The Culinary Institute of America | The World's Premier Culinary College

Food Is Your Life®

Food is your…future.

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Food is your future—start with an advantage.

So, you love food—for you, it’s a source of endless curiosity and an outlet for your creativity. Maybe even your side hustle. Food is your life. And it’s our life, too.

At CIA, food is woven into everything we do and teach—and we do it best. Here, food is discipline and mastery. It’s also science, business, hospitality, and global change. At CIA, you’ll discover that food can open any door and prepare you to make a difference in the world.

Food is what brings you to CIA—and with the skills and experience you’ll gain here, you can turn your passion into your purpose. At CIA, food is your life.

Get started now >

Smiling CIA culinary school student in the kitchen.

MAJORS AND DEGREES

So many career paths in food! Not sure what yours is yet? No worries.
College is all about exploring, and we’ll help you discover what’s right for you.


CIA culinary college students learning in the kitchen for their CIA degree.

Core In-Kitchen Instruction

Culinary Arts or Baking and Pastry Arts. They’re at the foundation of all you’ll do here.
Associate Degree Programs >

Beyond the kitchen learning: CIA student learning in a culinary science lab.

Next-Level Learning

Go deeper in the food world, with Food Business, Hospitality Management, Culinary Science, or Applied Food Studies.
Bachelor’s Degree Programs >


Make an impact on your future with a master’s degree from CIA’s School of Graduate and Professional Studies.

Graduate Education

Make an impact on your future and the future of food with a master’s degree from CIA’s School of Graduate and Professional Studies. Advance your learning—and your career—with one of our three online programs in Food Business, Sustainable Food Systems, and Wine and Beverage Management. Designed with working professionals in mind, flexible online learning supported by short in-person residencies offer the best of both worlds. No need to put your life on hold.
Master’s Degree Programs >





Culinary school students dressed as bacon and eggs on the CIA Campus, where everyone speaks food.


STUDENT LIFE

Be part of a vibrant campus and close-knit community,
where everyone speaks your language—food. And your dorm has a full-sized kitchen!


Group of happy students at the CIA New York campus, where students enjoy the full college campus experience.

Full Campus Experience

Student clubs and activities, athletics and fitness, entertainment and fun...you’ll find it all at the New York campus.
New York Student Life >


Students in the herb garden at the CIA at Greystone. This campus has a unique inspiring setting in California's wine country.

Unique, Inspiring Setting

At our California campus, you’ll have fun exploring Napa Valley’s bountiful farms, vineyards, culture, and outdoor activities.
California Student Life >


Students walking outside the CIA in San Antonio, TX - a culinary school campus where students enjoy a spirited city life.

Spirited City Life

Enjoy the energy and action of our Texas campus, set among the shops, restaurants, and attractions of San Antonio.
Texas Student Life >



ADMISSIONS EVENTS


Open Houses

Don’t miss your chance to tour campus, experience a live cooking demo, and so much more!

Reserve Now

Campus Tours

Explore our beautiful campuses with a guided tour for prospective students.

Reserve Now

Online Open Houses

Learn more about our college from the comfort of your own home.

Reserve Now






New CIA graduate holding up their diploma. CIA Alumni are leaders in the food world.


CIA ALUMNI

A CIA degree spells success—our 50,000+ alumni are proof of that!
They’re not only accomplished chefs; they’re influential leaders in the food world.


 
James Bickmore-Hutt, CIA Culinary Science Bachelor's Degree alumnus and Culinary R&D Manager/Corporate Chef at Dole.

James Bickmore-Hutt

Culinary R&D Manager/Corporate Chef
DOLE
Read bio >


 
Tasha Mabin

Tasha Mabin

Catering Director
The Compass Group USA
Read bio >


 
Camille Cogswell, CIA Alumni and Pastry Chef at Zahav Restaurant.

Camille Cogswell

Pastry Chef
ZAHAV RESTAURANT
Read bio >


 
Ramona Nahapetian, CIA Applied Food Studies Bachelor's degree alumni and Office and Restaurant Accounts Manager, Masienda.

Ramona Nahapetian

Office & Restaurant Accounts Manager
MASIENDA
Read bio >


 
Roy Choi, CIA Culinary Arts graduate, chef, restauranteur, author and food truck pioneer.

Roy Choi

Food Truck Pioneer
KOGI
Read bio >


 
Adam Crocini, CIA alumni, and Global Head and Vice President of Food & Beverage for the Luxury & Lifestyle Group, Hilton.

