CAREERS THROUGH CULINARY ARTS PROGRAM (C-CAP)

C-CAP aims to create a pathway for underserved teens to have successful careers in culinary and hospitality.

C-CAP prepares and guides underserved youth for culinary, hospitality, and food-related careers by:

• Curriculum Enrichment and Teacher Professional Development: C-CAP provides cooking demonstrations for students and teacher professional development opportunities to strengthen teachers’ culinary and teaching skills and to keep them up-to-date on the latest trends; thus enhancing their teaching in the classrooms for C-CAP students.

• Career Awareness, Exploration and Advising: C-CAP works with our students and alumni as they climb the career ladder, introducing them to the industry and the opportunities that are available, as well as giving them hands-on, professional work experience. C-CAP sponsors site visits to professional kitchens, farms, and/or other food-related companies and provides networking opportunities at impressive events. C-CAP also provides resume suggestions, interview tips, negotiation strategies, and business plan and contract reviews.

• College Advising and Cooking Competitions for Scholarships: Transitioning C-CAP students to college and/or the workforce is challenging since most of our partner schools lack adequate guidance resources. Through group and one-on-one counseling, C-CAP educates underserved students in college options with minimal debt, as well as teaches them how to research and apply for loans and financial aid. C-CAP also conducts cooking competitions for college scholarships and provides guidance to all scholarship recipients throughout their post-secondary education, helping to ensure their success.

Annually, C-CAP provides culinary, job and life skills to over 20,000 middle-and-high school students in six cities/regions across the United States: New York City, Philadelphia, Chicago, Los Angeles, Washington DC/Maryland and Arizona, including 7 Native American Reservation schools.

Over the last three decades, C-CAP has a distinguished track-record and is extremely proud of its alumni successes. Some alumni have become restaurant owners, executive chefs, executive pastry chefs, and private chefs, and others have gone on to compete on noted television cooking shows. What remains is to continue building relationships with foundations to grow and diversity C-CAP's base of support.