Food: Copia amphitheater named for Jackson family

The Culinary Institute of America at Copia announced last month that it has named its amphitheater the Jackson Family Wines Amphitheater – in honor of the Jackson family’s gift of $2 million to the culinary college.

According to Copia’s website:

“The outdoor venue features tiered seating for 600, or 390 with a table setup. As a premier cultural and event space, it might host thousands of people each year who are passionate about wine, food, and culinary and beverage education.

‘Wine education has always been an integral part of our company’s mindset,’ says Julia Jackson, of Jackson Family Wines in Santa Rosa. ‘My father emphasized the importance of education for the trade and consumer to ensure that wine was accurately and favorably looked upon as an important part of American culture. There’s a natural synergy between culinary arts and wine and my family is thrilled to support the wine and food community through the visionary educational work of the CIA.’”

For its $2 million, Jackson Family Wines will be incorporated into food and wine events and other programs at the CIA at Copia. The first floor of CIA at Copia will house the Wine Hall of Fame, of which the late Jess Jackson was a 2009 inductee.