Many major cities have a culinary academy and San Francisco is no exception. In fact, the California Culinary Academy on Polk Street has churned out dozens, if not hundreds, of prominent chefs who now are making names for themselves throughout the Bay Area and beyond with its Le Cordon Bleu Program.
If you ever have the opportunity to visit one, it’s always a terrific value and a unique dining experience, offering views into professional kitchens as the instructors teach the students to prepare that day’s meals. The CCA is one of the nation’s premier culinary training facilities, providing a world of culinary influences, combining traditional and contemporary flavors and styles.
California Culinary Academy
Open: Tuesday – Friday.
A: 625 Polk Street, San Francisco.
T: 415.292.8229 for reservations.
Since 2004, there has been a second facility, a 100,000-square foot South Campus at 350 Rhode Island in Portrero Hill, with new, modern kitchens and a mixology lab for chef training.
Seasonal Menus: Open Tuesday – Friday (prices subject to change without notice)
Tuesday & Wednesday: Fixed Price Menu, 3-course lunch for $14; 3-course dinner for $24.
Thursday: Lunch buffet for $20; Dinner: French Buffet for $30.
Friday: Lunch Grand Buffet for $20; Dinner Grand Buffet for $36.