SUPPORTING FUTURE LEADERS

IN FOOD & HOSPITALITY

Collage of student chefs and food dishes

ABOUT US

We believe in the power of food & hospitality to transform young lives.

We believe learning to cook is the first step in this journey. Culinary arts teaches problem-solving, creativity, innovation, time management, and analytical skills. Knowing how to boil water and cook an egg is not enough. True power comes in preparing, cooking, presenting, and serving a meal to others.

We believe confidence in the kitchen leads to confidence in the workplace. That’s why we’ve been saying, “Yes, Chef!” to young culinary hopefuls for nearly four decades.

Through our programs and vast network of industry partners, we are creating clear pathways for the next generation of sous chefs, executive chefs, hospitality workers, hoteliers, restaurateurs, and food entrepreneurs.

OUR STORY

Founded in 1990 by culinary educator and cookbook author Richard Grausman, and in partnership with board co-chair Chef Marcus Samuelsson, Culinary Careers Program (C•CAP) is a national workforce development non-profit dedicated to training and supporting the next generation of food & hospitality leaders.

Map of US showing locations of C-Cap's impact

We serve communities across Arizona, Baltimore, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York City, Long Island, Philadelphia, Washington D.C. and Maryland. Our unparalleled network of industry contacts includes renowned chefs, hospitality leaders, restaurants, and hotels.

Our methodology works, and to date we have uplifted close to 400,000 students and awarded $73 million in college scholarships. Many of our alumni are enjoying successful careers at award-winning restaurants and 5-star hotels around the globe.

OUR LEADERSHIP TEAM

Tayna Steel Co-Executive Director

Tanya Steel

Co-Executive Director

Bio

Tanya Steel is a global leader in the food world. She conceived and produced the Healthy Lunchtime Challenge & Kids’ “State Dinner” with First Lady Michelle Obama, an annual event at the White House, and created a similar program with the Trudeau government in Canada called Kid Food Nation. She serves as the Award Director for the Julia Child Award, is the former Executive Director of the International Association of Culinary Professionals, former Editorial Director of Clean Plates, Epicurious, Gourmet Live, and Gourmet.com, and a former editor at Bon Appetit and Food & Wine. Tanya has appeared on dozens of television shows, including the Today Show, CBS’s The Early Show, Hell’s Kitchen, Master Chef and The View among others. A three-time author, she has won many awards, including James Beards, Webbys, and more.

Jennifer Solomon Co-Executive Director

Jennifer Solomon

Co-Executive Director

Bio

Jennifer Solomon’s career spans business, entrepreneurship and nonprofit. Prior to joining the C-CAP leadership team as COO, she served on C-CAP’s Board of Directors for eight years. She is the former CFO of Greyston, a social enterprise (B-Corp) and social services organization where she was named “CFO of the Year” by Westchester Business Journal, and the former COO and Chief Development Officer of The Art Students League of New York. Before pivoting to nonprofit, Jennifer spent more than a decade on Wall Street as a leading global consumer products equity analyst.  

Maliha Adams
Director of Communications & Events

Victoria Backle
Executive Assistant

Emily Caraballo
Education Associate, C•CAP Alum

Natalie Guzman Patricio
Associate Director of Communications

Katie Lane
Director of Operations & Special Projects

Angie Marin
Director of Adult Programming & Alumni Relations

Pam Marino
Accounting Clerk

Cynthia Medina
Development Manager

Johnathon Paddock
Finance & Program Associate

Jill Smith
Director of Apprenticeships

Rick Sederholt
Apprenticeship Counselor

Michelle Wider
Controller

Lori Wright
Apprenticeship Coordinator

I BELIEVE IN

C·CAP'S MISSION OF
PROVIDING KIDS A PATHWAY

TO A CAREER...

