C-CAP cooks up a slew of good publicity!

This past Wednesday, the Washington Post's Food section ran a major feature on Jeanine Williams, a senior at Roosevelt High School in the D.C. region.

Jeanine was the big winner in the District's C-CAP competition, scoring a full scholarship to Johnson & Wales University in Denver. She's looking forward to a summer internship, and to starting school - and a whole new life - this fall.

Read the full story - just go to http://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/food/a-different-kind-of-top-chef-on-her-way/2012/04/30/gIQAKLf8tT_story.html (you can clip and paste this link!).

The Post also ran a couple of Jeanine's recipes (not the ones used in competition!); we'll give you a report on the sun-dried tomato chicken alfredo later this week!

Students reap high praise, dollars for dreams as rising culinary pros

"Every year, it's harder and harder to judge (the finals)," says C-CAP Arizona's lead judge, chef Glenn Humphrey, Arizona Culinary Institute.

"The students show improved execution, their presentations are good. The skills are higher - and they're smarter, with higher GPA's. This is great!"

"I was so impressed," says C-CAP's founder and national chairman, Richard Grausman.

"These students show a mastery of basic skills and that's the foundation. They show good technique, a good demeanor - and real passion. There's a lot of talent already visible.

"I have to commend the teachers."

This year's C-CAP Arizona scholarship winners:

Chrystae Rohman, Basha HS: C-CAP Education Scholarship - $1,000

Roczanne Orr, Blue Ridge HS: C-CAP Education Scholarship - $1,000

Kristina Emmett, Cactus HS: C-CAP Education Scholarship - $1,000

Danielle Flanery, RS Kelis HS: C-CAP Education Scholarship - $1,000

Sabrina Denney, Canyon del Oro HS: C-CAP Education Scholarship - $1,000

Francis Balmes, Casa Grande HS: C-CAP Education Scholarship - $1,000

Crystal Sellers, Santa Rita HS: C-CAP Education Schoalrship - $2,000

Wye Eun Chung, EVIT: C-CAP Education Scholarship - $2,000

Jeremy Ballester, Casa Grande HS: Mark Tarbell Scholarship - $2,000

Patrick Tribbett, Kingman HS: Barbara Colleary Scholarship - $2,000

Petra Fierro-Acosta, Metro Tech HS: ACF Chef's Assoc. Arizona Scholarship - $2,500

Jessica Beekman, Flagstaff HS: Barbara Fenzl Scholarship - $3,500

Emery Van Gilder, Catalina Magnet HA: Tracy Fierros Memorial Scholarship - $1,000 and the Getting Our Just Desserts Scholarship - $3,000

Alexandra Martinez, Maricopa HS: Central Arizona College Presidential Scholarship - $2,520 and the James Beard Foundation Scholarship - $3,000

Rebecca Eltringham, Chino Valley HS: Sanctuary on Camelback Mountain Scholarship - $5,000

Jeremy Dichoso, Chino Valley HS: Sanctuary on Camelback Mountain Scholarship - $5,000

Carrie Beletz, Moon Valley HS: Beau MacMillan Scholarship - $5,000

Chelsey Hacker, EVIT Mystery Chef Scholarship - $5,000

Alejandro Cuevas, Metro Tech HS: C-CAP Education Scholarship - $3,000

Giovanny Murillo, Wickenburg HS: Le Cordon Bleu full-tuition scholarship for the certificate - $17,500

Calena Srutowski, EVIT: Arizona Culinary Institute professional program half-tuition scholarship - $14,000

Jack Quijada, Metro Tech HS: Classic Cooking Academy full-tuition scholarship - $15,000

Daniel Clark, Moon Valley HS: New England Culinary Institute full-tuition scholarship for the associates' degree - $51,500

Brandy Pennick, EVIT: The Art Institute of Las Vegas half-tuition scholarship - $21,645

Mason Nelson, Casa Grande HS: The Art Institute of Tucson full-tuition associates' program scholarship - $43,290

Alyssa Falshaw, Flagstaff HS: The Art Institute of Phoenix Scholarship for the Culinary Arts - $50,000

Christopher Andrade, Valley Vista HS: The Art Institute of Phoenix Scholarship for the Culinary Arts - $50,000

Samuel White, Dobson HS/EVIT: The Art Institute National full-tuition scholarship - $80,088

Oscar Sanchez, Metro Tech HS: Culinary Institute of America full-tuition scholarship for the bachelor's degree - $96,880

Royce Schlittenhart, Canyon del Oro HS: Johnson & Wales University full-tuition scholarship - $104,448

Congratulations, everyone! See you at College 101!

