CIA History
A Legacy of Excellence and Innovation
Today, CIA is widely recognized as the world’s premier culinary college.
Our industry-wide reputation for excellence is evidenced by our outstanding faculty, passionate students, and more than 55,000 accomplished alumni across eight decades. Such a distinguished legacy, however, would not have been possible without extraordinary achievement, talented people, and amazing stories that date back to 1946, when two women shared a daring vision.
1946: The Start of Something Big
“With your help and the determination to make this school of ours the culinary center of the nation, I think we have the answer I looked for at the start: America—the best meals on earth.”—Frances Roth, at the National Restaurant Convention in 1950
Connecticut-based attorney Frances Roth may have never worked in a restaurant, but she was one of the most influential pioneers in culinary education. From her perspective on the industry, she was determined to establish a school that would become “the culinary center of the nation.” With support from co-founder Katharine Angell, who was married to then-Yale University President James Rowland Angell, Mrs. Roth turned her passion into a new vision for educating chefs.
On May 22, 1946, the New Haven Restaurant Institute opened its doors in downtown New Haven, CT, as the first and only school of its kind in the United States. Specifically created to train returning World War II veterans in the culinary arts, the Institute enrolled 50 students and employed a faculty consisting of a chef, a baker, and a dietitian.
1946–1970: Growing Up in New Haven
The early years of the Institute are marked by continual growth and accomplishment
1947: The school changed its name to the Restaurant Institute of Connecticut.
1950: Just four years after its opening, 600 veterans from 38 states had already graduated from the Institute.
“For Americans who dine out regularly, this chef’s training program promises a continuity of good eating—with increasing accent on the ‘American’ tastes.”—Look magazine, 1950
1951: The school changes its name one final time, to the Culinary Institute of America, reflecting its national scope and the increasing diversity of the campus population.
1960: In a nod to an ongoing need by food professionals for more training, continuing education is introduced into the curricula.
1965: After nearly 20 years of service to the college, Frances Roth retires, and Jacob Rosenthal is named president. Meanwhile, CIA’s enrollment increases to 400 students.
1969: Double-class sessions are initiated to accommodate a backlog of applications and an auxiliary campus is leased. But with more than 1,000 students and facilities strained to the maximum, it’s becoming clear CIA needs a new home…and a new era is about to begin.
The 1970s: New Home, More Quality Education
With its move to the beautiful Hudson Valley in New York, CIA is well-positioned to advance its reputation for excellence in culinary education and meet national—and international—demand for its services.
1970: After an exhaustive search in which sites as far as Chicago, Atlanta, and Columbia, MD are considered, CIA purchases the St. Andrew-on-Hudson Jesuit novitiate in Hyde Park, NY for its new campus.
“(St. Andrew-on-Hudson) lends itself to the creation of ideal facilities and an ideal educational environment.”—Jacob Rosenthal, CIA president
1971: The Board of Regents of the State of New York grants CIA a charter to confer an Associate in Occupational Studies degree, making it the first culinary college to be so authorized.
1972: CIA opens the doors to its beautiful new riverside campus in Hyde Park, NY, with its main building named Roth Hall.
“CIA is the leading institution in preparing the next wave of great American chefs.”—Tim Zagat, co-founder and publisher, Zagat Survey
1973: The college introduces its first on-campus public restaurant, the Epicurean Room and Rabalais Grill, later renamed the Escoffier Restaurant.
“The ultimate in continental dining comfort.”—The New York Times review of the Escoffier Room, 1978
1974–1979: As the curriculum expands, CIA continues to grow right along with it. Three residence halls are built, and an extensive culinary library, career planning center, and learning resources center are established.
“The Harvard of Haute Cuisine.”—Life magazine headline for an article about CIA, May 1979
The 1980s: Leading the Profession
With new leadership, facility expansion, and curriculum innovation, CIA is at the forefront of preparing students to succeed in one of the hottest industries on the planet.
1980–1981: The decade starts off in masterful fashion for the Culinary Institute of America—Master Chef Ferdinand E. Metz is named the college’s next president, and CIA becomes the only school authorized to administer the American Culinary Federation’s exam for Master Chefs, the highest professional certification in the country.
1982–1984: Three additional student-staffed restaurants make their debut on the New York campus in a three-year span: the American Bounty Restaurant, one of the first in the nation devoted to American cuisine; the Ristorante Caterina de’ Medici, specializing in Italian cuisine; and St. Andrew’s Café, originally geared toward nutritional cooking.
