From Cuero to the Culinary Institute of America: Students Share Their Journey
- Sonya Timpone
- Mar 17
- 8 min read
Thanks to the support of the Cuero ISD Education Foundation, students in the Cruisin’ With My Foodies culinary program continue to experience opportunities that go far beyond the classroom. Cuero High School culinary students recently participated in a hands-on learning experience at the Culinary Institute of America in San Antonio, where they worked alongside professional chefs, learned new techniques in a state-of-the-art teaching kitchen, and explored the campus to learn more about careers in the culinary field. Because of the growing interest in the program, students even completed an application process to earn the opportunity to attend the trip. Below are messages of thanks and reflections from Mrs. Notaro and several students who experienced the program firsthand.
On behalf of my students and me, thank you so much for your unwavering support of my program for the past three years. It is truly because of this support that the program has grown in leaps and bounds. Because the number of students enrolling in the culinary program continues to grow, I had to incorporate an application process. The students who were available and wanted to go had to submit an essay, one recommendation letter, and create a cooking presentation. I could take up to 16 students, but only 14 applied. I decided to only take the students who committed to the deadline. I am glad I did. I was able to take the students who truly wanted to go, and the overall atmosphere and attitude towards the experience and menu were at an all-time high. Not one student showed up late for the 7 am sharp roll call!! Coach Notaro and Mrs. Girndt, our new Food Science teacher, accompanied me as chaperones. Each time I go, I learn something new, and I can only imagine what it’s like through the eyes of the students. Some of them have never been to San Antonio. To get to walk around in the Pearl Market District is a special experience for many of them. This year, the program changed somewhat. We were in a different building, and they had a competition between the kitchens. Guess what?! I beat Coach Notaro for the win with the Chicken & Dumplings, although he did come in second place with the “Corn Dodgers,” which are similar to hush puppies. Ironically, the Chicken & Dumplings started as a big hot mess. I fessed up to the Chef that there had been a big mistake made on the dumplings, and she said, “It’s fine. All the ingredients made it in your pot.” I decided to borrow that phrase and keep it in my back pocket for my own interactions with my students. Each year, I select a new menu to add to our ever-growing collection. Maybe it’s because I’m from Texas, but this was the best menu we’ve had so far. We’ve decided to share the “Corn Dodgers” and Crema recipe with the classmates who didn’t attend for various reasons next week. Before we headed back home, the students were treated to some gourmet ice cream from Lick Honest. This was paid for by our various catering events held throughout the year. I will report that I had several students who stated they wanted to come back for a campus visit. Again, thank you all for your continued support. Each year this trip gets better and I look forward to working with you on more culinary adventures!
- Mrs. Notaro
The application process was really great because we were really interested in going because we actually took the time to work on the application, and go that extra mile in order to get to go on this trip. There's so many things I liked about this trip. I really like how involved everyone was and how anyone in the kitchen was willing to help out one another. The fact that we got exposed to doing things on your own because you're not always gonna have someone holding your hand to doing things like this. You have to be willing to get out there and try things that you may not have experience with. Great way to learn things. That it's ok to make mistakes in the kitchen. No one was born knowing things. I learned how to properly and easily cut a chile, tomato, or onion which is something I've always struggled with. I also learned how to pull apart a chicken for the chicken dumplings, which is something I never really knew and the chef really did a good job at explaining it, without fighting with the chicken. My favorite memories were when we were all working together in a kitchen like that, as well as when we got to eat the food we made outside on the tables and how we saw birds landing beside us. It sure did feel like you stepped into a movie with all the buildings, the fountains, everything. As well as the trip itself with Mrs. Notaro. I'll probably use the recipes to cook for my parents. I am interested in learning more because it's such a useful skill for life.
- Joceline Esparza Diaz
I would like to thank you for letting us go on this trip. I learned so much on this trip and it was really eye opening to me. I also thought the application process was very necessary because it showed who really had the determination to go on the trip. I loved that I was able to talk to a real professional chef and be in the kitchen with her. I learned that there is always more than one way of doing something in the kitchen. One of my favorite memories of the trip was when me and coach Notaro were trying to deep fry our corn dodgers. Let me just tell you, it took some trial and error to become perfect. Not only did I get to embrace all the different recipes but I got to bring all of them home to cook again and relive the moment. I feel like I was definitely prepared enough before the trip thanks to Mrs. Notaro going over all the knife skills and recipes with us. All in all I think the culinary institute of america really opened up my options for college and being able to do something I'm passionate about and doing that for fun and college. This trip was such a learning experience along with lots of fun. Thank you again for letting the culinary inspired youth have this opportunity.
