Garrett Morris (Nutrition, ’14) is the founder and chef of Sichuan Kitchen SLO. While attending Cal Poly, he studied abroad in China's Sichuan province, where he developed a deep appreciation for the region's food and culture — a formative experience that inspired his career. After graduating, he served in the Peace Corps in Nepal, where he met his wife and business partner, Coco Yang Ping, who is from Sichuan, China. The couple later lived in China, where Morris further immersed himself in Sichuan cooking by learning from Coco's family and local communities before returning to San Luis Obispo to launch Sichuan Kitchen SLO. His connection to Cal Poly remains strong. As a local alumnus, he has built a business that reflects Cal Poly's Learn by Doing philosophy by combining his academic background, international experiences and hands-on culinary education.  

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You studied nutrition at Cal Poly and later spent years living in China and Nepal. How did those experiences shape both your approach to food and your decision to launch Sichuan Kitchen SLO?

I've always been curious about food. I remember as a kid wondering how restaurants made sauces, half-convinced they were just mixing ketchup, mustard and mayonnaise. Cal Poly's hands-on classes and labs gave me a strong foundation in food science and cooking technique. When I moved to Nepal and then China, that foundation became a trampoline for exploring two incredible food cultures. Much of my time was spent living with locals and cooking in their homes, which drew me to home cooking specifically. I've always believed it's the most flavorful, most nutritious and made with the most love. When I came back to San Luis Obispo, I couldn't shake how connected I felt to those experiences. The care, detail and wisdom woven into everyday cooking in Nepal and China inspired me to share that here — not just the food, but the deeper cultural knowledge behind it. That became the heart of Sichuan Kitchen. 
 

Food is often described as a universal language. How have you used food to tell cultural stories and create meaningful connections among your guests?

The first style of events I did were what I call educational dinner experiences. I think what really attracted people was the rarity of having authentic Chinese food cooked in their home. Before the meal I would present a photo slideshow diving into Chinese cuisine – focused specifically on Sichuan, its spices, what the markets look like, even my wife Coco's hometown cookstove. I'd share the stories behind dishes, like how Gong Bao Chicken got its name and weave in my own personal experiences along the way.

Sichuan Kitchen isn't a traditional restaurant – it's built around classes, educational dinners and cultural experiences. What inspired that business model and why has it resonated with the Central Coast community?

When I moved back to San Luis Obispo, I started working in the food industry. After one shift at a restaurant, I realized making the same few dishes night after night wasn't going to fulfill my desire to cook for people. I started working for some caterers and found I enjoyed that much more — there was real connection with the people I was cooking for.

That same instinct carried into Sichuan Kitchen. Two years ago, we converted our Monday night takeout into a donation-based buffet. It's been incredible to watch – students, families, retirees, tourists, people who've lived in China and people just walking by all meeting in one place over Sichuan food. The sliding scale reflects something I wanted to carry over from my time in China — that really good, healthy food can be genuinely affordable.

How did your time at Cal Poly help shape the career you have today?

Studying nutrition at Cal Poly gave me the cooking knowledge and background to understand what I was experiencing once I started traveling. I was also a member, and eventually president, of the Fair Trade Club, which opened my eyes to the ethics of our current food system. That, combined with the cultural and ideological diversity I encountered at Cal Poly, inspired me to join the Peace Corps after graduating.

Cal Poly's Learn by Doing model shaped how I approached the Peace Corps and even how I run my business today — going out, trying new things and learning from my failures. Many of my professors became real role models and it's come full circle now that several of them are friends and regular customers at Sichuan Kitchen.

As an entrepreneur, what have been the biggest lessons you've learned while growing Sichuan Kitchen from pop-ups and private dinners into a permanent space?

The biggest lesson has been the power of baby steps. There's no need to invest huge amounts of capital up front — we started small and relied on the support of our community. Many restaurants and businesses let us run pop-ups in their spaces early on, which helped us get our name out, test our model and eventually take the steps that led to having our own space. Even now, we're constantly testing and trying new things to see what resonates with the community.

Community partnerships have been essential — connecting with other businesses, city organizations, even individuals, sharing what we're doing and getting feedback along the way. Diversifying our offerings has also been key. Having multiple types of events means that when one slows down, another picks up. We ebb and flow with the seasons, and that keeps us consistently busy year-round.

Looking back, what advice would you give current Cal Poly students who want to turn a personal passion into a successful business?

My advice mirrors what I learned myself: small steps, building community and diversification. It is also important to be open-minded. If you're passionate about something, don't get too attached to one specific approach; stay open to whatever opportunities align with that passion, even if they look different than you expected. Networking is also very important. Start small, build relationships and let the business take shape as you go rather than trying to have it all figured out from day one.