Ready for your close-up?

Let’s face it. Going for a little chat with people who 1) are basically strangers to you, and 2) hold a very important part of your future in their hands is more than a little daunting.

You want to be as ready and relaxed (but alert!) when you walk into that final C-CAP scholarship interview.

So here’s what you do to give yourself an advantage.

Pack a little survival assistance into your kit for the competition. Add a clean shirt (a t-shirt is okay), a face cleanser, and a toothbrush or even just some mouthwash or breath freshener.

After the plate presentation judging, take a few minutes to get to the rest room, wash your face, and put on a clean shirt. Yes, ladies – you can fix your make up, too.

No, you absolutely do not need to do this. But it will make you feel better and more prepared for the rest of the day.

When you walk into the interview, here’s what to do:

Smile and greet each judge individually. Look each person in the eye (briefly!).

Mention that you’re happy/glad/pleased to be there (“It’s great to finally be here.” “I’m really happy I made it here.” --- You get the idea.)

Before you answer each question, stop for just a second to take a breath. It will help to relax you and also gives you a moment to think.

Make sure you have at least one or two questions you can ask the interviewers.

Finally, before you leave, say thank you to the interviewers. (“Thanks for talking with me. I appreciate the opportunity to be here.”)

With a calm, collected presentation, you’ll make the best impression. And you can walk out of the interview being positive you’ve done your best.

Meet your interview judges

C-CAP Arizona scholarship interviews include several professionals. Each has a different kind of view, and will look for different things in your responses.

“Group interviews are just as serious as one-to-one interviews are,” says HR expert and culinary pro Almira Wagley.

“Each interviewer is going to have a different perspective on each candidate. Candidates need to remember to give each person in the interview equal weight and importance in responding to questions.”

This is rough on candidates, but also helps insure that each student is seen more completely as judges discuss the interviews and applications.

Here are the judges who will conduct this year’s interviews:

Richard Grausman

Richard Grausman is the founder and chairman of C-CAP. A native of North Carolina, his first degree is in economics. He studied with James Beard before enrolling at Le Cordon Bleu in Paris. He became the school’s first official ambassador.

He’s considered one of this country’s foremost culinary experts and educators, with a sterling national reputation. His greatest goal for C-CAP students is to have each succeed in school and in their culinary careers. (Learn more about Richard and his career at www.ccapinc.org/grausman-bio.php.)

Susan Robbins

Named president of C-CAP just last year, Susan Robbins spent her life as an acknowledged and avowed "foodie." Her professional career began in education, focused on students with special needs. Most recently, she was part of the founding management team of CDT, a mission-driven real estate investment trust, where she also served as general counsel. You'll also find more information about Susan at www.ccapinc.org/Susan-Robbins-President.php.

Glenn Humphrey

Placement director of the Arizona Culinary Institute, Chef Glenn is a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America. A native of Connecticut, he’s also worked with the Scottsdale Culinary Institute, and was also food and beverage director for Marie Callender’s, among other professional culinary work.

He’s coached and judged culinary competitions across the country, and has been lead judge for C-CAP Arizona for more than a decade.

Sharon Levinson

Sharon Levinson is a professional non-profit organization manager and has worked with several groups and organizations. She’s been volunteering with C-CAP for more than 10 years, and is the person who helps keep everything running smoothly on the administrative and (actual) organization end.

Jill Smith

Jill is the C-CAP director for Arizona. Following a successful career in the high tech industry, she enrolled in culinary school and graduated from The Art Institute of Phoenix. Working with C-CAP allows her to take advantage of her skills in marketing and management, while capitalizing on her culinary understanding and expertise. She’s become tireless in her goals to help Arizona’s culinary educators provide an excellent foundation for their students’ success, and to help each C-CAP student reach both educational and professional success.

