 THE CULINARY
INSTITUTE OF
AMERICA IN
SAN ANTONIO
Alamo City Poised To Make Its
Mark As A Culinary Destination
By SHARON GARCIA
Photography COURTESY OF:
CENTER FOR FOODS OF THE AMERICAS
The Culinary Institute of America
(CIA) and San Antonio entrepreneur
and philanthropist Kit Goldsbury
recently announced an extraordinary
partnership that brings a new vision to
San Antonio and aspiring chefs in the
food service industry.
Together they envision a future where
Latin American cuisines are elevated to
their rightful place among the great
cuisines of the world. To make this dream
a reality, the partners are creating a new
education and research center — the
CIA’s Center for Foods of the Americas
(CFA) at the historic Pearl Brewery — to
promote Latino diversity in the U.S. food
service industry.
The dream started when the CIA first
served as consultant to Goldsbury in support
of a pilot program for culinary education
in San Antonio, the Center for Foods of
the Americas (CFA), which opened in
March 2006 at the historic Pearl Brewery.
To carry the dream forward, Goldsbury in
May announced a gift to the CIA of up to
$28 million, with $20 million of that dedicated
to scholarships. In addition, he will
spend up to $7 million to build a new facility
in San Antonio to house the CFA as a
new branch campus of the CIA.
In San Antonio and Hyde Park, N.Y., the
CFA will prepare Latino students and other
aspiring culinarians to enter the culinary
profession, providing the opportunity for
their career success. The CFA will also
become an international center for those
seeking to experience, learn about and
research Latin American cuisines.
“This exciting new center advances
the CIA’s strong commitment to respect
diversity in people, culture and food,” says
CIA president Dr. Tim Ryan. “With the
Center for Foods of the Americas, the CIA
will both increase its impact on the diversity
of culinary leaders, and further shape
the direction of the cuisines enjoyed at
the American restaurant table.”
For current CFA student Jenny
Hernandez, attending school in Hyde
Park was out of the question, but with a
world-class culinary facility right here in
San Antonio, she is able to continue her
full-time job as a manager at H-E-B while
completing her professional training. “The experience has been fantastic,” she
says. “We have one-on-one access to
these incredible visiting instructors and
can ask them anything. I’m learning all
aspects of the kitchen ... in the future I’d
like to open up my own bakery.”
 The CIA’s new San Antonio campus
offers a 30-week certificate program in
culinary arts and provides a focus for the
study of Latin American cultures and
cuisines. At maturity, 120 students will enroll
in this program each year. As the CFA’s
new facilities are completed, the vision for
the center also includes expanded programming
that over time will allow as
many as 1,500 professional culinarians a
year to participate in continuing education
programs, industry research services
and professional conferences that are
planned for this campus. With the CFA in
San Antonio, the gateway to Mexico, the
CIA is adding its third campus nationally.
“I have a sense of pride that San
Antonio has a school like this,” says aspiring
chef and student Luis Morales, who
never thought he could afford attending
a school of this caliber. “We’ve had an
array of chefs (instructors) from all over
the world, and they all have something
different to teach us. It brings a lot to the
table to have so much influence from all
over the world here in San Antonio.”
To date, 39 students have earned culinary
arts certificates under the tutelage
of CIA faculty. Now, as an official campus
of The Culinary Institute of America,
enrollment and programs will expand
with the opening of a new 30,000-squarefoot
facility in 2009.
For more information, visit www.ciachef.edu or www.foodsoftheamericas.org.
ABOUT THE CIA
Founded in 1946, The Culinary
Institute of America is an independent,
not-for-profit college offering bachelor's
and associate degrees in culinary
arts and baking and pastry arts. A network
of more than 37,000 alumni in
food service and hospitality has helped
the CIA earn its reputation as the
world’s premier culinary college.
Courses for food service professionals
and food enthusiasts are offered at the
college's main campus in Hyde Park,
N.Y., and at The Culinary Institute of
America at Greystone, in St. Helena,
Calif. Greystone also offers baking and
pastry, advanced culinary arts and
wine certifications. The Center for
Foods of the Americas in San Antonio,
the college’s second branch campus,
offers a certificate program in culinary
arts. For more information, visit the CIA
Web site at www.ciachef.edu.
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