“The American Bounty represents more than just another restaurant, especially since its successful implementation again places the Institute at the forefront of culinary education.”—Ferdinand E. Metz, CIA president
“Whatever furthers the feeling of what we have, what we grew up with, and what we hope to have, is very precious, very dear to my heart.”—James Beard, speaking about the American Bounty Restaurant at its 1982 opening
1984: CIA’s continuing education center (later named the J. Willard Marriott Education Center) opens, greatly expanding and enhancing the college’s offerings for food enthusiasts. Also, on-campus kitchens are upgraded, and an experimental kitchen and food laboratory are constructed to study and teach the science of cooking.
1988: Continuing to blaze trails in research and education, CIA builds the General Foods Nutrition Center to promote nutritional cooking. The center becomes the new home of St. Andrew’s Café.
The 1990s: New Standards of Excellence
New bachelor’s degree programs and a West Coast presence highlight one of the most significant periods in the college’s history.
1990: Responding to a growing industry need for highly qualified, professionally trained baking and pastry chefs, the college opens its new baking and pastry facility. Two years later, the center is dedicated as the Shunsuke Takaki School of Baking and Pastry to honor the founder of Japan’s Takaki Bakery and Andersen Group.
1993: CIA completes its transformation into a complete college of higher education when the New York State Board of Regents approves the Institute to offer two Bachelor of Professional Studies (BPS) degrees, in either Culinary Arts Management or Baking and Pastry Arts Management. Later that same year, in keeping with the spirit of education growth, CIA opens the Conrad N. Hilton Library.
“In practically every successful restaurant or hotel in this country I’ve been in, more often than not I’ve encountered a Culinary Institute of America graduate in a leadership position.”—Julia Child, teacher, author, culinary pacesetter
“We feel the Institute is the best in its field and that this library and learning resource center can serve generations of its students. We chose the Institute because it graduates individuals of high character who are able to assume management roles.”—Conrad N. Hilton III, Hilton Foundation program officer
1995: For the first time ever, CIA introduces an additional location, launching the Culinary Institute of America at Greystone in the heart of California’s Napa Valley. First offering continuing education programs for foodservice professionals, the campus grows to include associate degree programs and food enthusiast classes. The campus also features the Wine Spectator Greystone Restaurant, with special focus on food and wine pairing.
“Having had a lifelong love of cooking and food, I have a great admiration for the Culinary Institute of America and its commitment to young people who are seeking a career in food preparation.”—Chuck Williams, founder and vice chairman of the board, Williams-Sonoma, Inc.
1998: The Hyde Park, NY campus feels even more like, well, a campus when the Student Recreation Center is unveiled to benefit student wellness. Students now have access to basketball, tennis, and racquetball courts; a weight room; an indoor pool and track; a game room and lounge; a variety of fitness and athletic programs; and a café and pub.
CIA at Greystone holds the first Worlds of Flavor® International Conference and Festival, its flagship conference that each year transforms the Napa Valley campus into a crossroads of world food and culture. The annual event cements CIA’s reputation as a culinary “think tank” supporting and driving innovation in the foodservice industry.
“Almost every profession has an outstanding training ground. The military has West Point, music has Juilliard, and culinary arts has the Institute.”—Craig Claiborne, celebrated author and food critic for The New York Times
The 2000s: Moving Into the New Millennium
The world’s premier culinary college leads the foodservice world into the new millennium, continuing to garner praise and accomplish great things in culinary education, research, and industry service.
“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 French chef
2000: At the Hyde Park, NY campus the Apple Pie Bakery Café opens to enhance the baking and pastry curriculum. People immediately flock to “the café” to enjoy the sumptuous baked goods and café cuisine available for takeout or to enjoy in the restaurant’s sophisticated yet casual atmosphere.
2001: As the curriculum expands its focus on world flavors, CIA opens the Colavita Center for Italian Food and Wine in Hyde Park, NY. Devoted to the study of the culinary traditions of Italy, the Colavita Center includes the new home of the college’s Ristorante Caterina de’ Medici, educating students in the Italian regional cuisines.
Dr. Tim Ryan becomes president of CIA, the first alumnus and first faculty member to hold the top position at the college. Along with achieving the coveted Certified Master Chef credential, President Ryan earned his doctorate degree in education from The University of Pennsylvania and bachelor’s and Master of Business Administration (MBA) degrees from the University of New Haven.
“This is the best place in the world. A school like this is something we would like to have in France.”—Roger Vergé, legendary French chef and restaurateur
2002: CIA’s amazing pace of innovations and improvements continues. In Hyde Park, the newly named and renovated Farquharson Hall in Roth Hall provides an outstanding venue for graduations, student dining, banquets, and other special events.
2004: To accommodate the growing numbers of students and their preference for campus life, Adirondack-style lodges are added on the north end of the Hyde Park, NY campus.