College 101 scores big

Students find good ideas, some help

Fully two-thirds of this year’s C-CAP Arizona scholarship winners took time as summer began to sit down and plan for their new roles as professional culinary students.

This year, College 101 presented a full day program, giving students real-world advice and assistance and covering everything from dollars to sense.

Presenters included executive management consultant Larry Levinson as the day’s coordinator, former C-CAP scholarship winner, executive chef and restaurant partner Jared Porter, food writer Nikki Buchanan and Wells Fargo Bank executive Pam Kolb. Culinary professionals who presented varied perspectives included Chef Glenn Humphrey, Arizona Culinary Institute, Chef Beau MacMillan of The Sanctuary, Chef Matt Carter of Zinc Bistro and The Mission, and James Zemlock of The Capital Grille.

Several 2010 C-CAP alumni were also on hand, giving an insider’s view from their own recent experiences.

You can read all about the day in the July edition of Restaurateur of Arizona magazine – just check http://restaurateurofarizona.com. (Check back issues, too, for updates on C-CAP Arizona and more news about the industry across the state.

Meanwhile, here’s a listing of all the aspiring students who were in attendance for College 101, 2011 session.

Taylor Beck, Cactus High School

Cherrish Callahan, Goldwater High School

Jose Mantilla Campos, Metro Tech

Marlo Everett, Paradise Valley High School

Nyisha Harrison, Sahuarita High School

Heather Hohn, Wickenburg High School

Sasha Ivie, EVIT/Hamilton High School

Randi King, Maricopa High School

Kaitllyne Ladden, North Canyon High School

Billy Lemke, Casa Grande High School

Ashley Ludlow, EVIT/Highley High School

Rebekah Lung, EVIT/McCLintock High School

Andrea Madrid, Peoria High School

Leticia Martinez, Payson High School

Matthew Meiers, EVIT/Corona del Sol

Rebecca Rasmussen, EVIT/Queen Creek

Amber Santiago, Peoria High School

Emily Sterrett, Moon Valley High School

Ana Timmis, Canyon del Oro High School

John Vasquez, Chaparral High School

Kristen Voeglty-Mutch, Perry High School

A cautionary column

You’ve read and re-read your C-CAP application and essay.

You checked out every page on the national C-CAP web site, so you know the history and you know Richard Grausman’s background.

You’ve done as much background research on the three other judges as possible during a quick Google look.

You’ve decided on a top school, and you have at least one (preferably two) others that you believe would be a good fit for you.

You know how you’ll meet travel and living expenses during the school year.

You know your GPA is high enough to get you into the school or program you’d like to be in.

You’ve thought about what, exactly, is it about the culinary world that interests you, excites your imagination, and gives you joy in the doing.

You’re all set for the next step. This is the “DO NOT EVEN THINK ABOUT DOING THIS” list of interview tips. So here we go.

• Don’t slump. You’ve had a busy morning and not enough sleep. Welcome to the professional world. Look as if you’re ready to take on that world with energy.
• Don’t mumble. You’ll appear cranky – and no one likes a crank.
• Don’t use extreme slang or swear. Really. It’s not f------- sophisticated at all and will not favorably impress your interviewers.
• Don’t be a know-it-all. If you knew it all, you’d already have your doctorate and your own culinary enterprise. Or more.
• Don’t even think about taking your cell phone into the interview room.
• Don’t answer any question with “I don’t know.” If you must, say, “I haven’t been able to think through that, but I know it’s important. I’m still looking at options and hoping to find some guidance on this.”
• Don’t answer any question with only “yes” or “no.” Explain and describe as much as possible.
• Don’t lie. Be truthful, candid and to the point.
• Don’t insist that you deserve any particular scholarship. You don’t know the particulars of everyone’s circumstances or qualifications.

Tomorrow: Last-minute help - this is the easy stuff!

Matching dreams with dollars Part two

C-CAP Arizona’s final competition interviews give judges a chance to talk directly with students. Judges can learn more about each student’s expectations for both their education and their career.

It’s all about matching the scholarship dollars with the students’ dreams, says C-CAP Arizona director Jill Smith.

“We need to know that the students have given serious thought about how they’ll reach their career goals,” she says.

This means students need to be prepared not just to answer questions, but to have some questions for the interviewers.

