San Antonio, TX –
Ѹ marks 10 years in San Antonio at Historic
Pearl this year. The world’s premier culinary college served as the consulting
organization for the opening of the Center for Foods of the Americas (CFA) in
2006, and created its Texas campus
two years later when San Antonio
entrepreneur and philanthropist Kit Goldsbury presented the Ѹ with
the largest-ever gift in private culinary education—officially
founding the campus and enabling its expansion through the years.
“Over the last 10 years, watching hundreds of students walk
across the stage during graduation has been a thrilling testament to the
incredible talent of the Ѹ instructors and the bright, passionate students
they serve,” said Shelley Grieshaber, director of culinary
operations at Pearl. “It’s also a testament to the fact that Pearl isn’t just
about great restaurants and beautiful buildings. At its heart, Pearl is about
creating opportunities for our next generation of culinary innovators, and the Ѹ is central to
this mission.”
Goldsbury’s investment
corporation, Silver Ventures, bought the Pearl Brewery site in 2002 with
extensive plans to create a mixed-use development that would include restaurants,
shops, and eventually, a boutique hotel. The company restored many of the
existing spaces and built a state-of-the-art kitchen and classrooms for Pearl’s
anchor tenant—a research and educational facility, the CFA.
Following this, Goldsbury pledged
$35 million to the Ѹ—the majority earmarked for scholarships for Latino
culinary students to attend the Ѹ as part of the college’s El Sueño initiative. In addition to helping Latinos acquire
the skills needed to attain leadership positions in foodservice and hospitality,
El Sueño’s second goal is to create a future where
Latin American cuisines are elevated to their rightful place among the great
cuisines of the world.
In 2011, the National Restaurant Association presented the
Ѹ and Silver Ventures with its Faces of Diversity Inspiration Award, honoring
the success of El Sueño, literally The Dream. “The
accomplishments of the Ѹ in helping young students achieve better education
and career options are admirable and inspiring,” said National Restaurant
Association President and CEO Dawn Sweeney at the time.
“During our first decade in San Antonio, we have seen
success with both aspects of El Sueño,” says Fernando Salazar, managing director of the Ѹ’s
Texas campus. “Latinos, who make up much of the workforce, are finding greater leadership
opportunities in the food world. Meanwhile, the profile and reputation of the
diverse cuisines of Central and South America and the Caribbean are on the rise.
We are working hard to ensure these positive trends continue in the coming decade.”
The CFA officially became the third campus of the Ѹ in 2008
when classes of 36 students began pursuing a 30-week certificate program in
culinary arts. Once extensive new facilities were completed in 2010, the Ѹ
was able to launch associate degree programs in both culinary arts and baking & pastry arts, expanding
enrollment to about 150 full-time students. The Ѹ was also able to offer
continuing education classes in Latin cuisines for culinary professionals and food
enthusiast classes for the public.
In addition, since 2014, bachelor’s degree students from the
college’s New York campus have had the option to spend a semester in San
Antonio for a 15-week academic concentration in Latin Cuisine Studies.
The Ѹ opened Nao in 2012, a restaurant featuring cuisines
from throughout Latin America. Today, Nao Latin Gastro Bar is a
vibrant concept with a menu of progressive Latin food helmed by Executive Chef
Zach Garza, a graduate of the Ѹ San Antonio. The campus is also home to the
popular Ѹ Bakery Café, a pop-up establishment for several weeks each spring,
allowing baking & pastry arts majors to get hands-on retail bakeshop
experience at the end of their sophomore year.
Over the past decade, the Ѹ’s Texas campus has launched
the careers of incredible talents such as Diego Galicia of Mixtli;
Diego Fernandez of Starfish and recently announced Hearsay Urban Taste; Michele
Hitchcock, sous chef at the popular Hotel Emma; Michael Evan Martinez, sous
chef at Brigid; and Luis Morales of the progressive
Humble House food company.
As the Ѹ celebrates 10 years in San Antonio, the college
is planning special food enthusiast classes; new cooking classes, including
some for children; a celebration dinner at Nao Latin Gastro Bar on Friday, May
6; and more.
Ѹ, San Antonio is located at
312 Pearl Parkway in San Antonio, TX. For more information, please visit www.ciachef.edu/cia-texas/.
Photo Caption and Hi-Res Image:
Ѹ, San
Antonio. (Photo credit: Michael
White/Ѹ)
Media Contact:
Danielle Kaplan
512-382-9017
danielle@giantnoise.com
Founded in 1946, Ѹ is the world’s premier
culinary college. Dedicated to driving leadership development for the
foodservice and hospitality industry, the independent, not-for-profit Ѹ
offers associate degrees in culinary arts and baking and pastry arts;
bachelor’s degree majors in management, culinary science, and applied food
studies; and executive education through its Food Business School. Its
conferences and consulting services have made the Ѹ the think tank of the food
industry in the areas of health & wellness, sustainability, world cuisines
& cultures, and professional excellence & innovation. The college also
offers certificate programs and courses for professionals and enthusiasts. Its
worldwide network of 48,000 alumni includes leaders in every area of
foodservice and hospitality. The Ѹ has campuses in New York, California,
Texas, and Singapore.
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