CIA also launches its intercollegiate athletic program when the soccer and basketball teams join the Hudson Valley Men’s Athletic Conference. The current CIA Steels participate in five sports—the original two plus cross-country, tennis, and volleyball—as members of both the HVMAC and the Hudson Valley Women’s Athletic Conference.
2005: A new Hyde Park, NY focal point is created when Anton Plaza is completed adjacent to Roth Hall, providing a breathtaking view of the Hudson River for special events and student activities, as well as convenient parking for visitors. At CIA at Greystone, the Ventura Center for Menu Research and Development opens to advance menu-development research and education for the foodservice industry.
Also this year, the college launches a new division, the Industry Solutions Group. The division later becomes CIA Consulting, which today guides leading foodservice companies, manufacturers, and restaurateurs with product development and menu enhancement.
2006: The Cornell University School of Hotel Administration and CIA announce a collaborative degree program for students seeking a preeminent education in hospitality management and the culinary arts. Students who complete this intensive program earn a Bachelor of Science (BS) degree in Hotel Administration from Cornell and an Associate in Occupational Studies (AOS) degree in Culinary Arts from CIA. The collaborative degree program is part of a broader alliance the two colleges formed in 2003.
“This is exactly the kind of innovative educational offering that we envisioned upon forming this alliance.”—Leo Renaghan, associate dean for academic affairs, Cornell University
In the fall of ’06, the college begins offering its proven associate degree program in Culinary Arts at the Culinary Institute of America at Greystone, giving students the opportunity to earn this valuable industry credential on both coasts.
Also in 2006, the pilot program for the Center for Foods of the Americas opens in San Antonio’s historic Pearl Brewery, paving the way for the college’s Texas campus.
2008: The college opens its third campus, the Culinary Institute of America, San Antonio. The new CIA Texas branch campus gives the college a platform to offer special expertise in Latin American cuisines and to serve Latino foodservice professionals, including a certificate program in culinary arts and cuisine programs for foodservice industry professionals and food enthusiasts.
2009: The Culinary Institute of America launches its AOS degree program in Baking and Pastry Arts at CIA at Greystone, in the heart of California’s Napa Valley. The program offers baking and pastry students the same hands-on learning, in-depth knowledge, and proven curriculum found at the college’s flagship campus in Hyde Park, NY.
“CIA will show the rest of the world the contributions that Latin food can make. It’s wonderful to have a place that respects this cuisine and helps it become woven into the best restaurants in the country.”—Rick Bayless, prominent chef-restaurateur, cookbook author, and television personality
The 2010s: Expansion, Innovation, and Elevation—A Transformative Decade
From launching its first international campus in Singapore to pioneering new degree programs and state-of-the-art facilities, CIA redefined culinary education with bold ventures into hospitality, food science, and graduate studies.
2010: The college introduces its first international campus when the Culinary Institute of America, Singapore opens. Today, thanks to CIA’s historic partnership with the Singapore Institute of Technology (SIT), students in Asia have the opportunity to earn a Bachelor of Professional Studies (BPS) degree in Culinary Arts Management in the college’s spectacular 30,000-square-foot facility on the campus of Temasek Polytechnic.
2012: CIA San Antonio opens the doors to Nao, its on-campus restaurant that celebrates the authentic cuisines, cultures, and bounty of Latin America.
In addition, CIA launches a groundbreaking bachelor’s degree program in Culinary Science in 2012. The elite program applies science-based understanding of the culinary arts to prepare students for careers in research and development, large-scale foodservice, or high-end dining. The college also introduces study concentrations that allow students in the bachelor’s degree management programs to target their education experience to specific areas of the food world such as Farm-to-Table Cooking, Advanced Wines and Beverages, and Latin Cuisines. A highlight of the concentrations is a 15-week semester at CIA’s California or Texas campus, or other inspiring settings around the globe to explore different cuisines and cultures.
“A traditional kitchen is like a pirate ship. We like our flames, we like our noise, we have our scars. We’d like to create a kitchen that’s more like a luxury yacht.”—Jonathan Zearfoss, professor of culinary science, the Culinary Institute of America
2013: CIA opens The Bocuse Restaurant, which gives students the chance to create and serve new interpretations of classic French cuisine in a stunning open kitchen and sleek modern dining room. Students use sous-vide techniques, prepare liquid nitrogen ice cream table side, and learn a variety of exciting and innovative new skills.
2014: The Marriott Pavilion opens its doors on the New York campus. With its 800-seat Ecolab Auditorium and state-of-the-art conference facilities, the Pavilion will bring more professionals and visitors to campus than ever before, host world-renowned conferences, and provide a wide variety of new educational experiences for students.
