The IHA Global Innovation Awards (gia) Global Honoree Marketplace at Copia is a prime example of dynamic retailing – evolving alongside global culinary and homewares trends and supporting the growth of the students and chefs at the cornerstone of its existence.
Some people see food and drinks simply as necessary fuel for the body. But others are endlessly fascinated by how food can be turned into both works of art to be admired and meals to be savored by the body, mind and soul.
For the latter group, Marketplace at Copia – hailed by The New York Times as a ‘foodie wonderland’ – is a place where dream ingredients and tools are found. It’s a store where food and the many instruments needed to transform and display it are celebrated by culinary students, chefs and everyone who sees the endless possibilities in food.
Located within The Culinary Institute of America (CIA) in California, Marketplace at Copia was chosen as one of the five 2026 gia Global Honorees in Chicago this year. This unique retail outlet is celebrating three decades of business.
“Being chosen as a gia winner means a lot to us all,” says Katy Dashiell, CIA Senior Manager of Retail. “We all work very hard to keep a tight assortment of the right items for our students, chefs and guests, and now more vendors are interested in being part of what we do.”
Worlds Within Wonderful Worlds
Offering rare cookware, culinary antiques, local pottery and a huge array of home goods, the store’s original purpose was to inspire CIA students and supply them with everything they need to be successful chefs.
Today, Marketplace at Copia sits at the epicenter of a complex complete with gleaming industrial kitchens where students hone their skills and acclaimed chefs host culinary demonstrations and lessons. The complex also includes spectacular event and wedding venues, a thriving produce garden, and classrooms for some of the best chefs-to-be.
Marketplace at Copia also hosts hands-on cooking and beverage classes for the public, art exhibits and other public events. It also features a signature garden-to-table restaurant (The Grove at Copia).
There’s also a wine bar, a self-service tasting experience and the Chuck Williams Culinary Arts Museum, which has more than 4,000 culinary artifacts from the Williams Sonoma founder’s personal collection. The piece de resistance for aspiring cooks and students is the Hestan Kitchen – a 9,000-square-foot (almost 850 m2) culinary oasis where foodies can cook alongside CIA chefs.
All proceeds from Marketplace at Copia benefit student scholarships.
“Our guests are always amazed by our assortment and are happy to find many useful items for their home kitchens and entertaining,” Katy says. “They also tell us how beautiful the store is. We like to think of our foodie wonderland as a lifestyle, and we spend a lot of time learning the story behind our products. Our team tests tools and cookware before they are added to our much-loved assortment.”
As the buyer, Katy drives the store’s strategic vision, in addition to the overall look and feel. But it’s a team effort to create the many inspiring and enticing displays that are always changing according to the seasons, as well as culinary and food trends.
Learning from Chefs and Building Memories
One of the most popular sections at the Marketplace at Copia is the ‘I could do this at home’ category. “The most important part of this section is grouping products in a way that creates a vision,” Katy says. “For example, we’re all thinking about outdoor cooking and dining in the warm months, so we have displays in the store with melamine serving ware, woodfired pizza tools and a paella display. We include professional, chef-level products and show our guests how to use them. The right tools make a big difference when cooking, and it’s important that we make these pieces feel accessible.”
Katy says that she and the team count on local chefs to give them the best tips – chefs who are often seen shopping in the store. “If we don’t have an item they need, I source it for them, and we add it to our mix for the season,” Katy says. “It gives our store a community feel, and it adds to the draw when guests see our local chefs shopping here.”
The sprawling garden next to the store is an integral part of the campus and retail experience. It provides produce for The Grove at Copia, and customers can quite literally step through the glass doors into the garden. “Sometimes our harvests provide too much produce for the classes and restaurants, so then we sell the remainder in the store,” Katy explains. “This adds to the marketplace feel.”
A Rising Tide Lifts All Boats
Marketplace at Copia is where students’ dreams are being thoughtfully built, and just like any university campus, it’s also a place where community spirit is alive and well.
“We had several devasting fires between 2017 and 2021, and entire communities in Napa Valley, as well as in the surrounding counties, were destroyed,” Katy says. “We were able to coordinate with locals and special-order cookware and other items for those in need. It was rewarding to be able to help our friends and family by making the rebuilding less stressful.”
Sustainability is at the top of Marketplace at Copia’s priorities. “Over the last 40 years I’ve worked with institutions focusing in some way on ecology, sustainability, clean air, water and food – healthy habitats for all on the planet,” Katy says. “When it comes to our day-to-day operations, our packaging materials are reused from incoming shipments, our bags are made from kraft paper with water soluble inks, and we use compostable flatware for our tastings and samplings.”
“Our printed clothing items incorporate vegetable-based and low-chemical, eco-friendly inks, and many of our vendors are local and deliver their goods, so the carbon footprint is small,” Katy explains. “Where possible, we also take advantage of closed-cycle packaging – returning packing to vendors that they then reuse.”
To give the store a fresh and relevant feel, Katy attends cookware and homeware shows far from California to source products. “It gives us a different on-trend vibe,” she says.
The team also pays close attention to social media accounts of chefs, students and other food enthusiasts. “They are always bang-on trend!” Katy says. “Although, sometimes I see something out in the wild and think: ‘We need that!’ It’s the most fun when we get a ‘Katy’s gone crazy again!’ item in stock and it flies out the door.”
True to its roots, the Marketplace at Copia continues to evolve in an exciting yet organic way. Being founded on the needs of students and chefs who are always learning, adapting and inventing, this comes as no surprise. “As they say: ‘A rising tide lifts all boats,’” Katy explains. “My hope is that we continue to be a part of the rising tide to support the school, our chefs and our community.”
To learn more about Marketplace at Copia, visit ciafoodies.com/marketplace-at-copia.
Sponsored and organized by The Inspired Home Show and the International Housewares Association (IHA), IHA Global Innovation Awards (gia) is the world’s leading awards program honoring overall excellence, business innovation and creative merchandising in home goods retailing. For more information about the gia retail program, the co-sponsors or participating in 2025-2026, contact Piritta Törrö at [email protected]. Additional information on gia is also available online at TheInspiredHomeShow.com/Awards/gia-Retailing.
For more information about The Inspired Home Show and to pre-register for the 2027 Show, taking place in Chicago on 9-11 March 2027, visit TheInspiredHomeShow.com.