Keynote speaker and Culinary Institute of America alumnus Johnny Hernandez addresses the first graduating class of The Culinary Institute of America, San Antonio Jan. 18. There were 17 graduates in the first CIA, San Antonio class. Photo by Marvin Pfeiffer

Special to the North San Antonio Times

The Culinary Institute of America recently announced that San Antonio's Center for Foods of the Americas has officially become the third campus of the culinary college.

The formal decision by the Texas Workforce Commission found that the Hyde Park, N.Y.-based college met all the standards set forth by the state. With this news, the Center will officially be renamed The Culinary Institute of America, San Antonio.

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. Last May, philanthropist Kit Goldsbury made a pledge of up to $35 million dollars to the CIA - the largest ever in the history of culinary education. The pledge was for scholarships and facilities to support El Sueño, the dream that he and the CIA share to use research and education to elevate Latin American cuisines to their rightful place among the great cuisines of the world.

That dream is becoming a reality with the third commencement for the school. During the ceremony, 17 graduates of the program were addressed by fellow CIA alumnus Johnny Hernandez before receiving their 30-week Culinary Arts certificates. Unlike the previous ceremonies, these graduates wore CIA alumni chef jackets, and they received certificates from The Culinary Institute of America for the first time.

The graduation was led by Shelley Grieshaber, the director of education for The Culinary Institute of America, San Antonio. While this may have been the third commencement ceremony for the school in Texas, this was the first time that she presided over a graduation as a formal employee of the college. Mrs. Grieshaber and the other full-time employees at the school all became CIA employees as a result of the merger.