California Culinary Academy Commencement Ceremony Honors Graduates

San Francisco, CA – (January 23, 2008) -- California Culinary Academy (CCA) honored 279 students at a commencement ceremony, held at the Palace Fine Arts, on December 8, 2007. The new graduates, with specialized associate degrees in Le Cordon Bleu Culinary Arts, Le Cordon Bleu Hospitality and Restaurant Management and Certificate in Baking and Pastry were then feted at a celebratory reception prepared by fellow classmates at the CCA's Facility Expansion.

“We are extremely honored to once again graduate a talented class from our student body." said Jennifer White, CCA president. “The dedication these students have is a testament to their passion and desire to work in the culinary arts. We wish them the very best as they embark on a career in this exciting and ever-changing profession."

Established in 1977, California Culinary Academy has been a San Francisco mainstay for more than 30 years and has graduated more than 13,000 students. Founded by San Franciscan Danielle Carlisle, who dreamed of providing future chefs with a European-style culinary education, CCA began with only four kitchens, a handful of chefs and 20 students, offering aspiring restaurant and culinary professionals hands-on training in classic and contemporary culinary methods. Today, CCA offers two campus environments for its more than 1,500 student chefs, 24 demonstration and production kitchens, six pastry kitchens, an Asian kitchen with built-in wok stations, a mixology lab and a casino gaming lab.

CCA programs focus on skill development and practical application of culinary techniques and offer three intensive programs of study: an Associate of Occupational Studies degree in Le Cordon Bleu Culinary Arts; Associate of Occupational Studies degree in Le Cordon Bleu Hospitality & Restaurant Management; and a Certificate in Le Cordon Bleu Pâtisserie and Baking.

CCA’s list of graduates include Ron Siegel, chef at The Dining Room at the Ritz-Carlton San Francisco and the first American to win on the popular Japanese show “Iron Chef,” as well as Jason Wilson and Christopher Lee, both of whom were named among Food & Wine magazine's “2006 Best New Chefs.”

About California Culinary Academy:
California Culinary Academy (CCA) was established in 1977 in San Francisco and formed a partnership with the world-renowned Le Cordon Bleu in 1998. Today, CCA has two locations: the Historic California Hall is located at 625 Polk with Caręme Room, the student-run restaurant; and at 350 Rhode Island in Potrero Hill. CCA offers Associate of Occupational Studies degrees in Le Cordon Bleu Culinary Arts and Le Cordon Bleu Hospitality and Restaurant Management, and a Certificate in Le Cordon Bleu Pâtisserie and Baking. CCA is accredited by the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges of Technology (ACCSCT). For more information, visit www.caculinary.edu.

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