The James Beard Foundation Unveils 2012 Culinary Scholarships

The James Beard Foundation is now accepting applications for its 2012 scholarship program, with over $300,000 in awards available. Established in 1991, the James Beard Foundation Scholarship Program assists aspiring and established culinary professionals who plan to further their education at a licensed or accredited culinary school.

"Our Scholarship Program reaches some of today's greatest culinary minds no matter which stage they're at in their cooking careers-allowing chefs to not only further their educations, but also advance the culinary arts as a whole," says Diane Harris Brown, Director of Educational and Community Programming for the James Beard Foundation. "Since its inception more than twenty years ago, the James Beard Foundation Scholarship Program will have awarded over $4 million in financial aid to 1,413 admirable recipients as of 2012."

New offerings for 2012 include the Omaha Steaks Scholarship for students planning to enroll or currently enrolled in the Culinary Arts program of Omaha's Metropolitan Community College; the Beard Down South Scholarship for any student who is a resident of Florida or who is enrolled or planning to enroll in a Florida-based college or culinary school; the Food Network Scholarship for Immigrants in the Kitchen for any student who is an immigrant from a country other than the United States and currently enrolled or planning to enroll in an accredited culinary arts program or related field; and the Schnitzer Steel "Racing to Stop Hunger" Scholarship, designated for an Oregon-based student who is currently attending or planning to enroll at an Oregon culinary institution.

The James Beard Foundation also offers grants for current working culinary professionals to expand their culinary experiences. As in previous years, the Jean-Louis Palladin Professional Work/Study Grant, in memory of one of the great culinary geniuses of the 20th century, will be offered, enabling a qualified professional to work with food producers at their source.

The James Beard Foundation Scholarship Program is administered by the Scholarship Management Services division of Scholarship America, a nonprofit organization that has helped award scholarships to over one million students. Applications for scholarships are received and evaluated by Scholarship America. The applications of the finalists are then submitted to the James Beard Foundation's Scholarship Selection Committee for final review.

Application forms can be found online at http://sms.scholarshipamerica.org/jamesbeard. All scholarship application materials, including transcript, must be postmarked by May 15, 2012. Professional grant applications must be postmarked by June 15, 2012. Scholarship winners will be notified in August 2012.

About the James Beard Foundation
Founded in 1986, the James Beard Foundation is dedicated to celebrating, nurturing, and preserving America's diverse culinary heritage and future. A cookbook author and teacher, James Beard was a champion of American cuisine who helped educate and mentor generations of professional chefs and food enthusiasts. Today, the Beard Foundation continues in the same spirit by offering a variety of events and programs designed to educate, inspire, entertain and foster a deeper understanding of our culinary culture. These programs include educational initiatives, food industry awards, an annual national food conference, Leadership Awards program, culinary scholarships, and publications. In addition to maintaining the historic James Beard House in New York City's Greenwich Village as a "performance space" for visiting chefs, the Foundation has created a robust online community and hosts tastings, lectures, workshops, and food-related art exhibits in New York City and around