Ask Suzanne Etheredge what she believes to be the most common misconception about the San Antonio food scene, and she will sum it up in two words: tacos and tequila.
“People don’t understand the confluence of cultures in San Antonio and how that feeds into the culinary landscape,” she says passionately. “They think we are all tacos and margaritas all the time.”
That is why, as the president and CEO of the nonprofit wine and culinary arts organization Culinaria, Suzanne works diligently year round to promote the Alamo City as a premier wine and food destination that celebrates the melting pot of cuisines and textures that define the local flavors.
A BRAVE NEW WORLD
Culinaria, which translates loosely in many languages to “a celebration of food,” began innocently enough with a group of friends who enjoyed gathering to eat and drink and wanted to find a way to celebrate the culinary arts within the community. Their passion gave birth to the New World Wine and Food Festival, an annual event that began in 2000 as a way to expose the public to San Antonio chefs, cuisines and, of course, wines.
As the event grew, so did the vision of the organization. It became clear that someone was needed to oversee the direction and, in 2005, Suzanne stepped up to the plate.
Originally from Canadian, Texas, Suzanne was enjoying a successful career with voluntary health agencies the March of Dimes and Cystic Fibrosis when the New World Wine and Food Festival recruited her for their team.
“They wanted me to launch this small organization into a bigger brand,” she explains. “The challenge intrigued me.”
ON THE MENU
The first order of business for Suzanne in her new role was to bring in sponsors and partners to help expand the brand. Next on her plate was to begin the strategic planning for the future. That meant reformatting the entire organization and expanding to a year-round concept consisting of both large-format and boutique- style events. It also included rebranding the organization to reflect the new, larger concept and so, in 2010, the New World Wine and Food Festival was reborn as Culinaria.
“We are no longer simply a festival, and after thinking long and hard about it, we decided that the name Culinaria was more representative of what our organization is all about,” Suzanne explains.
In fact, the Food and Wine Festival (now deemed simply “Festival Week”) is the smallest item on a menu of culinary offerings that includes a 5K Wine and Beer Run, health and wellness programs and the wildly popular Restaurant Week. “Restaurant Week is great for the adventuresome spirit,” says Suzanne.
Participating restaurants provide a prix-fixe menu that consists of a three-course lunch and dinner. The restaurants are grouped by tiers, and prices range from $10 for lunch to $35 for dinner depending on the level. “There is no better time to explore foods that you haven’t thought about before, or experience restaurants that you may not have considered,” she adds.
IN GOOD TASTE
Part of what makes Culinaria a tasteful event is the fact that all the proceeds raised go toward one of three initiatives: culinary scholarships and support, the “Chefs for Chefs” program that offers financial aid to chefs during difficult circumstances, and an urban garden program that will educate children and their families on how and where they get their food. “I am really excited about the urban garden,” Suzanne says enthusiastically. “We are looking at locations in Alamo Heights and hope to have it underway soon.”
When she isn’t scouting garden locations or dining in some of the city’s most exciting restaurants, Suzanne is traveling to check out the culinary happenings in other cities. From Restaurant Week in New York to the Aspen Food and Wine Festival, she is constantly attending conferences and events to glean information and ideas for more ways to make Culinaria — and by extension, San Antonio — shine. “It is my job to stay abreast of the food and wine trends and make sure that Culinaria is adapting,” she explains.
A few recent trends she has observed in her travels? The continuation of the farm-to-table movement and a real educational component in the form of chef-led cooking classes offered in a restaurant setting. “Other cities are doing really well with educating the public with a broad-based knowledge on cooking in your own home,” she says.
Cooking in her own home is not something Suzanne does often. “I don’t have time,” she laughs. Instead, she and her husband, local golf pro and coach at Trinity University Sean Etheredge, dine out frequently. One of their favorite spots? Tre Trattoria at the Boardwalk in Alamo Heights.
When she isn’t traveling or dining out, Suzanne enjoys relaxing at home with the couple’s two Weimaraners and planning ways to expand and grow Culinaria. She says that within the next five to 10 years, she hopes to see the urban farm up and running, and she expects the festival to go through a significant evolution in order to stay ahead of the trends. “My goal is to continue to expand the brand,” she explains. “I want to continue to develop things that the public wants to attend.”
Culinaria is a calling about which Suzanne is passionate. She takes her job seriously, embracing the challenges, while striving to maintain a culture of food and fun. In her own words? “Honestly, it’s not bad to eat and drink for a living,” she laughs.
When you are the president and CEO of San Antonio’s largest culinary organization, you get to experience some of the best foods that the city has to offer. We asked Suzanne to describe her perfect meal, putting together items from some of her favorite local restaurants. Here is what’s on her menu:
Cocktails from Cured
Brussels Sprouts from Arcade Kitchen
Linguini and Clams from Tre Trattoria in Alamo Heights
Dessert from Bird Bakery
Photography by CASEY HOWELL
