The CIA at Copia

The Culinary Institute of America opened in the former Copia building in 2017, and, in doing so, resuscitated a vision of a foodie attraction in downtown Napa that celebrates the valley’s long and colorful epicurean history. The facility, originally built by the Mondavi family as a food and wine center, now operates as a cooking school and gastrohub, complete with classes, tasting experiences, panel discussions, and art collections. There’s also a restaurant where visitors can dine on food prepared by CIA student chefs-in-training, and a store that rivals Sur La Table for its selection of kitchenware. In spring and summer, be sure to stroll the culinary gardens, which are so large they stretch across First Street.

Consider the Culinary Institute of America at Copia the center for continuing education about food and wine. The facility—which in its first iteration was bankrolled by the late Robert Mondavi—offers to the public a host of cooking classes, wine and beverage explorations, chef demonstrations, and more. Situated next to the Oxbow Public Market on the east side of the Napa River, CIA at Copia also has expansive chefs’ gardens and an on-site restaurant. Most of the programming involves education, with classes ranging from demonstration-style to hands-on. Some, such as one on how to make ice cream, are family friendly. Others, like sabering a bottle of champagne, are geared distinctly toward grown-ups. Private classes for groups of 10 to 20 people are also available. Throughout the year, CIA at Copia also hosts a number of regular events such as a seminar series, as well as the popular Easter Egg Hunt, Bud Break Festival, Summer Luau, Ciderfest, Oktoberfest, and Holiday Marketplace. There’s even a store on-site, which is stocked with kitchen tools, hard-to-find ingredients, cookbooks, and housewares.

Aspiring chefs, antique lovers, and anyone interested in culinary history shouldn’t miss this 4,000-artifact mini-museum at the Culinary Institute of America campus at Copia, which opened in November 2018. The estate of Chuck Williams, noted founder of Williams-Sonoma, bequeathed his expansive collection of cookware to the CIA upon his death in 2015. Through the collection, visitors can see the evolution of spice racks and milk storage, and even learn more about how humans have creatively kept food warm. Impressive, too, is the shining wall of molds that greets you upon entrance to the free museum (open daily from 10:30 a.m.-5 p.m.).