CIA also introduced a new bachelor’s degree major in Applied Food Studies, which uniquely prepares graduates to influence the future of food. Students in this program gain expertise in food systems, policy, and local and global food issues as they prepare for careers in advocacy and policy-making organizations, health agencies, restaurant kitchens, and food industry councils.
2015: CIA cracks open The Egg, its one-of-a-kind new student dining venue housed in the expanded Student Commons on the college’s New York campus. The same year, CIA launches The Food Business School, its center for executive education.
2016: An exciting evolution of CIA bachelor’s degree program comes to fruition, as the college confers its first Bachelor of Business Administration degrees to students majoring in Food Business Management. The internationally recognized BBA gives CIA graduates an even greater advantage as they pursue advanced degrees and/or career opportunities.
In addition, the college expands its California campus operations to include Copia, the former center for food, wine, and the arts in downtown Napa. CIA at Copia offers the ultimate adventure for foodies, including a variety of dining choices, classes, demos, and entertainment options.
2017: The college launches its new bachelor’s degree major in Hospitality Management, opening doors for students to become leaders in this fast-growing segment of the food business. They learn the business of managing elite hotels, restaurants, resorts, and other top hospitality sites, and study event planning, tourism, and beverage production services.
2018: The college introduces its first graduate degree program—and its first primarily online degree offering—with the Master of Professional Studies in Food Business. The program includes three short residencies at the New York campus and CIA at Copia in Napa, CA. It examines subjects like food systems, leadership, business fundamentals, marketing, real estate, and law—all through the prism of food, beverage, and hospitality.
2019: The college expands its graduate offerings to include the Master of Professional Studies in Wine and Beverage Management at CIA at Greystone in St. Helena, CA. The Napa Valley provides the ideal setting for this unique wine program that explores the lifecycle of a bottle from marketing to distribution and from restaurants to retail—giving graduates broad expertise that’s in high demand in the food and beverage world.
2020: CIA introduces its second online degree program, the online bachelor’s degree in Food Business Leadership specifically for graduates of the college’s associate degree programs. The program offers a carefully designed mix of in-depth food- and beverage-focused management, business, and liberal arts courses that prepare students to take their place as leaders in the food world.
“We have a tremendous legacy, a deep reservoir of faculty and staff talent, unsurpassed facilities, and an alumni network of leaders and future leaders. (Our) mission is to take a great institution and make it even better. In doing so, we will move in some new and quite exciting directions.”—Dr. Tim Ryan, CIA president
The 2020s: A Diamond Jubilee and New Era of Leadership
CIA continues to expand its global influence with cutting-edge online and graduate programs, a new leader, a Netflix series and Hall of Fame honors, cementing its role as a trailblazer in food, business, and hospitality.
2020: CIA introduces its second online degree program, the online bachelor’s degree in food business leadership specifically for graduates of the college’s associate degree programs. The program offers a carefully designed mix of in-depth food- and beverage-focused management, business, and liberal arts courses that prepare students to take their place as leaders in the food world.
2021: CIA celebrates its 75th anniversary and welcomes its largest-ever class of incoming freshman to date.
CIA adds an online master’s degree in Wine and Beverage Management.
“CIA today really brings us the future. The faculty turns out great young people who really understand what it takes to become a professional, to become somebody who wants to achieve something.”—Wolfgang Puck, world-renowned chef, restaurateur, and philanthropist
2022: CIA introduces the first-of-its-kind master’s degree program in Sustainable Food Systems.
2023: CIA launches its master’s in Culinary Arts program, focused on experiential learning at world-class restaurants and residencies at the CIA’s New York campus and the Champagne House in France.
2024: CIA welcomes Michiel Bakker as the college’s sixth president, succeeding Dr. Tim Ryan, the Institute’s longest-serving president. President Bakker brings nearly three decades of transformative leadership in the food and hospitality industries, including roles at Google and Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide.
2025: CIA introduces the first-ever master’s degree in Culinary Therapeutics. The program applies culinary arts strategies to promoting health and well-being.
Also in 2025, Next Gen Chef airs on Netflix, taking viewers inside CIA, where 21 young American chefs competed to be named the one to lead the next generation.
In addition, the inaugural class of CIA’s most influential alumni are inducted into the Hall of Fame and given a permanent home on campus in honor of their achievements.
“The Culinary Institute of America has a rich and long tradition of offering the highest quality culinary education possible. I foresee the school continuing to shape many of our new leaders of the food industry well into the future.”—Thomas Keller, chef and owner, The French Laundry, Bouchon, and Bouchon Bakery