The route to Cavallo Point Lodge is almost a secret -- a quick right turn off the exit on the Sausalito side of the Golden Gate Bridge leads down a narrow twisty decline and around a corner. There, a tidy half-circle of cream-colored buildings faces an incredible vista of the San Francisco skyline; to the right of this picture-postcard view is the graceful, stupendous span of the famed bridge.

Established in 1897 as Fort Baker and now part of Golden Gate National Park, the former Army post opened as Cavallo Point Lodge in July 2008. Its spacious officers' quarters have been renovated into comfortable eco-friendly accommodations. The lodge boasts a superlative restaurant, a 13,000-bottle wine cellar, spa facilities, an art gallery, and -- the reason we're here -- an excellent cooking school.

Written and produced by Stephen Exel
Photographs by Michal Venera

Recipes begin here.