Culinary Grant Testimonials From Culinary Schools Dear David and Pam, On behalf of Johnson & Wales University, we are very excited to hear among the twelve recipients of this year’s Chefs4Students.org winners, four of them are Johnson & Wales University students. With your help, these students are overcoming the obstacles to accessing higher education. Thank you very much for your continued support and I look forward to the 5th Annual Windsor Chefs4Students Culinary Extravaganza. Sincerely, Michael Pasquarella Dean of Institutional Advancement Johnson & Wales University, Denver Campus **************** Dear Chef and Pamela, Thank you for your support of Johnson & Wales University students, as well as all the future culinary professionals. It was so good to meet you at the 4th Annual Windsor Chefs4Students Culinary Extravaganza. Tuesday evening was wonderful with all the different courses and wines. The Raspberry Napoleon was so refreshing! The Chefs4Students website is also very user friendly. I especially appreciate reading the biographies of the chefs who have participated in past events. That's great to see some past scholarship recipients giving back to the future of the industry. If we can be of any assistance, then please contact me directly at (phone number not copied here) See you next year! Sincerely, Melissa McKillip Director, Advancement Services ************** David and Pamela, Thank you for choosing to make a difference in the lives of other people and specifically aspiring culinary professionals. Your decision to help others when you may not have had that same benefit was and is touching to me. Thank you for including J&W students in those that benefit from Chefs4Students. The only thing more wonderful than the dinner was meeting you! Many Thanks, Mike Pasquarella Dean of Institutional Advancement Johnson & Wales University ************** Hi Pam, Thanks so much for sending along the scholarship checks for Dunia Santana and Chad Westleigh. I have confirmed that they are each currently enrolled at Johnson & Wales University, and both at our Providence campus. As always, the university is much-appreciative of the extraordinary work that your organization does, and the opportunity that the scholarship checks provide to our students, to help make their education more affordable. Many thanks again to both you and Dave. Sincerely, Greg DiStefano Director, University Marketing Johnson & Wales University ************** Chef David, Again, it has always been my pleasure working with this foundation to support culinary students and we look forward a long and productive relationship helping students achieve their dreams! Big Smiles, Mary F. York Student Finance Representative 3rd Party Specialist Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts Las Vegas ************** Dear Mr. Nelson, On behalf of Sullivan University, I sincerely thank you, Chefs4Students, and the Yampa Valley Community Foundation for your generosity. With warmest regards, Chef Spud Rhea Walter E. Rhea CMPC, CEC, CCE, AAC, HHOF Director, NCHS Sullivan University Louisville & Lexington, KY From Grant Recipients: Dear Mr. and Mrs. Nelson, My name is Jeffrey Weiss and I have recently been awarded a grant as part of your Chefs4Students culinary grant program. I am writing this letter to express my appreciation for your generous support of our industry as well as my education at Cornell University. As I explained in my application, my experiences in the hospitality field have included several culinary apprenticeships, my most recent of which being an eleven-month stint at Lion & Compass Restaurant in Sunnyvale, California under ACF rated Chef Steve Chan. All of these experiences have provided me with extremely positive learning environments and , I feel, have adequately prepared me to honor the enormous faith that you and Cornell University have placed in my future. At Cornell, I am active in several groups and organizations including serving as a teaching assistant for the culinary courses next semester as well as being nominated as a culinary function manager for the springtime Hotel Ezra Cornell (one of the largest functions of the year). Thanks to your support, I truly feel that the opportunities available through this education will serve as the foundation for the rest of my culinary career! Mr. and Mrs. Nelson, as a passionate student and member of this industry, I am truly grateful for your generosity in supporting the next generation of hospitality leaders. Thank you once again for your munificent support. Sincerely, Jeffrey Weiss ****************** Dear Florian Wehrli, My name is Dunia Santana; I was recently pleased to be informed that I was selected as a 2007 Chef 4 Students Scholarship Recipient. This award was possible thanks to the generosity of great people like you, and I would like to personally thank you from the bottom of my heart for this amazing opportunity. Your astonishing kindness has profoundly affected my education prospect by allowing me to continue in pursuit of my education goals. I left my native country, Cuba eleven years ago with my father in pursuit of a better future. Courageously, we left in a raft leaving everything and anything we knew behind searching for a dream. As political prisoners we spent a year in Guantanamo Bay enduring some of the most difficult times we have ever had to withstand. Even though we went through so much for our freedom nothing damped our spirits. As we were left free in the United States to our luck we thought that maybe what we had to endure was nothing to what was yet to come. At first things were not the easiest for the both of us, limitations were the number one priority as we started our new life. As