, and owns her own practice, The Garces Dental Group. Jose Garces has won a James Beard Award, is an Iron Chef, and has led an 800-person operation with restaurants in multiple cities. He currently operates restaurants including Amada, Volver, Village Whiskey, The Olde Bar and Buena Onda and offers catering through Garces Events. He is the author of two cookbooks and, in 2023, he was appointed to the President’s Council on Sports, Fitness and Nutrition.

The College of Public Health graduation ceremony will celebrate the Class of 2024 on Wednesday, May 8, at 2 p.m. in the Liacouras Center. The ceremony will also be livestreamed.