- Trevor Garber
I believe that the application process of getting into the CIA trip was fair and was done the right way. This way of application showed who really wanted to go on the trip, and if someone was willing to complete it, then you know they can be committed enough to work with food. With the experience, I liked how I was taken out of my comfort zone, to where I was pressured to finish my job that I was given. I also experienced for the first time, new types of food and recipes, that made my time there all the better. Chef Sada also made the experience great, as she walked us through the steps, but not directly showing us the level that people must be to be at that kind of school. I learned time management when it came to picking priorities, and making tough calls on what to focus on or leave out. The main thing I learned was better knife skills, that showed me faster ways to cut a tomato, and an onion, and that made my job go by a lot faster. My favorite memory was definitely sitting down and eating the food that we as a group prepared. It just made the day feel that much better. I feel like most of the recipes I will use mainly at family events, but I would not be against making the food on my own time. I wished I knew there would be a requirement of cutting 24 tomatoes, and I would have better prepared myself.
- Ethan Robinson
I thought the visit to the Culinary Institute of America was pretty fun and amazing to experience. What I liked about the experience was being able to prepare and make a big course meal for all of us to enjoy, it really made the meal truly rewarding knowing that we were the ones to create it. The food was definitely the best part; the brisket was smoked to perfection, the dumplings were as tender and juicy as they should be, and everything else from the poppers to the corn dodgers, it was all really good and filled my stomach quickly. I would definitely try remaking those foods again! The campus was also really exciting to witness! I loved the people, the architecture, it was all really cool to watch, especially with it being in the heart of downtown San Antonio. It really made you feel like you were in a whole new world.
- Cullen Yates
I am so grateful that I got the opportunity to go to the CIA. I had so much fun there and got to learn a lot of new things that I didn’t even know about. My favorite memory is working with my best friends in the kitchen and having fun with them and learning new things with them and also winning the competition of making chicken and dumplings, corn dip and queso and eating ice cream was a nice part of the trip too. I had a blast there and it’s a memory I will never forget. Thank you so so much.
- Dakoda Rhodes
First, I want to say how much I enjoyed this trip. I feel like everyone in the culinary career path should be able to attend this field trip. This experience was so enjoyable. They provided us with this nice buffet table of food that we prepared ourselves. Everyone pitched in to make the dishes. We enjoyed them after we were done. Then, we went outside of the Pearl District with pretty scenery and nice weather outside of the culinary institute. Then we went and walked around the Pearl area for about 20 minutes with all my friends. I enjoyed the corn dodgers and the corn dip then the chili con carne. It was good experience over all the cooking. We went to the ice cream shop called Lick and there were so many exotic flavors to try. I went with chocolate olive oil sea salt and im glad got that flavor.
- Alyssa Garza
Full Menu
Team One:
Corn Dodgers
Classic Chili Con Carne
Guacamole, Crema, Pico De Gallo
Team Two:
Ranchero Corn on the Cob
Chili Con Queso
Chicken and Dumplings
Team One:
Jalapeno Poppers
Texas Barbeque Sauce
Pecan Pralines
Team One:
Smoked Brisket
Recipes
Corn Dodgers
Yields: 20 Each
Ingredients
Peanut oil, for deep-frying
Coarse-ground yellow cornmeal
Sugar
All-purpose flour
Baking powder
Baking soda 1 tsp.
Salt
Egg
Buttermilk
Yellow onion, chopped
Amounts
as needed
2 ½ Cups + more as needed
2 Tbsp
2 Tbsp
1 Tbsp
1 Tsp
1 Tsp
1
2 Cups
3 Tbsp
Method
Pour the oil to a depth of about 2 inches into a deep, heavy pot or deep fryer and heat to 350°F.
While the oil is heating, make the batter. In a bowl, stir together the 2 ½ cups cornmeal, sugar, flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In a small bowl, whisk the egg until beaten, then stir in the buttermilk and onion. Add the buttermilk mixture to the dry ingredients and stir until combined. The batter should be stiff enough to hold its shape. If it is too soft, add more cornmeal until it holds its shape.
Drop the batter by heaping tablespoons into the hot oil and fry for 3-4 minutes, until golden brown. Do not fry more than 5 or 6 cakes at a time. When the cakes are ready, using a slotted spoon, transfer to paper towels to drain briefly and keep hot in a warm oven.
Serve hot.
Mexican Crema
Yields: ~1 Quart
Ingredients
Mexican sour cream
Lime zest, finely grated
Lime juice
Amounts
1 Quart
4 Tsp
16 Tsp
Method
Combine all the ingredients and mix well. The cream is ready to use now, or it can be stored in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
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