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About Us

Staff Biographies

Susan Curtis, founder of the cooking school, developed her passion for food as a child. Summers and weekends were spent on her family's ranch, Conant Valley, located in Southeastern Idaho. With the south fork of the Snake River running through the valley, the land was fertile and productive. Black angus cattle, sheep, pigs, chickens, dairy cattle were raised on the ranch. There was little food that they did not produce. Each spring, a large garden was planted. The cellars were stocked full of high quality aged meat and jars of canned goods from the garden. Wild berries were picked in the surrounding mountains for jams and jellies and wild game and fish provided additional food for the table. Every meal the large farm table was overflowing with healthy and deliciously prepared food surrounded by convivial family and friends.

Susan combined her love of entertaining and good food with her business acumen and founded the Santa Fe School of Cooking in December 1989. The philosophy of the Santa Fe school of Cooking was and still is, to celebrate local food - a novel idea in 1989. During her years as director of the cooking school, she co-authored three cookbooks, including The Santa Fe School of Cooking Cookbook, Salsas and Tacos and Southwest Flavors. She is currently active in the cooking school as CEO and involved in community projects.



Director, Nicole Curtis Ammerman, a Santa Fe native, and Susan's daughter, directs all retail, inventory, customer service and staff activities at the School, as well as overseeing daily operations. She earned a bachelor's degree in business and marketing at the University of Arizona, and held management positions in retail sales and customer service operations with The Limited Corporation before joining the School as manager in 1993.

Nicole has also been enjoying developing new programs that have been very well received by the customers of the School including the Southwest Culinary Bootcamp that runs twice a year. She also conceptualized and implemented the wildly popular, Restaurant Walking Tours, and is now working with 16 different restaurants in Santa Fe. In recent years, Nicole has pushed Susan's mission of supporting local ingredients even further. She implemented a program at the school where local produce is purchased from the employees' personal gardens at the Farmer's Market prices.


Santa Fe School of Cooking in the Media
Hand Eye Magazine - New Mexican Spice
Santa Fe Reporter - Red Chile Vacation Bible School
Trip Advisor Reviews
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