San Diego Culinary Institute

09/23/2019

Important Message from the School President:

July 8, 2019

It is my sad duty to announce that the San Diego Culinary Institute has stopped enrolling new students and will be closing our doors permanently in March 2020.

This will be an orderly closure. Every student now enrolled at SDCI will receive the same quality education as we have always given and will have the opportunity to graduate with the same diploma as every student of the SDCI Commis Program that came before.

This August we mark the completion of 19 years in the field of culinary education. We have enjoyed an incredible 19 years as measured by the success of our graduates. We are proud to have graduated many outstanding chefs that are now emerging as leaders in their field.

• Our graduates have worked with many of the best chefs in the world.
• Many have become important chefs in their own right and their talents have been acknowledged by major print magazines and on the major food networks.
• They are owners of notable restaurants, catering companies, and other culinary businesses throughout the U.S. and abroad.
• They have authored major books in the field.
• They have won countless awards and accolades in their field.

The business of education has changed remarkably in the last 19 years. These changes have affected virtually every school across the country — in all disciplines — but especially those of us in the culinary arts. We decided that rather than try to reinvent SDCI to meet the challenges of a new marketplace, the best thing we can do for our students and alumni is to retire, teach out our students, and close our doors in an organized fashion.

We encourage you to visit us on our website, as well as our pages for San Diego Culinary Institute and San Diego Culinary Institute Alumni for news on what is to come for us. Along the way, Chef Lewis and Chef Waefler will always be available to any SDCI graduate to support you in your careers. For general enquiries, you are always welcome to email us at [email protected] or speak with Jaycee at (619) 644-2100.

This has become a tough time to be a culinary school, but it has never been a better time to become a Chef. There have never been more career opportunities or more chances to express yourself creatively. We look forward to seeing all that you will achieve as you each make your contribution to the future of the culinary arts.

Yours truly,
David Badagliacca
President
San Diego Culinary Institute

08/14/2019

ATTENTION SDCI ALUMNI:

There’s an important announcement for all SDCI alumni. Visit the SDCI Alumni page or contact Jaycee in the main office for more information.

Time is running out, so get in touch today.

(This opportunity is for ALUMNI only. To get a password, you’ll need the month and year your class GRADUATED or the month and year your class STARTED).

08/02/2019

Couldn’t have asked for a more beautiful and delicious end to the week 😍😋 Canapés! 👏

05/05/2019

A double cause for celebration as recent SDCI graduate Pietro Gallo debuts highly anticipated Il Dandy and its “secret” six-seater restaurant-within-the-restaurant, Arama, in Bankers Hill (San Diego) this Spring. Featuring Calabrian cuisine, Il Dandy drops this Friday (May 10), while Arama will open in early June. For this, Pietro and his brother Dario (owners of Civico 1845 in Little Italy) are collaborating with Italian Michelin-star chefs Antonio and Luca Abbruzzino. Sounds like a match made in a culinary heaven! Read on!

03/21/2019

Here's a fun Throwback Thursday memory from when everyone was doing the Harlem Shake.

03/16/2019

After a two-week break for their Entrepreneurship workshop, our Pastry students are back in the kitchen! They will be starting work on their chocolate sculptures soon! Our Executive Pastry Chef Instructor Bruno Albouze took the lead this week with a showpiece of a pair of nesting birds. Perfect for the first week of Spring! (This piece was auctioned off at the San Diego Youth Services’ 13th Annual Creations in Chocolate charity event on Thursday.)

02/26/2019

An inspired interpretation of a lemon meringue tart by one of our Pastry students. Using yuzu and lime. Topped with a ring of dark chocolate and accented with edible flowers and gold leaf. Enjoy!

02/22/2019

What a way to end the week! Two of our graduates were featured in today's Union Tribune and we couldn't be prouder! Great job and congratulations on the accolades Chefs Alex Emery and Dana Francisco!

Under the leadership of 34-year-old executive chef Alex Emery, every plate is Instagram-worthy at La Valencia Hotel's fine dining restaurant in La Jolla

02/20/2019

Shout out to SDCI graduate Jojo Ruiz! As Executive Chef, he is heading the opening of new restaurant Serēa at the Hotel del Coronado this summer. He opened highly successful Lionfish Modern Coastal Cuisine in the Gaslamp district in 2017. Lionfish was recently recognized as a James Beard Foundation Smart Catch Leader for 2019, for its use of sustainable seafood. Congratulations on both counts, Chef Ruiz! (Photo from Eater San Diego)

02/18/2019

For some, coming to SDCI is the next step in their culinary journey. For others, it’s a life game-changer.

In 2017, after spending 14 years in a corporate job, Nicole Estrada enrolled in our Cuisine program. Last year, she founded Fresh Creations, a private chef, catering, and meal-delivery company in San Diego. “Prior to attending SDCI, I had no restaurant or hospitality experience. Being able to learn hands-on (over 80% of the courses were in the kitchen classroom) provided me with the tools and techniques I needed to learn in order to feel confident to launch Fresh Creations,” says Nicole.

“After touring several culinary schools in San Diego, I knew SDCI was the right choice for me. I was looking for a school that offered a program that could be completed in a shorter time frame than a traditional 2- or 4-year college. I also appreciated how intimate the class sizes were. More importantly, I knew I would receive the one-on-one training I needed in order to succeed.”

Thank you for the interview and congratulations on your new business, Nicole!

Fresh Creations focuses on health-conscious food using wholesome, organic, fresh and locally sourced seasonal ingredients. Visit her website at https://www.freshcreationssd.com and check out all the delicious offerings on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/freshcreationssd/

02/16/2019

A beautiful yuzu lemon and meringue tart from our Pastry class today!