CAMPUS ITINERARY: CULINARY INSTITUTE OF AMERICA

Dine where most of the country’s top chefs learned the art of cooking! Hyde Park has The Culinary Institute of America, a world-famous center for study in the techniques and fundamentals of the culinary, baking and pastry arts. Taste inventive dishes at one of the on-campus restaurants — American Bounty Restaurant, The Bocuse Restaurant, Ristorante Caterina de’ Medici and Apple Pie Bakery Café — which serve as real-world classrooms.

Start your day off with a pastry and a craft coffee beverage at Apple Pie Bakery Café. It's a great example of how the approach taught at the CIA elevates everything, even the simpler brunch fare at Apple Pie Bakery. P.S., it's also a great place to stock up on desserts to take home.

Find inspired French fare at The Bocuse Restaurant, named for legendary chef Paul Bocuse. Bocuse left an indellible mark on French cuisine, and inspired the chef at the core of Ratatouille. The Bocuse Restaurant brings a new style of casual yet sophisticated service and offers a breathtaking architectural interior design. Plus, pair your meal with a glass from an impressive wine list.

Ristorante Caterina de'Medici serves truly authentic meals inside a charming Tuscan villa on campus. Imported furniture, Venetian glass chandeliers and other decor set the scene for rich, regional dishes. Tackle every course (antipasti, primo, secondo and dessert) while overlooking the rose and herb garden and the majestic Hudson River.

For creative contemporary cuisine, look no further than American Bounty Restaurant. Seasonal ingredients sourced locally from within the Hudson Valley fuel the menus here. 

First time visiting? Take The CIA Experience tour for a student-led interactive demo exploring the science of taste, a perfect introduction to what the CIA is all about.

Enroll in one of the CIA’s food enthusiast classes or boot camps and receive hands-on cooking instruction from culinary experts. Home cooks can take boot camp-style classes in a variety of themes, from regional Italian cooking to pastry basics with chef-led demonstrations, while enriching lectures and hands-on workshops cover fundamental techniques. Follow your passion for patisserie with the pastry book camp, where you’ll learn how to temper chocolate, prepare a soufflé, and assemble a layered tart—just to name a few. Or, master Mediterranean cuisine and discover the flavors of Greece, Southern Italy, Spain, North Africa and beyond. The CIA offers courses in plant-based cooking, baking, crafting hors d’Oeuvres and everything in between. Chef-led demonstrations, enriching lectures and hands-on workshops cover fundamental techniques. 

Its influence permeates throughout Dutchess County: CIA graduate-led farm-to-table bistros, innovative bakeries and burger joints contribute to a diverse culinary landscape. Use the Dutchess Tourism CIA Chef Finder mobile passport to scope out other CIA-trained food destinations. For instance, snack on Brazilian fusion bites at Reserva Wine Bar in Beacon while local musicians create jazz synergy on stage. Or, try Mexican-Asian fusion at Reconnect Foods in Eastdale Village, Poughkeepsie.  

Did you know? Anthony Bourdain, Amanda Freitag, Cat Cora, Duff Goldman and Grant Achatz are just a few alumni who have made a massive mark on the modern culinary scene.