For instance, C-CAP founder Richard Grausman is known as one of the top culinary educators in the country. He could probably assess culinary schools and programs across the country, both in terms of overall approach and in what students in those programs are known for.

As placement director for the Arizona Culinary Institute, Chef Glenn Humphrey is well-versed on current expectations culinary schools have for students.

As a graduate of The Art Institute, Jill has first-hand experience with that program – and the kinds of positions graduates go on to have as they set out in the culinary world.

Still stumped for questions? Post a comment; we’re here to help.

Tomorrow….part three tackles some ideas for interview questions. Monday…what’s passion got to do with all this?

Meet your judges

C-CAP Arizona scholarship interviews include four professionals. Each has a different kind of view, and will look for different things in your responses.

“Group interviews are just as serious as one-to-one interviews are,” says HR expert and culinary pro Almira Wagley.

“Each interviewer is going to have a different perspective on each candidate. Candidates need to remember to give each person in the interview equal weight and importance in responding to questions.”

This is rough on candidates, but also helps insure that each student is seen more completely as judges discuss the interviews and applications.

Here are the judges who will conduct this year’s interviews:

Richard Grausman

Richard Grausman is the founder and president of C-CAP. A native of North Carolina, his first degree is in economics. He studied with James Beard before enrolling at Le Cordon Bleu in Paris. He became the school’s first official ambassador.

He’s considered one of this country’s foremost culinary experts and educators, with a sterling national reputation. His greatest goal for C-CAP students is to have each succeed in school and in their culinary careers. (Learn more about Richard and his career at www.ccapinc.org/grausman-bio.php.)

Glenn Humphrey

Placement director of the Arizona Culinary Institute, Chef Glenn is a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America. A native of Connecticut, he’s also worked with the Scottsdale Culinary Institute, and was also food and beverage director for Marie Callender’s, among other professional culinary work.

He’s coached and judged culinary competitions across the country, and has been lead judge for C-CAP Arizona for more than a decade.

Sharon Levinson

Sharon Levinson is a professional non-profit organization manager and has worked with several groups and organizations. She’s been volunteering with C-CAP for more than 10 years, and is the person who helps keep everything running smoothly on the administrative and (actual) organization end.

Jill Smith

Jill is the C-CAP director for Arizona. Following a successful career in the high tech industry, she enrolled in culinary school and graduated from The Art Institute of Phoenix. Working with C-CAP allows her to take advantage of her skills in marketing and management, while capitalizing on her culinary understanding and expertise. She’s become tireless in her goals to help Arizona’s culinary educators provide an excellent foundation for their students’ success, and to help each C-CAP student reach both educational and professional success.

One key to a good scholarship interview

Whenever you’re the focus of an interview, it’s smart to know as much as you can about the company and people who are going to interview you.

One important part of your interview for a culinary scholarship from C-CAP is to understand what the organization is, and how it works.

This can be as simple as going to the C-CAP web site and reviewing the organization’s history. You can also take a quick look below at a brief, bullet-point synopsis, although it’s hardly the full story.

C-CAP Arizona’s executive director Jill Smith says, “I think it’s really important for each candidate to at least know who Richard Grausman is before the final competitions even begin.”

Jill suggests it’s also important for candidates to come into their interview armed “with at least one question. And students need to be open-minded about suggestions as to which schools might be valuable to them.

“Most students haven’t visited any of the schools they’re considering, and many haven’t thought out how they will be able to afford on- or off-campus housing or cover other living expenses while they’re in school.

“It helps to have two or three possible schools in mind.”

C-CAP – a brief history

· C-CAP = Careers in Culinary Arts Program

· dedicated to aiding underserved students find career/study opportunities in the food service industry

· established 1990 by Richard Grausman, cookbook author and educator, to teach home cooking in 12 NYC high schools

· grew into educational/scholarship program when Grausman realized students needed preparation for real jobs with real futures

· focused on

o teacher training (enhances teacher knowledge, student outcomes)

o scholarships and cooking competitions (largest independent

scholarship program in the industry)

o job training, internships, career advising (job shadowing, job readiness training, career counseling)

o college advising and College 101 (to help scholarship winners succeed)

o product donations (aids understocked, underequipped classrooms)

· Arizona has the only state-wide C-CAP program in the country