Adam Crocini

Global Head & VP of Luxury and Lifestyle Food and Beverage
HILTON
Read bio >


 

“The first time I visited, I knew I had finally found a school that teaches the traditions of the world’s cuisines...It’s the best culinary school in the world.”
—Paul Bocuse, world-renowned chef and restaurateur


CIA Professor teaching in the classroom. CIA Faculty have unmatched credentials

INDUSTRY-LEADING FACULTY

CIA faculty members have unmatched credentials.
Learn directly from the people who wrote the book on food!


 
Culinary school students in the kitchen learning from CIA faculty who are leaders in their fields.

Leaders in Their Fields

Get valuable hands-on instruction from acclaimed master chefs, successful restaurateurs, wine experts, forward-thinking nutritionists, and many other food authorities.


 
CIA students in the forest listening to a professor. CIA faculty have a wide range of expertise beyond the kitchen.

A Wide Range of Expertise

Gain well-rounded, food-focused knowledge from accomplished historians, anthropologists, marketing and management experts, authors, and more.


 



Panelists on the stage of the Menus of Change Conference. CIA is shaping the future of the food industry.


INDUSTRY IMPACT

We’re shaping the future of the food industry and driving change for a better world. You will too!


As the world’s premier culinary college, CIA does more than just cultivate the next generation of food and hospitality industry leaders; we also educate and empower current foodservice leaders to effect change in their businesses and communities. Our connections run deep, with ties to top universities, industry leaders, entrepreneurs, scientists and food authorities from around the world, recognized brands, cultural influencers, and more. Learn more >


CIA Partners with top universities & scientists. A speaker presents on the Menus of Change University Research Collaborative.

Personal and Professional Development

Learning is a life-long process, and CIA offers multiple ways to continue to develop your knowledge and skills through professional training opportunities, certifications, and advanced degrees.
Learn more >


speaker giving a lecture and demo to a group at one of the many thought leadership conferences by the Culinary Institute of America.

Developing the Big Ideas

Our thought leadership conferences guide the food industry toward the next wave of global change.
Conferences >


A CIA Consultant working with a foodservice professional.

Transforming Ideas into Reality

Our experts help foodservice operators translate science into innovative, practical strategies that drive their businesses.
CIA Consulting >



Place setting at a CIA restaurant. Come taste, learn, experience, and celebrate with us!

RESTAURANTS AND FOODIE EXPERIENCES

CIA is a food lover’s paradise—a hub for tasting, learning, experiencing, and celebrating life.


Guests at the Apple Pie Bakery Cafe, one of our ine student-staffed CIA restaurants and cafés.

Restaurants

Dine at our family of nine student-staffed restaurants and meet the food leaders of the future.
Learn more >


People dancing at an event at CIA at Copia, the ultimate foodie adventure in Napa, CA.

CIA at Copia

The ultimate CIA foodie adventure—dining, classes, demos, entertainment, and food innovation in downtown Napa, CA.
Learn more >


Food enthusiasts in the kitchen at one of CIA’s classes for foodies.

Public Classes

Hands-on and multi-day classes, where you can release your inner chef.
Learn more >


Long table with guests making a toast at one of CIA’s event venues for weddings, meetings and gatherings.

Weddings and Events

Your event will be both inventive and unique when you tap into our 75 years of food and hospitality experience.
Learn more >





CIA NEWS

Exciting things are happening at CIA campuses and beyond thanks to our dedicated faculty, students, staff, and alumni.
Check out these CIA headlines and more.

culinary institute of america news

Alumni in the News: January 2024

CIA alumni are always cooking up something interesting, and with a network of more than 50,000 strong, there’s never a shortage of highlights!
culinary institute of america news

Alumni in the News: December 2023

CIA alumni are always cooking up something interesting, and with a network of more than 50,000 strong, there’s never a shortage of highlights!
culinary institute of america news

Chefs at CIA’s Worlds of Flavor® Tell Their Stories Through Their Food

Worlds of Flavor, which took place November 8–10 at CIA at Copia in Napa, was a profound reminder that in our melting-pot country, adding your own touches to tradition is a way of telling your own story.
culinary institute of america news

Honest, Personal Cooking Trumps Authenticity at CIA’s Worlds of Flavor

Cooks—at home and in professional kitchens—have quirks, preferences, and personality they express through food. So, to insist that there’s one true way to make a dish signals some combination of hubris and ignorance.