2016 Women in Culinary Leadership Grants Now Available

The James Beard Foundation is now accepting applications for its 2016 Women in Culinary Leadership Grant program. Women with a background in hospitality or the culinary arts are encouraged to apply for a chance to participate across fifteen six-month or seven twelve-month mentor/grantee programs with top industry leaders. The deadline to apply has been extended to February 8, 2016.

Mentorship programs are available with the following chefs and restaurateurs:

• Kim Bartmann – Multiple Restaurants, Minneapolis, MN (one year position)
• John Besh  – Besh Restaurant Group, New Orleans 
• Elizabeth Blau – Elizabeth Blau & Associates, Las Vegas (offering two positions)
• April Bloomfield  – Spotted Pig, John Dory Oyster Bar, The Breslin, NYC (one year position in each restaurant)
• Kevin Boehm and Rob Katz – Boka Restaurant Group, Chicago (one year position)
• Kevin Brown – Lettuce Entertain You Restaurants, Chicago 
• Lee Chizmar and Erin Shea – Bolete, Bethlehem, PA
• Rohini Dey – Vermilion Restaurants, Chicago (one year position)
• Tom Douglas  – Tom Douglas Restaurants, Seattle (one year position)
• Paul Fehribach –  Big Jones, Chicago
• Sam Fox – Fox Restaurant Concepts, Phoenix
• Linton Hopkins  – Restaurant Eugene, Atlanta 
• Cindy Hutson  – Ortanique Restaurants, Miami 
• Beth Gruitch and Jennifer Jasinski – Rioja, a Crafted Concept Restaurant, Denver
• Matt Jennings – Townsman, Boston 
• Ti Adelaide Martin – Commander's Palace, New Orleans 
• Cindy Pawlcyn  – Mustards Grill, Napa, CA 
• Sarah Robbins – 21c Museum Hotels: Metropole, Cincinnati, OH; Lockbox, Lexington, KY; Proof on Main, Louisville, KY  
• Stephen Starr  –  STARR Restaurants, Philadelphia 

Launched in 2012, the WICL Grant was spearheaded by Susan Ungaro, president of the James Beard Foundation, and Rohini Dey, JBF trustee and founder/owner of Indian-Latin Vermilion Restaurants in NYC and Chicago. The goal of the mentoring program for aspiring chefs and restaurateurs is to help build in-depth leadership and management skills in the kitchen and in restaurant management and entrepreneurship. It has grown consecutively over the last three years, and for the class of 2016 there are currently 22 positions available offered by 19 mentors. 

Visit our WICL page for more details. Read the official WICL Grant press release.