Award Winning “Escoffier” Restaurant at the CIA Closes

The Culinary Institute of America has closed down its famous “Escoffier” restaurant.

Thursday was the last service at the upscale, award winning, 39-year-old student-run French restaurant at the school’s Hyde Park location.  The CIA is updating the space and will reopen a contemporary restaurant in its place called “The Bocuse.”  The new restaurant is named after 86-year-old Chef Paul Bocuse.

“Escoffier’s” elaborate menus featured dishes like pan-roasted scallops with truffle specked bean ragoût, roasted duck with gooseberry sauce, pan-roasted mustard crusted cod and bananes flambées.

“The new restaurant will be very different, and with a lot more science in the kitchen,” said Stephen Hengst, the school’s director of communications, to Newsday.

“The Bocuse” opens winter of 2013.