It’s that time of the year for C-CAP (Careers Through Culinary Arts Program) to hold its major fund-raising benefit for its work helping young people to break into the food industry. This year’s honoree will be Daniel Humm, executive chef and co-owner of Eleven Madison Park and The Nomad, who will receive the C-CAP Honors Award granted to individuals within the culinary industry for exceptional leadership and achievement. The event, marked by the opportunity to taste an array of foods, will take place on Wednesday, March 9, at Chelsea Piers’ Pier Sixty.
Funds raised will support the national not-for-profit’s mission of providing job training, scholarships, education, career opportunities and lifetime career guidance in the culinary arts to disadvantaged youth. The event will feature tastings from forty-nine renowned chefs from around New York City, including Markus Glocker of Bâtard, Dan Barber of Blue Hill NY & Blue Hill at Stone Barns, Jason Atherton & Ross Bryans of The Clocktower, Rich Torrisi of Dirty French, Gabriel Kreuther of Gabriel Kreuther, and Jose Garces of Amada NYC. Assisting the chefs will be more that 60 New York City C-CAP high school students and alumni.
The Chair for this year's event is Will Guidara, co-owner of Eleven Madison Park and The NoMad. The Vice Chairs are Mark Weiss and Susan and Richard Grausman, and the Chef Chair will be Marcus Samuelsson. WCBS-TV News Anchorman Maurice DuBois will be the Master of Ceremonies. The festivities will include a silent auction and a live auction run by auctioneer Billy Harris.
Richard Grausman, C-CAP’s Founder and Chairman Emeritus asserts: “We are thrilled to honor Daniel Humm for his remarkable achievements and contributions to the industry and his commitment to culinary innovation. I never dreamed that my idea in 1990 to teach French cooking in twelve New York City public schools would become what it is today. We now have thousands of C-CAP alumni across the globe demonstrating the true potential in all of us and impacting the lives of a whole new generation of chefs. I’m so proud of each and every one of our students – they continue to impress me every day.”
“C-CAP transforms lives by arming at-risk youth with the skills they need to succeed in culinary arts,” says Susan Robbins, C-CAP’s President. “The new co-chairs of C-CAP’s Board of Directors Marcus Samuelsson and Mark Weiss are overseeing the Benefit to ensure that C-CAP continues to help thousands of qualified students across the country, from culinary education in high schools to career placement assistance upon graduation. We are so proud to note that since 1990, we have awarded over $46 million in scholarships and will continue to nurture the next generation of star chefs.”
Humm, a native of Switzerland, began his cooking career when he was only 14 years old. After spending time in noted Swiss kitchens, including Restaurant Pont de Brent, where he met his mentor, Chef Gérard Rabaey, Humm moved to the United States in 2003. He worked as executive chef at San Francisco’s Campton Place, before moving to New York in 2006 to work with Danny Meyer’s Union Square Hospitality Group. In 2011, Humm and his partner, Will Guidara, acquired Eleven Madison Park from Meyer’s USHG. Currently, Humm is the executive chef and co-owner of Eleven Madison Park and The NoMad. Both restaurants have earned Michelin stars. Humm creates modern, sophisticated cuisine with an aim toward emphasizing purity, simplicity, and seasonal ingredients.
“The benefit is our most powerful way in one evening to make a huge difference in the lives of so many young students,” says Marcus Samuelsson, C-CAP’s Board of Directors Co-Chair, and this year’s benefit Chef Chair. “As a chef and longtime supporter of C-CAP’s work, this is an extraordinary program that benefits both its remarkable recipients, and the growing market and demand for skilled talent.”
Past recipients of the C-CAP Honors Award include: Richard Parsons and Alexander Smalls, Michael White, Tony May, Michael McCarty, Michael Lomonaco, Marcus Samuelsson, Drew Nieporent, Alfred Portale, Lidia Bastianich, Thomas Keller, Charlie Palmer, Danny Meyer & Michael Romano, Daniel Boulud, Jacques Pepin, Egidiana & Sirio Maccioni, Nina & Tim Zagat, and Saul Zabar & Stanley Zabar.
The C-CAP Benefit is open to the public. Tickets for general admission are $550 (limited availability); Tickets for VIP admission are $700 and $1,000. For tickets, more information about the event, and sponsorship opportunities, call 212-974-7111 or visit www.ccapinc.org.
Participating Chefs for the 2016 Benefit:
Philip DeMaiola, Abigail Kirsch
Jason Weiner, Almond
Jose Garces & Justin Bogle, Amada
Fredrik Berselius, Aska
Garrison Price, Asiate
Markus Glocker, Bâtard
Philippe Bertineau , Benoit
Bryce Shuman, Betony
Dmitri Petriakov, BLT Steak
Dan Barber, Blue Hill NY & Blue Hill at Stone Barns
Daniel Boulud & Aaron Bludorn, Café Boulud
Carla Hall, Carla Hall's Southern Kitchen
Sean Quinn, Chadwicks
Jason Atherton & Ross Bryans, The Clocktower
Andrew Whitcomb, Colonie
Rich Torrisi, Dirty French;
John Fraser, Dovetail
Ivy Stark, Dos Caminos
Daniel Humm, Eleven Madison Park
Fortunato Nicotra, Felidia
Nick Martinez, Foragers
Gabriel Kreuther, Gabriel Kreuther
Alfred Portale & Ron Paprocki, Gotham Bar and Grill
Manish Mehrotra, Indian Accent
Jonathan Waxman, Barbuto
Maria Loi, Loi Estiatorio
Melba Wilson, Melba’s
Kyung Up Lim, Michael's
Matt Hoyle, Nobu 57
Daniel Humm & James Kent, The NoMad
Braden Reardon, NYY Steak
Ben Pollinger, Oceana
Trae Basore, Pearl & Ash
Cedric Vongerichten, Perry Street
Daniel Eddy, Rebelle
Marcus Samuelsson, Red Rooster Harlem
Sarabeth Levine, Sarabeth's
Yuhi Fujinaga, Morimoto Asia
Michael Tong, Shun Lee
William Telepan, Telepan
Alexander Smalls & JJ Johnson, The Cecil
Abram Bissell, The Modern
Michael White & Jared Gadbaw, Vaucluse
Posted February 9, 2016.