Family Tradition and Manabita Inspiration: A conversation with José María López, Gastronomy student at ICHE School with a Scholarship from República del Cacao
We promote knowledge exchange through academic partnerships with national and international institutes, aiming to support the training of professionals who will in turn drive positive changes in the world. Since 2021, we have maintained a successful alliance with the gastronomy school Iche, located in the province of Manabí in Ecuador. The goal of this institution is to contribute to the gastronomic education of young talents in the region, through high-level classes, qualified teachers, and both theoretical and practical learning methods.
In 2022, we awarded a scholarship to one of their students, José María López, who is specializing in pastry and developed a project to create products using cacao husks. We spoke with him and learned more about his story.
Tell us a bit about yourself, who is José María Chávez?
I am from Manabí, specifically from the Caras community which belongs to the city of Bahía de Caráquez. I had always wanted to study gastronomy but couldn’t find an opportunity to pursue the career because there are not many schools for that profession here in Manabí. However, thanks to a friend of mine, I learned about Iche and was able to enroll here at the school and have the opportunity to study gastronomy.
I had always been interested in studying Gastronomy, but when I finished high school, the pandemic started and I didn’t have the chance to start studying until two years later, finally here at Iche.
Why did you decide to study Gastronomy?
It was because of my grandmothers and my mom, because we always had family gatherings where we all shared around the Manabí oven, always at my grandmother’s house there was that oven and we all shared together as a family preparing food.
What has your experience been like studying at the institution of Fuegos?
It was a very good experience, with all the people and teachers who work here. We always received good treatment, and likewise, if we talk about knowledge, I came with basic knowledge and here I was able to learn many things, that was the best part. I always thought I liked hot cuisine more, but here I started to learn about pastry and baking, and I liked it a lot so now I’m going down that path and want to specialize more in that branch. Also, all the experience with my classmates was very good, the people who work in the restaurant taught us a lot too.
What did you feel when you found out you were selected for the Republica del Cacao scholarship?
It was something that made me very happy; when I learned more about the project, I got quite excited because, as I enjoy pastry, it was a way to learn more about it.
How did you conceive the innovation project with cacao husks, and what was your goal with this?
First, we started working together with the Laboratory Coordinator, Ana Lobato. We had several ideas, discussed different prototypes, and that’s how the idea for this project with cacao husks came about. It caught my attention because various products could be developed, such as tea infusions and different flavors. I also realized that in this area, cacao husks are a product that is not used much; they are wasted because if farmers don’t sell them, they throw them away. So, we reached this conclusion, and our goal with the project was to develop different products based on cacao husks to take advantage of this ingredient. I also found it interesting that when I started studying at Iche, I noticed that here they do use this ingredient for different purposes in desserts and dishes.
What are your next objectives?
My next project is to look for another institution to further specialize in pastry and also to do internships in this field at a restaurant. That was actually what I liked most about Iche because apart from having classes, we also went to the restaurant, and even if we had to make advanced dishes or desserts, we did, and it was incredible because in a purely theoretical class, I wouldn’t have applied it in that way.
Recommendation for future students of Gastronomy at Iche
Take full advantage of your time here. Make the most of the professors and all the chefs because they have a wealth of knowledge. If you have any doubts, don’t hesitate to ask questions. Talk to the Coordinators and everyone else, and don’t be afraid to ask because there will always be someone here to help you achieve your goals. Never stop wanting to learn.