Michael Anthony, Executive Chef of Gramercy Tavern, Untitled, and Studio Café at the Whitney Museum of American Art, will be honored at the annual Careers through Culinary Arts Program (C-CAP) benefit on Wednesday, March 8, from 5:45-9:00 p.m. at Chelsea Piers’ Pier Sixty. Anthony will receive the C-CAP Honors Award, granted to individuals within the culinary industry for exceptional leadership and achievements. Funds raised at the event will support C-CAP’s not-for-profit’s mission of providing job training, internships, competitions for culinary scholarships, college advising, college and career opportunities, lifetime career support, teacher training and curriculum enrichment in the culinary arts to at-risk youth.
The event features food tastings prepared by Michael Anthony and over 36 of the city’s leading chefs, including Chef Chair and C-CAP Board Co-Chair Marcus Samuelsson; Michelin Star chefs Adam Bissell, Aaron Bludorn, Daniel Boulud, Daniel Eddy, John Fraser, Markus Glocker, Alfred Portale, and Michael White, as well as C-CAP alumni Cesar Gutierrez of Café Boulud, Betty Peña of Pig and Khao, Kelvin Fernandez of Strand Bistro, Swainson Brown of The Writing Room and Yvan Lemoine of Union Fare. (A full list of the participating chefs and restaurants is given below.) Assisting the chefs will be more than 60 New York City C-CAP high school students and alumni.
The Chair for this year’s event is Mark Weiss, Chief Investment Officer of RFR Holding LLC and C-CAP’s Board of Directors Co-Chair. WCBS-TV News anchorman Maurice DuBois will be the master of ceremonies. The festivities will also include an auction of various dining, travel and cultural packages.
“We are thrilled to honor Michael Anthony for his remarkable achievements and contributions to the industry and for his commitment to culinary innovation,” says Mark Weiss. “The walk-around tasting event raises funds to support C-CAP’s mission to transform lives of underserved youth who are interested in pursuing careers in the restaurant and food service industry.”
Richard Grausman, C-CAP’s Founder & Chairman Emeritus launched C-CAP in 1990 to teach French cooking in 12 New York City public schools. “We now have thousands of C-CAP alumni around the globe and are impacting the lives of a whole new generation of chefs,” Grausman says. “We are so proud that we continue to manage the largest independent culinary scholarship program in the nation and have awarded over $50 million in scholarships.”
Chef Anthony has received numerous accolades, including Food & Wine’s “Best New Chefs” in 2002 and Bon Appetit’s “Next Generation” in 2003. In 2008, Gramercy Tavern earned the James Beard Award for “Outstanding Restaurant.” In 2012, Michael won the James Beard Award for “Best Chef in New York City,” and in 2015, he won the James Beard Award for “Outstanding Chef,” a national recognition. In 2016, Michael’s V is for Vegetables won the James Beard Award for “Vegetable Focused and Vegetarian” cookbooks.
“The benefit is our most powerful way in one evening to make a huge difference in the lives of so many young students; C-CAP changes lives by arming at-risk youth with the skills they need to succeed in culinary arts,” says Marcus Samuelsson. “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. C-CAP continues to help thousands of qualified students across the country through culinary education opportunities in high school to career placement assistance upon graduation.”
Past recipients of the C-CAP Honors Award include: Daniel Humm, Richard Parsons & 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 $600 (limited availability). Tickets for VIP admission are $800 and $1,000. The $1,000 ticket includes a signed cookbook from a celebrity chef. For tickets, more information about the event, and sponsorship opportunities, call 212-974-7111 or visit www.ccapinc.org.
Participating Chefs
Philip DeMaiolo, Abigail Kirsch
Jason Weiner and Alex Nieto, Almond
Christian Pratsch, Asiate
Markus Glocker, Bâtard
Daniel Boulud, Aaron Bludorn, Cesar Gutierrez*, Café Boulud
Carla Hall, Carla Hall’s Southern Kitchen
Ivy Stark, Dos Caminos
John Fraser, Dovetail
Fortunato Nicotra, Felidia
Alfred Portale, Gotham Bar and Grill
Michael Anthony, Gramercy Tavern/Untitled
Manish Mehrotra, Indian Accent
Marc Aumont, Kreuther Handcrafted Chocolate
Missy Robbins, Lilia
Maria Loi, Loi Estiatorio
Kyung Up Lim, Michael’s
Abram Bissell, The Modern
Matt Hoyle, Nobu 57
Bill Telepan, Oceana
Zene Flinn, Park Avenue Spring
Leah Cohen, Betty Peña*, Pig & Khao
Michael Lomonaco, Wayne Harley Brachman, Porter House
Ryan Bartlow, Quality Eats
Daniel Eddy, Rebelle
Marcus Samuelsson, Red Rooster
Andy Bennett, Rouge Tomate
Sarabeth Levine, Sarabeth’s
Kelvin Fernandez*, Strand Bistro
David Burke, Tavern62 by David Burke
JJ Johnson, The Cecil
Ali LaRaia, The Sosta
Swainson Brown*, The Writing Room
Yvan Lemoine*, Union Fare
Carmen Quagliata, Union Square Cafe
Chris Santos, Vandal
Michael White and Jared Gadbaw, Vaucluse
*C-CAP Alum