That's the Culinary Institute of America, San Antonio Campus - and I got to have a tour and lunch there with a group that I belong to called SA100. It's in a beautiful redesigned building near the old Pearl Brewery. The whole area is undergoing an urban Renaissance. From the CIA website: "Set among restored 19th century buildings once part of the Pearl
Brewery, the CIA San Antonio campus is as diverse as the culinary world
itself. Located on the San Antonio River just north of downtown, the
20-acre Pearl Brewery site is developing into a exciting center that
will be filled with cafés, schools, lofts, services, and events. The CIA
classrooms and kitchens are state-of-the-art and dedicated to
real-world experiences, creating an ideal setting for learning."
Here are a few photos from the visit - I would love to go back and try their new cafe called
Nao, still in is soft opening phase with prix fixe menu of three courses for $24. Today's lunch was good, a beef soup and sandwich but the desserts were the star! There's a
bakery cafe associated with the school that sells these great pastries as well as light lunches - it's popular.
Chef Jacob shows off the desserts
Lunch was beef soup, choice of sandwiches on artisan bread, and salad
These dessert squares were a delicious combination of coconut, pineapple, mango and raspberry
Our group had lunch in the demonstration kitchen meeting room
This is the outdoor kitchen which was re-purposed from an old water tower
