Partnering with public high schools, we train and empower their culinary arts faculty with proprietary lesson plans and much-needed equipment and supplies. Students learn the basics of creating, preparing, presenting and serving a meal, complete with the hands-on skills needed to become a professional chef, from cooking fundamentals to knife skills, heat methods, safety, and sanitation.

Our summer boot camp provides a refresher on kitchen fundamentals, as well as accelerated job skills training including resumé writing, communication styles, and interview skills. Upon completion, students are placed in a paid internship with a professional kitchen to apply their knowledge, get practical work experience, and start building their network of industry contacts.

We introduce our students to an array of professions by hosting career exploration events such as job shadows, chef panels and field trips so they can experience the breadth of potential career paths in food & hospitality.

We offer essential guidance to students as they pursue higher-education—whether they focus on culinary or even chemistry—and navigate the complex application and financial aid process. Annually, we award about $2.5M in college scholarships to students who participate in our C•CAP College Scholarship Cooking Competition, one of the largest independent food & hospitality scholarship programs in the country. Students train and compete to qualify for scholarships to attend renowned culinary and hospitality institutions. To date, we have awarded over $73 million to students.

It is said that if you want to be a great chef, you need to work with great chefs. With the help of our industry partners, we deliver hands-on learning from the best in the business. C•CAP is one of the few Nationally Registered Apprenticeship Intermediaries with the U.S. Department of Labor. We source, train and mentor high school graduates for a one-year paid career-accelerating apprenticeship with food & hospitality employers across the country.

C•CAP places its students in jobs, supports their entry into the industry, and remains a professional resource as alumni climb the career ladder.

C•CAP’s high-profile alumni include culinary stars Carlton McCoy, Lasheeda Perry, Amar Santana, Peter McQuaid, Lester Walker, Thiago Silva, and Brother Marcellus Luck IV, to name just a few. They are part of C•CAP’s vast and unparalleled network of industry contacts that includes renowned chefs like Marcus Samuelson, Jose Andres, and Daniel Boulud, hospitality leaders, restaurateurs, and hoteliers. We use our network to link students and alumni to job opportunities and mentors throughout their career.

Through our accelerated adult programs, we help jump start new career pathways by teaching culinary and job training skills, reinforcing interview best practices and creating a pipeline to some of America’s top food and hospitality venues.