the months went on and even the years things eventually got easier, a part of me is actually very proud of the both of us; with hard work and determination we realized that anything can be accomplished. A few years ago my father was diagnosed with hypertension, high cholesterol and obesity. He had three heart attacks in six months. I remember feeling hopeless when I was in the hospital because there was nothing I could do for my dying father. The thought of being left in this world alone was unbearable. I couldn’t believe that after everything my father and I had been through and now I was facing yet another difficult challenge. I remember through the years my father often reminded me of the importance of doing well in school and going to college. I know he wanted the best for his little girl and he knew an education could provide that. It wasn’t until the day that I was sitting next to his hospital bed that I finally understood why he insisted that I go to college so much. He explained to me with tears in his eye that if something happened to him he wanted me to have a way to survive. He told me that due to everything I had to overcome as a young adult helped develop my fighting spirit and that his ultimate dream was to see me become an educated professional. Ever since I started at Johnson and Wales University I have been a dedicated student. Everything I have been through to get to where I am today has not passed by unnoticed, it has encouraged me to push myself further in everything I do. I have been on the Dean’s List every semester; I am the holder of the Silver Key Honor Society and graduated with an overall 3.99 grade point average as Summa Cum Laude at the top of my class. At graduation I was the only student to receive an award, Apprenti Cuisinier Award in Classical Cookery; I was excited that someone had recognized all the hard work and effort I put into school. I also belong to the National Honor Society, Herb Club, Going Green Club, and Food Science Club. As extra curriculum activities I am very active in the community, often volunteer by working at open houses, special functions and dinners, teaching small kids how to cook, global warming awareness, and translating at Rhode Island Free Clinic. I want to go to graduate school and acquire a Master’s and Doctoral Degree in Pediatrics Nutrition. I want to develop school programs that introduce whole wheat products, fruits, and vegetables to children in an assortment of dishes. I thought that modifying kid’s palette in school is great because they spend the majority of their time there. A mainstream of parents are not educated on nutrition which means that kids probably do not consume an adequate dietary intake at home. By introducing a variety of healthy foods kids can realize that a nutritious meal can be appealing and tasty. I want to educate parents on short cuts that they could take when preparing dinner, kid’s lunch boxes and going grocery shopping. I would like parents to realize that even as busy as they are there are other alternatives when feeding their kid’s besides pizza, hot dogs, tacos, sandwiches, and hamburgers. I highly encourage the Chef 4 Students Scholarship Foundation to continue their wonderful work by supporting deserving students. There are numerous worthy students who are provided an opportunity to gain an education and help others in return with their knowledge. I consider myself an extremely fortunate individual to have been awarded this scholarship; it has opened doors which I thought were once closed for me. Once again Mr. Wehrli, thank you sincerely from the bottom of my heart for this incredible opportunity. I can assure you that as a recipient I would make the Chef 4 Students Scholarship Fund proud by excelling in my studies and giving back to the community as a token of my appreciation. Yours truly, Dunia Santana ************** Dear Chef Bob Ballantyne, I was chosen to receive the scholarship for fall of 2006; I am writing this letter to express my sincerest thanks to you for allowing students such as myself the opportunity to obtain this scholarship. I was very excited when, Carol Hines the department share at Pueblo Community College called me into her office and informed me of my acceptance to receive the scholarship, I was surprised and very ecited to have been one of the participants. It is an honor for me to be recognized for my hard work, and by receiving this scholarship; it motivates me to continue to strive for excellence. I will be starting my fifth full time semester at Pueblo Community College to pursue an Associates of Applied Science degree in the Culinary Arts Program, and your scholarship support will enable me to concentrate more on schoolwork without having to worry about finances. This scholarship will help me to realize my dreams of becoming a Chef and one day owning my own establishment. Your generosity has made a profound impact on my life and I am truly grateful to be the recipient of a scholarship you support. Receiving the scholarship is a tremendous benefit to my family and me. Thanks you once again Chef Bob Ballantyne, for your contributions to the Chef2Chef Scholarship program. I hope your holiday and New Year bring you joy and success. Sincerely, Eric Rovegno ************** Dear Chef Wehrli, The Chefs4Students organization has selected me as the recipient of a $1,000 scholarship. I'm writing to thank you and your staff for your contributions to their program. I am sincerely grateful and truly honored to receive this award. College is such a costly four years of a student's life, receiving your scholarship will help ease some of the financial burden and help to eliminate some of the financial uncertainty in regards