Las Vegas just got a bigger kitchen for its hospitality workforce. The Culinary Academy of Las Vegas cut the ribbon on its newly expanded campus Wednesday, growing from about 40,000 to roughly 55,000 square feet and pushing annual training capacity toward 4,000 students. The nearly two-year build-out added classrooms, learning labs and upgraded commercial kitchens that academy leaders say will speed up training for both entry-level and upskilled hospitality workers across the valley.
The updated facility packs in expanded culinary, food-and-beverage and housekeeping training areas, modern equipment and larger student-run operations like the Westside Bistro, according to News 3 Las Vegas. The expansion is designed to mirror resort kitchens and guest-service environments so graduates can walk into Strip and downtown properties job-ready on day one. New labs are also expected to open up more flexible scheduling options, including evening continuing-education classes for students who are already working.
Founded in 1993, the academy says it has trained more than 65,000 people and currently serves about 3,000 students per year, Culinary Academy of Las Vegas materials note. In its impact section, the organization reports an 85 percent graduation rate and roughly 84 percent of graduates securing employment after training, numbers leaders point to when arguing that the expansion delivers measurable workforce returns. Those outcomes, the academy says, help connect residents to living-wage jobs across resort corridors on the Strip and in downtown Las Vegas.
The build-out is part of the CALV Forward project, a renovation-and-addition effort intended to modernize the campus and expand training pathways. In a release carried by PR Newswire, CALV CEO Dr. Bobbi Damrow said the project "is designed to increase training capacity, modernize facilities, and expand the pipeline of trained workers." The same announcement notes support from Clark County and the State of Nevada for the effort.
Programs, Partners and Apprenticeships
The academy’s 2026 program guide lists 15 state-licensed vocational training programs, ranging from barista and food-server tracks to Professional Cook and a registered Cook Apprenticeship, and highlights applied learning at student-operated sites such as Westside Bistro, per the CALV program guide. Public materials also emphasize apprenticeship pathways registered with the Nevada State Apprenticeship Council and partnerships with more than 50 hospitality employers and union partners. Academy leaders and employer allies say those relationships shorten on-the-job training and help place graduates quickly into hospitality roles.
Support Services and Access
Alongside kitchen and classroom instruction, the academy provides wraparound supports such as tuition assistance, transportation help, childcare resources, career counseling and job-placement services, News 3 Las Vegas reported. The services are designed to cut down barriers for residents who need extra help finishing programs and landing stable work. Local unions and public funders have pointed to that comprehensive support model as central to the academy’s mission of building long-term workforce opportunity.
Class registration and continuing-education schedules are posted on the academy’s course portal, and registration for upcoming classes opens this Friday according to the academy’s class schedule portal. The Culinary Academy course site lists info sessions and program details for prospective students. As the summer hiring season approaches, the expanded campus gives Las Vegas another homegrown resource for training workers headed into resorts and restaurants.
