The Culinary Institute of America-San Antonio will close its CIA Bakery Cafe (312 Pearl Pkwy) on Dec. 20. The cafe opened in 2011. The move comes after the baking and pastry arts degree program rolled out in August of this year was met with a really positive response. Currently, 22 students are enrolled in the program.
Products for the bakery are made on the second floor of the building. The 2,300 square foot bakeshop is used for production as well as by the growing pastry arts program and the students from the culinary arts degree which go through a three-week baking portion of the curriculum.
"We have this big beautiful bakeshop that currently pull double duty with production and teaching...we have to utilize the space judiciously and carefully," said managing director David Kellaway.
What becomes of the cafe space is still unknown. As far as Kellaway is concerned, the chef will miss the croissants available at the bakery the most. "If I may play proud papa, you won't find that quality anywhere in a 200 mile radius if not beyond," he said.
As the news about the CIA Bakery Cafe impending Dec. 20 closing sinks in, we can't help reminiscing and bidding farewell to our favorite buttery treats. Here our the top 5 goodies we'll miss most:
For the chocoholics:
The Chocolate XS Cake...worth every calorie
For the Francophiles:
The Almond Croissant
For the trendsetters:
The updated (and seasonal) cupcake
Para los Sudamericanos (and then some):
The Alfajor
For the hard to impress:
This aesthetically over-the-top, but light and just sweet enough banana tart
