Learning By Doing
On-Campus Restaurant Experience
On-the-Job Training in World-Class Restaurants
Time to get to work! You鈥檒l be thrown into the mix in these real-world, live-action classrooms. With the most on-campus public restaurants of any culinary college, CIA offers you big-time experience honing your skills and preparing for the food industry that you won鈥檛 get anywhere else. Feel the energy as you prepare dishes in the fast-moving kitchen and serve paying customers in the dining room. And our expert faculty will be right there to guide and mentor you.
New York Campus
American Bounty Restaurant
It鈥檚 all about 鈥渓ocal鈥� as you use fresh ingredients to create modern American dishes and determine how seasonal availability impacts quality and price. You鈥檒l also learn quick and efficient service, and ID the components of the full-service bar.
The Bocuse Restaurant
Get super-creative with new interpretations of French classics using innovative techniques like sous vide. A highlight of your casual yet sophisticated tableside service experience鈥攑reparing liquid nitrogen ice cream in front of guests!
Ristorante Caterina de’ Medici
You鈥檒l feel like you鈥檙e actually working in a restaurant in Italy! Present and serve classic Italian dishes in an authentic villa setting, offering guests fresh produce, cheese, and cured meats with a diverse selection of Italian wines and other beverages.
Apple Pie Bakery Caf茅
Get immersed in every step of running a real bakery caf茅. When you鈥檙e not crafting creative pastries, baked goods, and savory items, you鈥檙e front-and-center in the dining room and takeout area, providing first-class customer service.
Post Road Brew House
This pop-up restaurant is a great opportunity for you to learn what it takes to bring a concept to life from the ground up. All of the skills you have learned throughout your time at CIA will come into play as you focus on developing and constantly refining processes and programs that work in the restaurant. You鈥檒l be immersed in the world of craft beer and refined gastro pub food while providing exemplary service in a casual setting.
California Campus
Gatehouse Restaurant
It鈥檚 the grand finale鈥攁 capstone experience bringing together your culinary, baking and pastry, hospitality, and beverage management learning. You鈥檒l use local ingredients to create contemporary dishes offered in a table d鈥檋otel menu structure.
The Bakery Caf茅 by Ghirardelli
Your day is full鈥攎aking breakfast pastries in the morning; preparing soups, salads, sandwiches, and sides for lunch; and offering a full menu of house beverages. You鈥檒l also learn key principles of service and management in this fully operational retail caf茅.
Texas Campus
Savor
Find creative inspiration in ingredients and techniques from around the world in this bright, casual restaurant space. You will apply everything you鈥檝e learned in an open, state-of-the-art kitchen and an intimate dining room setting.
CIA Bakery Caf茅
When this caf茅 pops up, you鈥檒l pop in to prepare and serve freshly baked bread, cookies, and other desserts in a real retail caf茅 environment. Breakfast and lunch items are available for dine-in or takeout during select times of the year.
Chat With a Student
Are you curious about what it鈥檚 really like to attend CIA? We鈥檝e got you covered. Our students are ready to answer the questions you haven鈥檛 asked anyone else, share their own personal experiences, and give you genuine advice鈥攂ecause they鈥檝e gone through it, too.
Also in this Section
Internship: Real Life, Experience
There鈥檚 only one way to see what it鈥檚 really like out there in the food industry鈥攁n awesome internship experience (or 鈥渆xternship,鈥� as we like to call it in this industry)!