NEW YORK, May 23, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Culinary Careers Program (C•CAP) — the workforce development nonprofit that empowers under-resourced high school students & adults to become the next generation of leaders in food and hospitality — announced it awarded $2,436,635 worth of scholarships to 150 deserving culinary students from 55 schools across the U.S., this spring.
C•CAP's rigorous scholarship process includes the requirements of stellar recommendations, grades, and attitudes, and the completion of a professionally judged and timed competition wherein students produce a total of four classic French dishes. Participating in the preliminary competitions were 411 students from 84 schools; those that passed entered into the final competitions, with 150 students ultimately passing that round, and winning scholarships.
This academic year, C•CAP broadened its scholarship offering and became the official administrator of all scholarship funds for the James Beard Foundation (JBF). Moving forward, any interest in funding new JBF-affiliated scholarship opportunities will be managed through C•CAP's established framework. In addition, C•CAP announced three new $15,000 scholarships in partnership with the Laxer Family Foundation for students based in Florida.
"We're thrilled we're once again to be able to provide significant higher-education financial support to our highly deserving students, with more than a dozen full-tuition scholarships to some of America's leading culinary institutions," said Tanya Steel, Co-Executive Director. "This brings our total to $76 million in college scholarships C•CAP has awarded, since our inception 35 years ago," said Co-Executive Director Jennifer Solomon. "We are proud to be one of the country's largest funders of higher education for culinary students.."
Culinary Careers Program: Scholarship Breakdown by Location
Culinary Careers Program: Scholarship Donors
Institutions: Culinary Institute of America; Culinary Institute of New York at Monroe University; Institute of Culinary Education; Johnson & Wales University, The Fritz Knoebel School of Hospitality Management at University of Denver Business School; City Tech (CUNY); Kingsborough Community College; Scottsdale Community College; Washburne Culinary & Hospitality Institute.
Donors: Arthur Southam & Cornelia Daly; Bear Sontz Family Foundation; Bern Laxer; Brendon Cadell; Brownstone Family Foundation; Carol and Dean Hammer; Charleen Badman; Clemens Food Group; Concessions International; Culinary Agents; David Peterson; DC Food and Beverage; Diane Mohilef; Essen Bakery; Eydie Desser; Feed the Soul Foundation; Filippo Berio; Guittard Chocolate Company; Gwendolyn Williams; Irene Mecchi; James Beard Foundation; JW Marriott Desert Ridge; Lawrence Moore; Les Amis Esoffier; Les Dames d'Escoffier (regional and national chapters); Maggiore Group; Manhattan Beach Food & Wine; Chef Mark Tarbell; McCormick Spices; Mise En Place; New York Association of Culinary Professionals; New York Community Trust Cedar Chest Fund; Nestle International; Patrina Foundation; Pennsylvania Restaurant and Lodging Association; The Phoenician; Pizza Fest; Ralph Hoffman Foundation; Richard Grausman; Ronald Newburg Foundation; Shake Shack Philadelphia; Sharyl Lindsay Estate; Sid Rosenblatt; SoCal Gas; Studio City Farmers Market; Sysco; Verrado Rotary; Vollrath.
About Culinary Careers Program (C•CAP)
Culinary Careers Program (C•CAP) is a national workforce development nonprofit dedicated to training and supporting the next generation of food and hospitality leaders. We provide culinary arts education, job skills, apprenticeships, scholarships, and career opportunities to under-resourced high school students & adults. To date we have uplifted close to 400,000 students across the United States and awarded $76 million in college scholarships. Learn more at CulinaryCareers.org and @CulinaryCareersProgram.
SOURCE Culinary Careers Program (C•CAP)
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