Bus. & Prof. Code, § 25503.17

Nothing in this division shall prohibit the issuance or transfer of any retail onsale general license to any person with respect to premises which are an integral part of the operations of a school for professional chefs owned by, or operated by or on behalf of, the licensee, notwithstanding that a manufacturer, winegrower, manufacturer’s agent, California winegrower’s agent, rectifier, distiller, bottler, importer, or wholesaler holds the ownership of any interest, directly or indirectly, in the premises or in the retail licensee, provided that each of the following conditions is met:

(a) The school is operated in conjunction with a bona fide eating place open to the public.

(b) The school has been in operation in a city with a population of less than one million for at least five years prior to the effective date of this section.

(c) The retail licensee shall purchase no beer or distilled spirits for sale in this state other than from a wholesale licensee, and the retail licensee shall purchase no alcoholic beverages for sale in this state from any wholesale licensee holding the ownership of any interest, directly or indirectly, in the premises or in the retail licensee.

The Legislature finds that it is necessary and proper to require a separation between manufacturing interests, wholesale interests, and retail interests in the production and distribution of alcoholic beverages in order to prevent suppliers from dominating local markets through vertical integration and to prevent excessive sales of alcoholic beverages produced by overly aggressive marketing techniques. The Legislature further finds that the exception established by this section to the general prohibition against tied interests must be limited to its express terms so as not to undermine the general prohibition, and intends that this section be construed accordingly.