C-CAP Celebrates 25 Years of Transforming Lives through the Culinary Arts

Chef Richard Sandoval Honored at Celebrity Chef Tasting Dinner for Careers through Culinary Arts Program (C-CAP) Washington, D.C. Region Funding Scholarships and Programs for At-Risk Youth

--C-CAP celebrates 25 years of transforming lives through the culinary arts--

Washington, D.C. -- Chef Richard Sandoval was honored at the Careers through Culinary Arts Program (C-CAP) Washington, D.C. Region Celebrity Chef Five-Course Tasting Dinner with Wine Pairings on Monday, September 15, 2014, at the Carnegie Institution for Science. Funds raised will support C-CAP, a pioneer and national non-profit leader that provides scholarships, education and career opportunities in the culinary arts to at-risk high school students throughout the nation. C-CAP partners with schools in the Washington, D.C. Region.

The C-CAP reception and tasting dinner honors Chef and Restaurateur Richard Sandoval for his commitment to C-CAP, education and mentoring the next generation of chefs. Says Sandoval, “C-CAP is a powerful organization that provides what the industry needs — hardworking chefs from disadvantaged backgrounds with solid skills and great attitudes — and changes lives in the process. Through C-CAP’s lifelong support, their alumni become executive chefs, sommeliers, entrepreneurs, restaurateurs, and everything in between. Young people who grew up with few options are now becoming industry leaders. C-CAP transforms lives; those lives are transforming the industry.”

Five celebrated chefs each contributed to this superb dinner, including Richard Sandoval of  ZENGO, TORO TORO, and MASA 14, Haidar Karoum, of PROOF, ESTADIO & DOI MOI, Kazuhiro Okochi of KAZ SUSHI BISTRO and MASA 14, Roberto Donna of AL DENTE and ALBA OSTERIA, and Michel Richard of CENTRAL.  Hors d’oeuvres were also donated by Troy Williams, C-CAP Washington, D.C. Region Coordinator and owner of THE SPOT ON H, and C-CAP Alum Franz Corrales, Executive Chef for SODEXO USA at Covington & Burling LLP. Assisting the chefs were C-CAP’s high school culinary students, eager to put their mark on the culinary world.

Master Sommelier Carlton McCoy, a C-CAP alum (a graduate of Anacostia High School) and Wine Director at the prestigious LITTLE NELL in Aspen, Colorado, selected the wines, paired with the signature dishes, donated by CHARMER SUNBELT.

Sandi Hallmark, a partner at Akin Gump’s Washington office, C-CAP board member and Chair and creator of this benefit, noted that “proceeds raised from this dinner are extremely important to our organization and will be used to support C-CAP’s growing program in the Washington, D.C. Region.  With donated funds, last year we were able to offer over $3 million in culinary school scholarships, substantially increase our job training, internships and career services, and expand our college-advising program to at-risk teenagers in the Washington, D.C. Region and across the country.  A critical goal for the Washington, D.C. Region in the coming years is to be able to expand our reach to many more schools and students who can benefit from our life-changing programs. ”

About C-CAP and the Washington, D.C. Region-- a national non-profit that prepares at-risk high school students for college and careers in the restaurant and hospitality industry. For the past 25 years, C-CAP has provided job training and internships, scholarships, teacher training, cooking competitions, college and career advising and product and equipment donations. In the 2013-14 academic year it served over 17,500 students in 157 high schools and awarded almost 200 scholarships totaling over $3 million. Through C-CAP’s efforts, a large percentage of our students find rewarding careers in the foodservice and hospitality industry.  In the Washington, D.C. Region, C-CAP was able to work with 460 students in 12 schools and award over $215,000 in scholarships in the 2013-2014 academic year.

You can learn more about C-CAP and review some of our press at our website, www.ccapinc.org. 

Press Contact:  Joyce Appelman, PH: 516-697-0319, Joyceappelman@gmail.com