www.cheersonline.com
16
• November/December 2016
16
• November/December 2016 November/December 2016
THE NEXT THE NEXT THE NEXT THE NEXT
CHAPTER CHAPTER CHAPTER CHAPTER CHAPTER
FOR CPK FOR CPK FOR CPK
C
alifornia Pizza Kitchen has come a long
way since its founders Larry Flax and
Rick Rosenfi eld pooled together bank
loans, personal savings and friends'
investments to lease space for a gourmet
pizza place in Beverly Hills, CA.
The "polished casual" concept, which celebrated
its 30th anniversary last year, was an immediate hit.
The menu, developed by legendary pizza chef Ed
LaDou, included the chain's now-signature BBQ
chicken pizza and unique salads.
CPK, as it's known in the restaurant industry,
today operates 210 locations throughout the U.S.,
with additional locations in 15 countries. The brand
has also launched a line of crusts and frozen pizzas
available at grocery stores, and licensed through
Nestlé, plus an array of cookbooks.
The Los Angeles-based chain has had some hiccups
along the way, with different investors and periods of
overexpansion in the '90s and early 2000s. But CPK,
which was acquired by investment fi rm Golden Gate
Capital in 2011, has prevailed and is looking to the next
30 years with its Next Chapter program.
California Pizza Kitchen is
focused on sangria, food
pairings and education
By Kyle Swartz
California Pizza
Kitchen pairs its new
Carne Asada Pizza with
Modelo beer or one of
its Margaritas.
CPK now offers a
sangria fl ight of three
3-oz. pours of the
Orchard, Red-Berry
and Beehive sangrias,
priced at $9.99.
