OPPOSITE PAGE RIGHT L-R: Students Aaron Daniels, Suzanne Orrell, and Eric Grelle enjoy individual instruction from executive chef Rocky Durham TOP LEFT L-R Hillary Ginepra, executive pastry chef, and Rocky Durham, executive chef and co-founder
Creating Chefs of the Future By April M. Brown Photos Carolyn Wright
Santa Fe is a mecca for fine dining and one-of-a-kind, southwest-inspired cuisine. Thus, it comes as no surprise we are home to one of the most unique, intensive culinary programs in the nation.
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anta Fe Culinary Academy offers an accelerated professional program that prepares students for success in the fine dining industry. This one-year program covers every aspect of the industry from basic cooking skills to how to fund and open your own restaurant. Classes are handson and have a low student to instructor ratio. In fact, students enjoy individual instruction from executive chef and cofounder Rocky Durham and executive pastry chef Hillary Ginepra, along with a host of other guest instructors from
local restaurants, vending companies and community businesses. The Academy is the brainchild of Durham and president Erica Peters, both Santa Fe natives. Ginepra joined the team recently, rounding out the program for a truly holistic experience. Each have an extensive background in the dining industry, a passion for teaching and a deep love for the community. After speaking with them for even a few moments, it’s clear their focus is providing students with the most positive, enjoyable and supportive experience possible.
The program begins each September and follows four rotations over 12 months. It begins with a five-week intensive “boot camp” and culminates with the students designing and running their own restaurant. In addition to cooking skills, students also gain experience in marketing and management. The team is deeply dedicated to giving students the tools, skills and confidence to hit the ground running. What makes the Academy truly unique is their impressive classroom environment, including a lab-kitchen — also used for community cooking classes — and a full size, modular commercial kitchen. The commercial kitchen supports the student-restaurant, The Guesthouse, which is often open to the public for
lunch and dinner services. It affords students the opportunity to share their creations with enthusiastic guests and gain restaurant management experience. The program has attracted a slightly different demographic than originally anticipated; Peters shared that although they expected their student base to be high school graduates, they were pleasantly surprised to see how many mature career-changers were also enrolling. “The culinary field is very dynamic and attracts a wide range of people,” Peters explains. “Anyone with a passion for food and a willingness to learn is a great candidate for our program.” The Academy has only been in existence since 2012, with an average enrollment
of four to five students per year. Even though they hope to see the program gain more of a following in the future, Durham expressed great admiration for his small student base, saying, “With the caliber of students we attract, we only need a few.” With passionate instructors, a state-ofthe-art learning facility and the generous support of the community, enrollees are guaranteed an all-encompassing, wellrounded education that prepares them for the world of culinary arts, both locally and abroad. Santa Fe Culinary Academy 112 W. San Francisco St., Suite 300 Santa Fe 505.983.7445 www.santafeculinaryacademy.com