The Culinary Academy at Contra Costa College

10/14/2026

10/03/2026

Thursday is already our busiest service day . This Thursday, it didn't end when the restaurant closed.

Our students finished a full restaurant service, then went straight into theContra Costa College Foundation Donor Appreciation Dinner at the Point San Pablo Yacht Club.

Prep, transport, setup, plating, front-of-house, back-of-house, food safety and cleanup were all on them, in a kitchen and room they didn't know.

It was a hard day, and that's what made it valuable. Students learned how to work under pressure, stay organized when the schedule is tight, and keep communicating when everyone is tired. They also saw what hospitality really is: the guests only see the evening, and the team makes it happen. There was no FOH and BOH split that night.

Everyone had a job, and every job mattered.
The guests loved the food and the service.
Thank you to the Foundation and its donors, whose support makes this kind of experience possible for our students.

To our students: long day, great teamwork, well done.

09/19/2026

Another Student Success Story 🌟

Our alumni journey continues!
Today we had the chance to visit our former student, Iram,The Spice Table Catering at Courtyard by Marriott in Pittsburg.
Iram started working here while she was still completing her final semester with us. Today, she is the Food & Beverage Manager, taking what she learned in the classroom and turning it into a professional career in hospitality.
This is why these alumni visits mean so much to us. We get to see the journey beyond graduation, from students who may have started with little or no industry experience to confident professionals taking on real responsibilities and leadership roles.

We are incredibly proud of Iram and how far she has come.

Another student. Another journey. Another success story.

And we’re not stopping here. We’ll continue visiting our alumni, seeing them in action, and sharing where their culinary and hospitality journeys have taken them.

To be continued… 👩‍🍳

FoodAndBeverage CulinaryCareers AlumniJourney

09/11/2026

Iron Chef: Comfort Food Edition

What an incredible day for our Culinary Academy! Our Iron Chef: Comfort Food Edition brought together great food, teamwork, creativity, and an amazing amount of community support.

More than 100 guests joined us to taste, vote, and support our students! Seeing the dining room filled with people enjoying the students’ creations made this event especially meaningful.

From the energy in the kitchen to the final plates, the voting, and the excitement of announcing the winners, our students had the opportunity to experience what culinary education is really about: working as a team, performing under pressure, sharing their creativity, and serving real guests.

A huge thank you to everyone who came out, tasted the dishes, cast a vote, and supported our students. And congratulations to all of our student teams. The competition may have winners, but the experience belonged to everyone.

Comfort food brought everyone to the table. Our students made the day memorable. ❤️👨‍🍳👩‍🍳

CulinaryEducation FutureChefs CommunitySupport HandsOnLearning Hospitality CulinaryArts

09/02/2026

Once a Culinary Academy student, always part of the family. 👨‍🍳❤️

It was great having some of our alumni stop by and visit us back in the kitchen! Seeing former students return, reconnect, and share where life has taken them is always something special.

Our students may graduate and move on to their next chapter, but they will always have a place here at the CCC Culinary Academy.

Thank you for coming back to visit. We’re always happy to see our alumni!

FutureChefs CulinaryCommunity WelcomeBack

09/01/2026

THE 100 MINDSET

One problem does not mean one answer.
In the kitchen, the first attempt doesn't always work. A sauce breaks. A plate doesn't look right. A technique fails. A plan needs to change.

That's not the end of the work. That's information.

Every mistake gives you information. Every attempt builds your judgment.

Growth doesn't come from getting everything right the first time. It comes from thinking again, asking again, adjusting, learning, and trying another way.

When you're given responsibility, own it. Don't spend your energy finding 100 reasons why something cannot be done. Use that energy to search for 100 ways to make it work.

CAN DO. MUST COMPLETE.

Not because success is guaranteed, but because commitment means staying with the problem, learning from each attempt, and continuing to look for a better solution.

1 PROBLEM. 100 POSSIBILITIES.

Keep thinking. Keep trying. Find the way.

KeepLearning

08/13/2026

We’re in the news!

Aqua Terra Grill is more than a restaurant. It’s a working classroom where Contra Costa College Culinary Academy students put their training into action through real restaurant service.

Thank you for shining a spotlight on our students and the experience they’re building every day.

Read the NewsBreak story through the link in our bio.

linktr.ee/ccc_order