Madrid Chefs To Host 3-Month Internships
Six Restaurants are Michelin-Starred
Careers through Culinary Arts Program (C-CAP) is thrilled to announce the seven Olesay/C-CAP Internship Scholarship winners who will train in Spanish gastronomy in the region of Madrid, Spain. A’Barra, Alabaster, Álbora, El Club Allard, Coque, Gaytán, and Santceloni are the seven restaurants participating in this year’s edition that will host the C-CAP Alumni Chefs for the exciting three-month stage. Six of the restaurants are Michelin-starred restaurants. According to Carlos Chaguaceda, Director General of Tourism in Madrid Region, “23 percent of the tourists who come to the Madrid region do it for gastronomic reasons, because there are 18 restaurants with Michelin stars in the region.”
Huertas, the East Village restaurant recognized for the wonderful cuisine of Spain by the New York Times, which awarded it two stars, hosted the scholarships presentation. At this program, the incredible life-changing experiences that C-CAP alumni will have due to this partnership were announced. The program also included a discussion with Chef Jonah Miller; Karen Stabiner, author of Generation Chef; C-CAP Alum Alberto Obando a sous chef at Huertas; 2016 scholarship winner Krystal Lewis ( currently at Public restaurant in New York City); and the awards presentation and introductions by Karen Brosius, President of C-CAP; Richard Grausman, C-CAP Founder and Chairman Emeritus; Carlos Chaguaceda, Director General of Tourism in the Madrid Region; and Carmen Flores, Olesay Director. Several of the 2017 Scholarship winners attending the event were Gabrielle Calle, Abdallah Farraj, and Brianna Wellmon.
“Together with Olesay and Madrid Tourism, we are able to offer unique and career-advancing opportunities to our graduates,” said C-CAP President Karen Brosius. “This year’s recipients are promising up-and-coming chefs, and we look forward to enhancing their skills by having them work abroad and adding fine dining and new cuisine to their repertoire.”
The Seven Ambassadors are:
- Christopher Andrade, Knife Sharpener at Phoenix Knife House, Phoenix, AZ, will be mentored by Chef Raul Prior at Álbora, notable one-star Michelin restaurant.
- Eldridge Betts, Executive Sous Chef, Eco Caters & SuperFd Catering, Washington, D.C., will be mentored by Chef Oscar Velasco at Santceloni, notable two-star Michelin restaurant.
- Gabrielle Calle, Epicurean Events Pastry Production, L’Artusi, New York, NY, will be mentored by Chef Maria Marte at Club Allard.
- Tchnavia Carter, Sous Chef, 5Church, Charlotte, NC, will be mentored by Chef Javier Aranda at Gaytán, notable one-star Michelin restaurant.
- Abdallah M Farraj, Pastry Chef de Partie, Dovetail, New York, NY, will be mentored by Chef Mario Sandoval at Coque, notable two-star Michelin restaurant.
- Brianna Wellmon, Chef Volunteer, Rooster Soup Kitchen, Philadelphia, PA, will be mentored by Chef Antonio Hernando at
- Christopher Williams, Pastry Production Supervisor, Whole Foods Market, Chicago, IL, will be mentored by Juan Antonio Medina at A’Barra, notable one-star Michelin restaurant.
The scholarship covers all travel, housing, and health insurance during the students’ stay in Spain, from the beginning of April through the end of June. The three-month internship program will wrap up with a whirlwind tour of the region of Madrid, comprised of visits to agri-food producers, markets, restaurants, and wineries.
This is the second year that Careers through Culinary Arts Program (C-CAP) and Olesay, a premier organization that promotes global education and international learning through internships, partner together. The year 2017 marks a significant increase in the number of scholarships awarded, from two to seven, thanks to the support of Madrid Region.
“We really wanted to give our students the opportunity to live in in a premier destination and Madrid has become an extraordinary innovative city in gastronomy,” said Carmen Flores, Olesay Director. “We are very excited to team up with the Madrid Region this year to offer more scholarships to C-CAP alumni.”
Headquartered in Madrid, Spain, Olesay specializes in international internships and work-related experiences for students and foreigners in Spain. Its experiential learning programs highlight specialized sectors and target, among others, students in Culinary Arts and Gastronomy. Spain is at the forefront of world gastronomy, and Olesay’s Hospitality Program offers students the opportunity to intern in the most prestigious restaurants in Spain. Olesay´s competitive edge is enhanced by partnering with a network of private companies and institutions that are leaders in the field of innovation.
The Region of Madrid, in Spain, perfectly combines culture, monuments, shopping, dining and leisure activities. It is unquestionably your best choice, with its excellent climate, friendly people, master chefs, national and international shops and boutiques, theatres, musicals, and unparalleled nightlife. Not to forget, of course, the impressive natural landscape which can be enjoyed throughout the Region.
If anything makes de Region of Madrid famous the world over, it is surely its solid network of cultural amenities, capable of fulfilling the expectations of the most demanding tourist. 120 museums, 240 theater, countless galleries and exhibition centers, as well as cultural centers and a wide variety of world-class events, combine to create a high quality cultural scene.
Local cuisine as a leisure option is increasingly valued by tourist, and the Region of Madrid is well-placed to satisfy this demand. A wide array of establishments represent not only the best local cuisine, but also cuisine from other regions of Spain and the world.
“C-CAP has an incredible system in place that, through education and training, prepares underserved youth for careers in the culinary and hospitality industries. The program is also of great benefit to chefs in our industry who are constantly looking for skilled and motivated employees,” says Marcus Samuelsson, C-CAP Board Co-Chair.
Since being founded by Richard Grausman in 1990, the organization has awarded over $50 million in scholarships, provided job training and internships, college and lifetime career support, teacher training and product and equipment donations to classrooms across the country. C-CAP works with over 17,000 students nationwide each year. Through C-CAP’s efforts, a large number of its students find rewarding careers in the food service and hospitality industry. Many alumni, now graduates of top culinary schools, are working in leading restaurants and hotels throughout the country.
For the fourth year in a row, C-CAP received the highest rating from Charity Navigator, the nation’s largest evaluator of charities. For more information, visit the website at www.ccapinc.org, Instagram at @ccapinc, and Facebook at CCAPinc Facebook.