to my education and will bring me closer to realizing my career goals. It is only through the generosity of chefs like yourself that it is possible for culinary students, such as myself, to receive scholarships like this one. I do plan on one day following the example you have set and hope to help future culinary students in this same fashion. Again. thank you very much; your generosity is greatly appreciated. Best Regards, Chad J. Westleigh ************** Dear Chef Nelson and Committee, I am writing to express my sincere gratitude to you for choosing me as one of your grant recipients. I am beyond thankful. Please know that it will truly assist my family and me in paying for my education in the Art Institute of Seattle's Culinary Arts Program. I am halfway through my first quarter of study here and the program is challenging and the instructors inspiring. I know that all I am learning here in the process of receiving my Associates degree in Culinary Arts will be extremely advantageous in helping me achieve my future career goals in the food industry. I sincerely hope that someday I will be able to do what you have done for me - help others to realize their culinary aspirations. Thank you for providing me, and others, with such an incredible opportunity and for choosing me as a recipient. In gratitude, Nell Roversi - Deal ************** Chef David, It was so nice to meet both of you and Pamela and to have lunch. I am extremely honored to have been chosen as a scholarship winner. Please feel free to contact me if you are ever in need of a volunteer! 7 more months 'til Disneyland! Mary Suzann Schmidt ************** I am writing to express my gratitude for this grant. I know there were hundreds of qualified applicants and I am honored to have received this. I look forward to working with your organization for years to come and hope I will be able to be a benefactor for some one else one day. Thank you again. If there is anything you need, please feel free to contact me. Sincerely, Gina Puzzanghera ************** Chef Nelson The grant went a long way towards helping me with the financial costs of attending culinary school and gave me a huge boost of confidence. Thank you! Derek Thomas ************** Thank you very much for the scholarship, it will be very helpful with paying my tuition. I am honored to receive this award and wish I could be in Denver to accept it. I am currently in Sweden studying aboard working on my academic classes. I have sent a photo of me in a Swedish Cafe. Thank you very much again. Regards, Scott Bruggman ************** I just wanted to thank you again for such a wonderful gift! Jean came last Thursday and it was like a Christmas Day in April! I am so appreciative and it is also such a supportive boost for my goals and dreams!! We took some pictures and I will be in touch with Jean to make sure you receive one for the web site which you requested! The pastry program here has been pretty demanding .The chefs are fabulous so I am working and studying around the clock. It has really been worth it! I love it! Thank You again for everything! Christine Schmitz ************** Dear Chef Florian Wehrli and staff, I am writing to extend my appreciation and gratitude to be the recipient of this Culinary Grant. Your most generous donation has greatly helped me to reduce the burden of my student loan. I am a 27-year old Coast Guard (CG) officer with five years of operational experience from both aboard and ashore duty positions. While aboard the CG vessels, my primary job was Deck Watch Officer (ship driver). However, I spent more free time in the galley than in my own stateroom. I often helped the cooks with daily meal preparations and occasionally found myself in comical situations like keeping batter from splashing out of the Hobart mixer when the ship pitched and rolled. Since I rarely got seasick in stormy weather, I volunteered to fill in for the cooks whose stomachs could not acclimate to the tossing waves. Despite my various duties, I was happiest when I was productive in the galley. While I was stationed at CG Headquarters in Washington, DC, I volunteered at DC Central Kitchen (DCCK) where I helped prepare 4,000 meals every day for distribution to soup kitchens in the DC area. Again I spent most of my days off from my regular job to volunteer in the kitchen where I de-boned turkeys, baked croutons, chopped vegetables, made sandwiches, and prepped soup stock ingredients for the chefs. I found the experience at DCCK a rewarding one because I was able to give back to my community while learning my way in and around a busy industrial kitchen. Applying to the Culinary Institute of America (CIA) was a logical career choice for me because I wanted to pursue my dream of becoming an executive pastry chef on a cruise ship, thereby combining my fondness for being on the water and my desire to create gourmet food. I wanted to learn from a faculty of truly competent professionals at a school with inspiring traditions. CIA has met and exceeded my expectations in every way. My studies here are possible only because of the generous support of sponsors like you. I hope to have an opportunity to extend the same kind of generosity to the Chefs4Students scholars who come after me. Thank you again for your contribution. Sincerely, Heidi Park ************** From Sponsors: After speaking with Chef David about his new grant project and hearing about some of the org’s success stories, getting involved as a grant sponsor was a no-brainer. Besides writing a check for a grant, I’m hoping I can use my site to bring some attention to chefs4students.org and maybe even encourage other funding. Gary Jones The Reluctant Gourmet From Industry Leaders: