California Pizza Kitchen at Walnut Creek

The California Pizza Kitchen makes exclusive dishes with new and seasonal ingredients. They carefully pick every meat, cheese, herb and vegetable that makes its way into their kitchen, from their wild North Pacific halibut to the extra virgin olive oil harvested from their backyard on the Pacific coast. Every day, their kitchen bustles as they hand-cut, toss and toast their ingredients with precision. They’re in California time, so they can take those extra moments to artfully craft your meal from scratch, by hand, at home, and by request.

About The Company

In 1985, they opened their first restaurant in Beverly Hills. Former federal prosecutors Rick Rosenfield and Larry Flax merged their passion for food with new , high-quality ingredients to make creative, heart-baked pizzas, such as The Original BBQ Chicken, Thai Chicken and Jamaican Jerk Chicken, cooked in the open kitchen. The restaurant has given California a place in the pizza pantheon next to Chicago and New York. Their California take on global flavors resonated with visitors, and almost instantly, CPK became a busy place for business and family gatherings.

Almost immediately after the first location opened, it spread from California to more than 250 locations in more than 30 states and 11 countries. But it doesn’t end there; you’ll even find them laughing at the pizza aisle in your grocer’s freezer, taking the pressure off travel exhaustion at major airports around the world, feeding excited fans to sports stadiums and college campuse students.

California Pizza Kitchen completed its initial public offering in August 2000 and listed on the NASDAQ National Exchange under the ticker symbol CPKI. On 7 July 2011, Golden Gate Capital completed the acquisition of CPK and, as a result of the acquisition, the shares of the company are no longer publicly traded. In January 2018, Jim Hyatt was named Chief Executive Officer.

Since they opened their doors for the first time in 1985, their R.O.C.K.S. philosophy (Respect, Opportunity, Contact, Compassion, Service) has set CPK apart from those within and outside their industry. It’s not only a saying they’re hanging on the wall, but something they’re both trying to live and breathe every day. These principles empower their employees to be who they really are, inspire everyone to contribute their passion to their job, and open the door for everyone to fulfill their potential and surpass their expectations within the organization.

Respect

Respect directs them as an organization and as individuals to appreciate their guests, co-workers, community, vendors and atmosphere. They actively seek the views of team members, visitors, and communities to learn and improve CPK ‘s knowledge. Simply put, all voices matter, and they rely on respect to ensure that all voices are heard.

Opportunity

The potential at CPK is both true and tangible. Through exciting career growth and cross-training, they are always looking to develop and refine their top talents to drive the business and lead others. CPK challenges its employees to learn about the business at all levels. Their most talented workers have the ability to make a positive contribution to the success of their company.

Communication

Communication at CPK is strongly promoted. They have an open-door policy and a culture where everybody is known for their first name and always welcome to speak up.

Kindness

Kindness describes the vitality and spirit of Pizza Kitchen in California. It forms and directs how they grow, interact and keep each other accountable for their high expectations.

Service

They go  “above and beyond” for their guests,  communities and their teams.They  lead through empowerment and to the benefit of others.