Karen Brosius Named President of Careers Through Culinary Arts Program (C-CAP)

The Careers through Culinary Arts Program (C-CAP) Board Co-Chairs Marcus Samuelsson, award-winning chef and owner of the acclaimed Red Rooster Harlem restaurant and cookbook author, and Mark Weiss, Chief Investment Officer of RFR Holding LLC, proudly announce that Karen Brosius will become President of Careers through Culinary Arts Program (C-CAP), the national non-profit organization that changes lives of underserved youth by providing career opportunities through culinary arts education, scholarships, job training, and employment in the restaurant and hospitality industry.

Ms. Brosius will return to New York from her latest position as Executive Director of the Columbia Museum of Art in Columbia, South Carolina. Under her guidance since 2004, the museum has become one of the leading art institutions in the Southeast, a leader in audience development and arts education, and a key catalyst for tourism and economic development in the state. The museum was the winner of the 2016 National Medal for Museum Service, the United States’ highest honor for museums, which was awarded by First Lady Michelle Obama in a special ceremony at the White House this past June.  Prior to joining the museum, she played a key role in national philanthropy and in community nonprofits and arts organizations working for Altria Group, formerly Philip Morris Companies Inc.

“Karen’s experience in developing award-winning programs, innovative initiatives, and dynamic partnerships with organizations will be a tremendous asset to fulfilling C-CAP’s mission of breaking the cycle of poverty and changing lives through the culinary arts,” says Marcus Samuelsson, C-CAP Board Co-Chair.  “Karen also has an understanding of the imminent needs of the industry for motivated and skilled talent, and we are eager to work with her to create new possibilities for the organization in the coming years.”

Ms. Brosius says, “I am delighted to come back to New York as President of C-CAP and be a part of this exceptional culinary education organization. C-CAP has led the way by having an extraordinary and lasting impact on the lives of thousands of high-school students across the country, helping them pursue their culinary dreams and becoming a valued part of this wonderful industry. I look forward to working with the entire culinary community nationwide to continue the visionary work that was begun by Richard Grausman.”

“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 foodservice 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 a four-star rating from Charity Navigator, the highest rating from the nation’s largest evaluator of charities. For more information, visit www.ccapinc.org