Chef2Chef 2006 Grant Awards

The Chef2Chef Scholarship Fund was established in 2003 to assist culinary students in need of financial assistance.

For the 2005-2006 academic year, Chef2Chef.Net received more than 270 applications from students at 30 different culinary schools across the country. Eligible students are encouraged to participate in the Chef2Chef discussion forums, must attend a culinary school at the time of the award, show proof of their financial need, and provide a 500-word essay.

The reviewing panel consisted of seventeen Chef2Chef.Net certified chefs, executive chefs and culinary professionals from various organizations. We are pleased to award 26 $1,000.00 grants to the following students:

Heidi Park

Culinary Institute of America, NY

Dear Chef Florian Wehrli and staff,

I am writing to extend my appreciation and gratitude to be the recipient of the Chef2Chef 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 Chef2Chef scholars who come after me. Thank you again for your contribution.

Sincerely,
Heidi Park

Chef Florian Wehrli presents a check to Alison Williams at the Johnson & Wales Campus in Denver, Colorado.	Chef June Jacobs, CCP presenting the grant to Georgia Pelligrini at the French Culinary Institute in New York. From left to right: Chef June, Crystal Frazier, Georgia Pellegrini and Dr. Chris Papagni, Dean of Student Affairs.
Chef Ron Zabler presenting the grant to Heng Lim at the Washburne Culinary Institute at Kennedy King College, Chicago, IL.	Robert Ruiz, Johnson & Wales, Providence, RI
Sean McCash, Culinary Institute of America, NY	Chef Jean Denham, CC presenting the grant to James Gavigan, Le Cordon Bleu, Las Vegas, NV
Christopher Capasso, New England Culinary Institute, VT	Recipient Karreesa Monique Allen (l) and Director Paul Magnant (r) at The Art Institute of Washington, Virginia.
Recipient Mary Lynn Allen (l) and Greg DiStefano (r) at Johnson & Wales, North Carolina.	Recipient Chanda Martin (l) and Chef June Jacobs, CCP (r) at the French Culinary Institute, NYC
Recipient John William Kleifgen (l) and Ruth Stern (r) at The Culinary Institute of America, New York.	Recipient Sean Liam Quinn (r) and Hazel Boswall (l) at the Culinary Institute of Canada, Price Edward Island, Canada.