Special Events

Public Events:

  • Interested short term cooking classes or youth camps? Contact Central Oregon Community College’s Community Education program, or browse their catalog.

Featured Past Events: Students participate in many more internal events, but here is a list of recent (and mostly) public ones!

  • Guest speaker: Distinguished chef and author Paul Paz on Tuesday, May 21, 2024 at Cascade Culinary Institute.
  • Foundation Program: Bobcat Society Donors thank you dinner, Tuesday, May 14.
  • COCC Meal of the Year was Saturday, April 13.
  • The Butchery Showcase, Culinary Foundations II presentation, and a Food and Wine Pairing assessments and presentations this March 2024 were a success!  These events were not advertised due to low numbers of guests needed. Check out recent CCI Facebook posts!
  • The CCI Culinary Club put on an amazing Valentine’s Dinner fundraiser on Friday, Feb. 9, 2024. Reservation information was emailed to the Elevation guest email list on Monday, January 22, 2024 at noon. See flyer (now completed). 
  • November 2023 Thanksgiving Pie Fundraiser was a huge success! See 11/1/23 announcement.
  • Anthony’s at the Old Mill generously donated an entire dinner to CCI for the Feast at the Old Mill! This community fundraiser dinner was October 17, 2023 and raised funds for Cascade Culinary Institute scholarships.
  • The 22nd Annual Empty Bowls event took place on Sunday, October 29 2023 at COCC. Culinary students worked together to make a huge volume of soup for this NeighborImpact annual fundraiser that raises awareness of hunger. See the KTVZ news story!
  • Guest Speaker: Distinguished chef and author Bryant Terry held several activities on Tuesday, May 16, 2023 at Cascade Culinary Institute. 
  • Valentine’s Dinner, February 17, 2023. A Culinary Club fundraiser.
  • “The Story of Fred Harvey” HM 101 student presentation, Nov. 29, 2022.
  • Fermentation Workshop This nine-week Community Education non-credit series offered cheese making, kimchi, kombucha, vinegar, pickles, bread, and more.  Students studied under Julian Darwin, CCI Retired Chef & Andy Laursen of Windy Acres Farm, with additional guest speakers. 
  • Culinary Club Thanksgiving Pie Fundraiser 2022 (see also Facebook post)
  • NeighborImpact Fundraiser, Empty Bowls 
  • Lita Kilpatrick Celebration of Life, April 30, 2022. Lita was a passionate advocate during the creation of Cascade Culinary Institute.
  • Sheri’s Hazelcream Challenge, April 27, 2022, where students competed for cash prizes sponsored by a local dairy substitute company. It was covered by two local news stations!
  • Food and Wine Tasting, March 1, 2022. CUL 242 Charcuterie and Wine and Beverage and HM 160 Wine and Beverage Management teamed up to offer the community “action stations” where guests rotated through food and wine pairings/discussions. 
  • Valentine’s Day Dinner,  Wednesday Feb. 16, 2022. A Culinary Club fundraiser!
  • Fall 2021 Thanksgiving Pie Fundraiser. Chocolate Bourbon Pecan and Chai Apple Thanksgiving Pies were for sale by the Culinary Club.  Details 
  • Fresh vs. Frozen? (Elevation Patio event) Students and community members learned the latest science in the fresh vs. frozen debate from Ann Colonna of the OSU Food Innovation Center. Two events were held on the Elevation Restaurant Patio with the CUL 110 Culinary Foundations class for cooking the fish for the taste test. The Community Presentation was October 11, 2021 5:30pm; Student Presentation was October 12, 2021 5:30pm.
  • High Desert Food & Farm Alliance (HDFFA) Fresh Harvest Kit Fundraiser (October 8, 2021) (Elevation Patio event)
  • High Desert Food & Farm Alliance HDFFA Harvest Box Fundraiser (September 2020) (Elevation Patio event)
  • Danish Hygge Dinner (March 6, 2020)
  • Interactive Culinary Learning Experience (Tapas) (February 20, 2020)
  • Valentine’s Dinner (February 14, 2020)
  • Fred Harvey Dinner at Elevation (December 5-6, 2019)
  • “Chopped Competition” CCI Fundraiser at Anthony’s at the Old Mill District (November-December, 2019)
  • Thanksgiving Pie Fundraiser 2019 (November 2019)

Elevation and Cascade Culinary Institute in the News