New emphasis on health, local sourcing, nutrition for this chef

When Chef Frank Caputo joined the team at the Cancer Treatment Centers of America, he knew he'd need to develop a different approach in his cooking.

That's because part of CTCA's patient care philosophy demands that every element of care takes into account a wide array of approaches.  There's a keen emphasis on high quality nutrition, with meals and snacks crafted uniquely for each patient.

For this chef, it's meant a big change.  Here's what he had to say about this:

“One of the most important changes is exactly that: 'change.'

"I am greatly inspired through education, and I constantly strive for excellence in myself and those around me. Having never worked in healthcare, there are constantly new grounds to explore. I find that very rewarding; it challenges me to revise my own judgments. 

"Today, it’s my team’s goal to cook all of our food from scratch and to use as much organically grown foods as we can.  We're so persuaded this is a critical thing, we built our own 25-acre farm to support our mission. This has helped us to localize our food source, increase food quality and maximize nutritional content. 

"Another change is how my cooking style has developed since starting at Cancer Treatment Centers of America® (CTCA). When I first decided to work at CTCA® it was certainly in the forefront of my thinking that my cooking could impact every patient during their journey fighting cancer, but I never expected it to be my passion. 

"My cooking style has now evolved into developing recipes that are low in overall fat, low in salt, and we try to cook gluten-free as much as possible. We offer a wide variety of food selections that tend to be high in antioxidants to help lower inflammation, but never lacking in taste.”

It's pasta - what could be bad?

It's the third C-CAP MEATLESS MONDAY RECIPE CONTEST!

For 2013-2014, C-CAP and The Monday Campaigns will challenge high school seniors to create innovative pasta recipes.

Meatless Monday, an initiative of the non-profit The Monday Campaigns, Inc. which

provides tips and recipes to help participants live a healthier, more eco-friendly life, is giving  C-CAP students another exciting opportunity to win $10,000 in scholarships.

The first place winner and his/her teacher will receive $5,000 and an all-expense paid trip to Canyon Ranch.  The second place winner will receive $3,000 and third place winner $2,000.

This is an opportunity for your senior high school students to demonstrate their creative culinary talents and create an original meatless pasta recipe.

Winning students and recipes will have a presence on Meatless Monday’s and C-CAP’s web properties, including each organization’s websites, Facebook pages, blogs, newsletters and Twitter feeds. 

C-CAP teachers have copies of the Entry Form and Official Rules together with Recipe

Writing Tips from Cornell University, and the Seven  Most Common Recipe Writing Errors.  (watch for recipes writing tips and common recipe writing errors to be posted on the C-CAP Arizona blog!)

Each C-CAP School can submit only one student Entry Form to local C-CAP

Program Coordinator Jill Smith in accordance with the Official Rules.

Completed Entry Form,Recipe and photo of the completed dish must be submitted - that means, in Jill's hands! - to Jill Smith no later than 5:00 P.M., your local time, on November 21, 2013. 

t American Institute of Cancer Research looks for super foods/small plates recipes - it's a contest!

(and there are some fine scholarships to be had)

American Institute of Cancer Research (AICR), which funds cutting edge research to  promote practical tools and information to help people prevent and survive cancer is giving C-CAP students an opportunity to win $10,000 in scholarships. The first place winner will receive $5,000. The second place winner will receive $3,000 and third place winner, $2,000.

This is an opportunity for senior high school students to demonstrate their creative culinary talents and create an original healthy, small plate recipe.

Winning students and recipes will appear on social media venues related to AICR and C-CAP, including each organization’s websites, Facebook pages, blogs, newsletters and twitter feeds. 

Teachers have received copies of the Entry Form and Official Rules together with Recipe Writing Tips from Cornell University, AICR guidelines, 7 Most Common Recipe Writing Errors, and a Super Foods Information Sheet. 

(recipe writing tips and most common errors in writing recipes will be posted on the C-CAP Arizona blog!  Look for them!)

Each C-CAP School can submit only one student Entry Form to Jill Smith, our local C-CAP Program Coordinator in accordance with the Official Rules.

The completed Entry Form, Recipe and photo of the completed dish must be submitted to Jill Smith no later than 5:00 P.M., your local time, on December 19, 2013. 

It's here! C-CAP Arizona's 2013-2014 calendar!

October 26	C-CAP Student Day at Ai Phoenix
November 2	National Bake Sale
November 2	C-CAP Student  Day at Arizona Culinary Institute
November 16	C-CAP Student Day at Classic Cooking Academy
November 21	Teacher Training at Cancer Treatment Centers of America
November 21	Meatless Monday Recipes Due
November 23	C-CAP Student Knife Skills Workshop - Tucson
December 7	C-CAP Student Day at Le Cordon Bleu
December 21	Applications Due
January 11	Preliminary Competition Salad Practice at EVIT
February 8	Preliminary Competition
February 22	Scholarship 101 - Mandatory for Senior Finalists
March 22	Final Competition - Senior Finalists and Top 10 Juniors
March 24	Awards Breakfast
June 7	College 101 - Mandatory for Senior Finalists
Fall 2013	AICR, Meatless Mondays Recipe Contest
January 2014	Competition Practices at Le Cordon Bleu, every Tuesday. Competition Practices at locations throughout  AZ, calendar will be published in December.

*Note C-CAP Days at culinary schools include tour of school, chef demo, admissions information.  These days are to expose potential culinary school candidates to the different schools/programs/costs, etc.

ALL of these events will require an email RSVP.  You will receive email notification on each of these events separately.  C-CAP Teacher or student must email the RSVP by the RSVP deadline indicated on the email notification.

Jill Smith, AZ C-CAP Director

623.606.6213, jsmith@ccapinc.org