Pandemic to the rescue
When I learned that the Tourism, Hospitality and Culinary Arts programs at St. Philip’s College had a new home, we were in the midst of the pandemic.
My husband and I sorted through the 4 million cookbooks he owns–okay, maybe not 4 million, but more than any household can handle without constructing an addition–and donated a chunk of them to the Culinary Arts program for students to be able to peruse and use at their leisure.
Fam trip
I wasn’t able to tour when I dropped off the cookbooks (pinche pandemic), so I was thrilled when the Professional Tour Guide Association of San Antonio scheduled a familiarization trip to St. Philip’s to learn about their Tourism, Hospitality and Culinary Arts programs.
David Uminski, an associate professor of Hotel Management, gave us a top-to-bottom tour of this state-of-the-art facility. Students may choose one of five tracks: Baking and Pastry Arts, Culinary Arts, Hospitality Management, Hotel Management or Restaurant Management.
All roads lead to San Antonio
Since tourism is one of this region’s top industries and San Antonio was named one of two Creative Cities of Gastronomy in the USA by UNESCO in 2017, it’s no surprise that St. Philip’s provides its students the curriculum, equipment, and hands-on experience that the industry demands. It also provides these programs at a fraction of the cost of another well-known program in town.
After touring their classrooms and learning labs, we were treated to lunch at 1898, one of two restaurants run by students in the programs. The menu changes daily to expose the students to a variety of tastes.
Three courses
The day that we attended, students took drink orders (tea or water), and we started with a Caesar salad with homemade croutons. It was followed by fettuccine pasta with your choice of sauce and a protein plus homemade French bread. (I chose Alfredo and grilled chicken versus marinara and meat balls.)
To close out the meal, we had a lemon sorbet topped with sugar/candy glass and a fresh raspberry that was the prettiest desert that I’ve ever been served. We were also offered coffee–regular or decaf–to finish off our meal. The price for this three-course extravaganza that was one of the best meals I’ve had in a while? $15. (Yes, you read that right.)
Treat yo’self
1898 is open for lunch on Thursdays and Fridays and dinner on Wednesdays. Artemisia’s is open for lunch on Tuesdays and dinner on Thursdays. You need reservations for both, and reservations open up two weeks prior to service. Artemisia’s price is a tad more, $18.98, but the view of downtown San Antonio is completely worth it. Seating is limited for both restaurants, and spots go fast!
My favorite part of the meal, besides the wonderful food and conversation with my fellow tour guides, was hearing from the students after we finished. They introduced themselves and let us know which part of the meal they created. They have every reason to be proud of their accomplishment.
The Tourism, Hospitality and Culinary Arts building is located near the corner of South Walters at Montana on the East Side of San Antonio. Free parking is plentiful.
Denise Barkis Richter, Ph.D., author of “San Antonio’s Passport to Fun,” has been blogging about San Antonio since June of 2010. Follow her at facebook.com/SanAntonioTourist so that you’ll never miss a post. Her love affair with the Alamo City began at Hemisfair in 1968. She moved to San Antonio in 1979 as an 18-year-old college student, and San Antonio has been her home ever since. Denise completed certification to become a professional tour guide in 2019. Please contact her at sanantoniotourist at gmail dot com if you’d like for her to curate a fabulous San Antonio experience for you!
