By Roy Martinez –
It all started twenty years ago in a home in Tampico Mexico, with a desire to share a love of preparing and sharing good food. After going abroad to study the culinary art in Europe, Susana Garcia returned to Mexico. She found she had this need to open the doors of her home to those wanting to improve their cooking skills.
A few students turned into a long waiting list of students. Before long the list was too long, the home just could not handle the demand.
“I am a person who likes to serve and provide great service,” says Susana, and the only way to live up to this desire to serve and provide great service was to start a school outside the home. On March 1, 2004, Susana started the first International Culinary Institute SUGAR. The name SUGAR, is not derived from the white, sweet, granular powder we all enjoy treating our taste buds to, but from SUsana GARcia.
Soon the number of students grew and so did their desire to have the school provide more than just a vehicle to learn the art of cooking. “Students wanted the ability to study and earn a degree, says Susana, “So we went thru the process to get the Mexican government to allow us to provide classes on the college level and offer a degree.”
It wasn’t long before the second school opened in Ciudad Victoria, a third school in Tampico, a fourth in Monterrey, and the fifth school in Pharr, making it truly an International Culinary Institute.
The Pharr school is located on West Sam Houston Street. Susana beams when she says, “This gorgeous facility was just sitting here waiting for us. Our kitchens have great views, giving our students the tools to create great foods.”
She pointed out that she is committed to giving nothing less than a 100% effort. She has a great desire and passion to make sure that all her students become very well prepared. She continued to say, “Today we are proud to say that many of our graduates are working in some of the top restaurants, cruise ships and other places in Europe and around the world.” She adds, “It is a testament to the work we do which is to provide the highest quality of training for our students.”
Besides her passion for the culinary arts, family is a very important part of her life, so important that both her husband and her son play very vital parts in the school. Her son Alfonso Morales Jr. is a trained chef. He manages the schools, keeping the school on the cutting edge of technology. Her husband Alfonso, handles the legal aspects of the business making sure licenses are all current.
“I am very demanding, I want my teachers, my chefs to have the same commitment and the same goals… to infuse our students with the greatest amount of knowledge, so they are able to develop and be successful anywhere in the world”.
Susana likes to instill a competitive nature in her students, often having competitions. The competition is not just within a school but extends to the other students in all her schools. They compete against each other and she rewards winners with trips to places where they can continue to learn.
ICI Sugar is licensed to offer certificates and diplomas; a new class begins this month. Plans are to soon offer Associate and Bachelor degrees.
Visit the ICI Sugar on the Internet at www.icisuar.com for a tour and information on courses, call 956-787-1221. TBB
