The College of the Canyons Institute for Culinary Education officially opened Wednesday with a ribbon-cutting ceremony and a tour of the brand-new, $8 million state-of-the-art facility.

The institute, or iCuE, serves up a modern, efficient, and accessible educational center where aspiring chefs and sommeliers can learn all aspects of culinary arts and wine studies to the highest possible standards, according to school officials.

Included among the center’s amenities are a demonstration kitchen, savory kitchen, sweets kitchen, banquet kitchen, chocolate room, wine studies classroom, herb garden, faculty offices, retail shop and much more, according to a news release.

The college’s roughly 12,000-square-foot iCuE project has been entirely district-funded, paid for through a combination of private donations and Measure M bond funds (the $160 million general obligation bond measure passed by Santa Clarita voters in 2006) that were remaining after completion of the college’s recent Library Expansion project, college officials said.

Nearly 700 donors contributed more than $1 million in funding to help build and equip the College of the Canyons Institute for Culinary Education, many being recognized with space in the new facility named in their honor.

The iCuE facility is the final permanent building included in the college’s Valencia campus facilities master plan.

Since launching in 2006, iCuE has distinguished itself in the highly competitive restaurant industry program, led by Department Chair Cindy Schwanke.

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