– Chef Carla Hall

REGIONAL TEAMS

ARIZONA

Kevin Barko (Program Director)
Amy Barko (Program Coordinator)

CHICAGO

Anthony McPhee (Program Director, C·CAP Alum)
Lizzet Proa (Program Coordinator)

LOS ANGELES

Lisa Fontanesi (Program Director)
Eliana Lopera (Student & Professional Development Coordinator)
Ruby Propst (Program Coordinator)

NEW YORK / LONG ISLAND

Lynn Miller (Program Director)
Than Htut Phoo (Program Coordinator)

PHILADELPHIA

Alyssa Termini (Program Director)
Ligia Richter (Program Coordinator)

WASHINGTON DC / MARYLAND

Yvette Williams (Program Director)
Troy Williams (Program Coordinator)

Prawn with mustard on plate

NATIONAL BOARD

Richard Grausman, Founder & Chair Emeritus • Chef Marcus Samuelsson, Co-Chair - Chef, Marcus Samuelsson Group • Jeffrey B. Samuels, Co-Chair - Partner, Paul Weiss •  ID Aruede, Co-Vice Chair - COO & CFO, Whitney Museum of Art • Maria Castro Vainer, Co-Vice Chair & Treasurer - Managing Director, Investments & Advice, JP Morgan Wealth Management • Barbara Fairchild, Secretary - Former Editor-in-Chief, Bon Appetit Magazine • Ed Brown - CEO, Restaurant Associates • Ben Davison - Managing Director, BDT & MSD • Marco De Feo - Vice President of Marketing, Filippo Berio USA • Beatriz Garcia - Managing Director, Teneo • Diana Getchius - Vice President of Human Resources, Union Square Hospitality Group • Deborah Grausman - Actor/Singer/Voice-Over Artist • Doug Hsieh - CEO, Avero • Patty Intrator - Independent Consultant • Heather Molin - Managing Director of Investments, Wells Fargo Advisors • Alexandra Shapiro - Former Executive Vice President, NBCUniversal • Smita Reddy - Partner, Global Clients, Edelman

ASSOCIATE BOARD

Catherine Silver Smith, Chair • Casey Hyken, Vice President • Kavi Bansal • Valentine Lysikatos Carey • Tracie Carmel • Ben Davison • Jordon Ferber • Jennifer Grausman • Cesar Gutierrez • Logan Horowitz • Thomas Isaacs • Samantha Kaczmarek • Raven Briana McMillan • Katherine Milgram • Lisa Mou • Primal Shah • Pranjal Shah

NATIONAL APPRENTICESHIP
ADVISORY COUNCIL

Matt Stein • Nick Guerrieri • Andrew Helmandollar • JoAnn Holland • Jim Janosik • Adam Laor • Randall McNamara, EdD • Patricia Nadzieja • Jason Schwartz • Louis Shaban • Rebecca Tillman • James Valentino

C·CAP ARIZONA
ADVISORY COUNCIL

Dina Altieri • Christopher Gross • Lenard Rubin • Louis Shaban • Walter Sterling • Armando Suarez • Mark Tarbell •Khari Towns

C·CAP CHICAGO
ADVISORY COUNCIL

Angile Faison • Robin Bauer • Chef Morgan Bellalves • Chef Perry Hendrix

C·CAP DC
ADVISORY COUNCIL

Charles Bluemle • Kareem "Mr. Bake" Queeman • Franz Corrales • Nicholas Tang • Jerome Grant • Sarah Tucker • Ellis McCue • Mykel Winterstine

C·CAP LOS ANGELES
ADVISORY COUNCIL

Barbara Fairchild, Council Chair • Matthew Allnatt • Eric Boardman • Caryl Chinn • Terrie Cooper • Gina Christian • Anthony Greco, C·CAP Alum • Andrew Harris • Elissa Phillips • Jayne Portnoy • Rafael Perezchica, C·CAP Alum • Art Sezgin

C·CAP MIAMI
ADVISORY COUNCIL

Marco de Ceglie • Michael Cheng • Chef Haydee Collado • Marcela Guzman Galan • Victoria Pesce Elliot • Chef Norman Van Aken

C·CAP PHILLY
ADVISORY COUNCIL

Tom Hunton, Council Chair • Jennifer Cho • Qamara Edwards • Kelly Roses • Dr. Dean Hammer • Dr. Carol Scheffner Hammer • David Kipphut • Kriti Sehgal • Andy Marin • Scott Swiger • Amy Zitelman

C·CAP PHILLY
CHEF COUNCIL

Andrew Boxer • Angelina Branca • Dr. Jonathan Deutsch
• Adam Dlitz • Tova Du Plessis • Elijah Milligan •
Keith Pretlow • Joy-Parham-Thomas