Steamboat Springs, Colorado, USA – April 13, 2011 – Chefs4Students.org today announced the two winners of the April, 2011 culinary grants. The program previously known as the Chef2Chef.net Scholarship Fund was established in 2003 to assist culinary students in need of financial assistance. Since that time, $84,000 has been awarded to future culinarians in the form of $1,000 culinary grants.
For the 2010/2011 academic year, Chefs4Students.org received more than 950 applications from students at over 30 different culinary schools across the country and abroad. Eligible students must attend a culinary school at the time of the award, show proof of their financial need, provide letters of recommendation, transcripts and a 500-word essay.
This year the reviewing panel consisted of several certified chefs, business executives and culinary professionals from various organizations across the globe. The administrators of Chefs4Students.org did not participate in the final selection process. We are pleased to award a Chefs4Students.org $1,000.00 culinary grant to the following students.
The first Chefs4Students.org grant is awarded today in the name of The Reluctant Gourmet, who generously sponsored a fourth grant in our program this past year. The recipient of that grant is:
• Gregory Cerretani, Le Cordon Bleu, Cambridge, MA
And the second grant will be awarded to:
• Vincent Abate, Johnson & Wales, Denver, CO
Funds for the two April 2011 grants were generated by The Reluctant Gourmet, and the Administration of Chefs4Students.org.
About the Chefs4Students.org Culinary Grant Program
Chefs4Students.org offers a variety of programs for companies and individuals to participate in this non-profit effort to assist culinary students in need.
The Chefs4Students.org Culinary Grant Program is administered by Chef David and Pamela Nelson. Chefs4Students.org utilizes the Yampa Valley Community Foundation, www.yvcf.org to independently oversee the financial aspects of this non-profit fund. Your contribution may be tax deductible. Please call Chef David Nelson at 970-846-0059 for further information on how to help us give back to the future of the culinary industry.
For More Information: http://www.chefs4students.org
About The Reluctant Gourmet:
ReluctantGourmet.com is a culinary site created by a home cook who thought, "I've got to eat, so why not learn to cook and eat well?"
After 14 years of teaching himself and the millions of cooking enthusiasts who visit each year, the site is now a popular resource for individuals interested in going to culinary arts school to start a career in the food industry. With school listings, books to read, interviews with chefs and articles about the industry, the Reluctant Gourmet Culinary School Resource Center http://www.reluctantgourmet.com/culinary_school.htm is a great place to decide if the culinary industry is right for you.
This year's panel of chefs, business folks and culinarians worked hard to select the winner's of these grants by reviewing the essays and letters of recommendations of the finalists as presented to them. This year's panel included:
The Reluctant Gourmet, mentioned above for his third full grant sponsorship in as many years. Thanks RG!! The Reluctant Gourmet web site is still dedicated to the novices out there, especially those who want to see how easy it is to create great meals with little experience. He is always on the lookout for new ideas, recipes, and products along his journey that will help novice cooks, cook like the pros.
Chef Tom Hoover, Chef Tom has been cooking professionally since he was fifteen. He has worked in a variety of kitchens from small delicatessens to fine dining and many points in between. He has spent the larger part of his career working at Hope College where he has served the needs of the college community for the last 30 years. Chef Tom has been a member of the American Culinary Federation (ACF) for twenty years and has been certified as a Chef de Cuisine. He was voted Chef of the Year in 2007 by the Greater Grand Rapids chapter of the ACF. Chef Tom holds a Bachelor of Arts in English from Grand Valley State University. He is most proud of his work with the Holland Lakeshore Institute where he teaches classes in a cooking skills program designed to help the homeless and those struggling with addiction gain a new skill with which to regain productive lives.
Chef June Jacobs, CCP, Through her Jersey City-based company, Feastivals, June Jacobs, CCP (Certified Culinary Professional) teaches cooking and wine classes, leads food-and-wine focused tours to France and California, develops recipes for restaurants and corporations, writes her monthly columns for her web site, www.feastivals.com, and helps restaurants with their wine lists. Her book, “Feastivals Cooks at Home,” is available through major booksellers in stores and on-line. “Chef June” is an active member of Slow Food Northern New Jersey, the International Association of Culinary Professionals (IACP) and American Institute of Wine & Food (AIWF).
Chef Jennifer Gordon, resides in Scotland where she has just taken a year out from the kitchen to be executive chef for her son Joshua. Originating from Canada (Toronto) where she has graduated with honors from the Humber College Chef apprenticeship program. She completed here training in Ontario's finest Relais & Chateaux. Following closely in her father's footsteps, she has both entered and won prizes in many pastry and chocolate competitions. She is also starting a fresh baby and toddler food service from her town.
Gina Paul, long time friend and supporter of our grant program since it conception. She works part time for Scotland County EMS and Richmond Community College in North Carolina. She teaches classes for American Heart Assoc. and ASMI. She is also a member of the Scotland County Rescue Squad.
Chef Al Menard, A long and varied food service career has brought him to cooking for retired, independent, and vibrant senior citizens. Currently a Regional Chef for Holiday Retirement, he is training and support for the food service departments for 16 retirement communities in a 5 state area. He considers the best part of his job to be the interaction with his residents, and making a difference in the lives of the elderly through food. His support of chefs4students enables him to not only give back to this great industry, but also to exchange ideas with some of the best Chefs and culinarians in the world.
Chef Jean Denham CC, After cooking for family, friends and coworkers for over 40 years, Chef Denham successfully completed a three year, 6,000 hours of culinary schooling through the American Culinary Federation. She began her working career in country clubs and local hotels; then on to the job of Chef at Foresthill Lodge Hotel, in Foresthill, California after 3 years in the culinary field.
Along the way she was a part of a Chef Scholarship Fundraiser Dinner group, Chefs4Students, and during this time her first book, Share a Recipe Cookbook (a collaboration) came into being. In 2007 she turned her attention to writing cookbooks fulltime and now has three more books under her belt - a Chef’s Journey…Home, Pizza, Pizza, Pizza!, and Black Beans and Corn. She is currently working on books five and six, plus a volume 2 of Pizza, Pizza, Pizza!
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