Culinary Institute Of America

by Alfie

A career in food service and hospitality can be very rewarding and the students at the Culinary Institute of America are fortunate in enjoying the best facilities with courses taught by certified master chefs. The institute, also known as CIA, began in 1946 and has four campuses; Hyde Park in New York, Greystone at St.Helena in the Napa Valley, California, San Antonio in Texas and a branch in New York City.

The institute is a not for profit organization and offers Associate and Bachelor Degrees in Culinary Arts and Baking and Pastry Arts. The Hyde Park and St.Helena campuses also provide courses in management and wine and host conferences and run distance-learning programs. The Culinary Institute of America students learn in well equipped kitchens and bakeshops and also gain valuable hands on experience in the institute's own campus restaurants, where they learn to prepare and serve food to an appreciative public, working in the kitchens and front of house.

There are five restaurants, each one distinctive from the other. The American Bounty is a restaurant with a menu of regional American cuisine, St.Andrew's Café is informal with a contemporary menu, and the Apple Pie Bakery Café serves soup, sandwiches and baked goods. Classic French food is served at the Escoffier Restaurant and the Ristorante Caterina de'Medici serves Italian dishes. The culinary Institute of America therefore is not content with keeping its students in the classroom. They leave the college with a confident air, knowing that they have received the best preparation for their chosen careers. One of the most famous members of the alumni is the chef and author, Anthony Bourdain, famous for writing Kitchen Confidential.

The college is more than an organization for higher learning. It is also a successful commercial enterprise with its own range of branded houseware. Items from the range can be bought on the web store and categories include cookware, bakeware, cutlery, kitchen utensils and gadgets, weigh scales, timers and thermometers.

There is also a range of entertaining and informative cookbooks, published by the Culinary Institute of America, covering various skills and techniques. These include a collection of favorite recipes from the college. Other titles include Chocolates and Confections: Formula, Theory, and Technique for the Artisan Confectioner, Hors D'Oeuvres at Home with The Culinary Institute of America, Baking and Pastry; Mastering the Art and Craft, and Breakfasts and Brunches. These books give everyone the opportunity to learn from the best.