Businesswoman who transforms lives

Business Administration graduate turned an innovative idea into a restaurant that creates jobs, boosts the local economy, and rescues traditional flavors.

By: Alejandro García Suárez – Advisory Office for Communications.

With discipline, innovation, and the firm purpose of contributing to the development of her region, Paula Katerín Rivera Sánchez, a 2024 graduate of the Business Administration program at the Fusagasugá campus, transformed an idea into a business venture that today generates employment, promotes local gastronomy, and proves that great opportunities are born from within the territory.

It all started with a question: why did the green plantain and the ripe plantain, traditional ingredients of Colombian cuisine, have such a minor presence in the restaurants of Fusagasugá? Motivated to find the answer, Paula spent about six months conducting a market study, visiting establishments and analyzing their menus. The conclusion was clear: an opportunity for innovation existed.

Inspired by one of the teachings that marked her time at the University of Cundinamarca—that an administrator not only runs businesses, but also creates value, innovates, and generates opportunities—she decided to bring Pataco Gourmet to life, a restaurant where the plantain becomes the star of a culinary concept inspired by the flavors of the Colombian Caribbean and the Valle del Cauca.

“The restaurant opened its doors on February 20, 2025, a very special date because it coincides with my birthday,” recalls Paula. However, she acknowledges that the path was not easy; while working at a financial institution, she divided her days between the office and the restaurant. Upon finishing her work, she would swap her heels for an apron to cook, serve customers, and get the business off the ground.

The entrepreneur highlights that her family's support was essential to turning the project into a reality. Her children took on different responsibilities; one waited tables, another helped in the kitchen, and the youngest helped with whatever was needed. Thanks to their joint effort, commitment, and teamwork, they managed to consolidate a family business.

Growth came quickly; after starting operations in the Fusacatán neighborhood, Pataco Gourmet moved to the Recreo neighborhood, where it expanded its facilities and, starting in May 2026, incorporated lunch service, strengthening its gastronomic offering and expanding its impact in the city.

Currently, the restaurant generates employment for several families in Fusagasugá, especially for single mothers and talent from both the region and the Caribbean Coast. In addition, it works hand in hand with local entrepreneurs, convinced that growth gains greater value when it benefits the entire community.

More than a restaurant, Pataco Gourmet offers an experience that rescues cultural identity through gastronomy, allowing its visitors to enjoy traditional flavors without leaving the city.

For Paula Rivera, entrepreneurship has meant facing challenges, uncertainty, and sacrifices; however, she affirms that every obstacle strengthened her determination to keep building her business, generating employment, and contributing to the economic and social development of the region.

The graduate highlights that the University of Cundinamarca was decisive in her professional and personal development; there she acquired the knowledge, principles, and values of the Transmodern Digital Educational Model (MEDIT), which she now applies in her company to innovate, lead, and transform ideas into opportunities that positively impact other people.

Stories like that of Paula Katerín reflect the purpose of the Transmodern Digital Educational Model (MEDIT) of the University of Cundinamarca, which promotes the training of professionals capable of transforming their environment through knowledge, innovation, and entrepreneurship. From this perspective, graduates not only create businesses, but also generate opportunities, strengthen the regional economy, and contribute to sustainable development and the well-being of their communities.

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