Women Chefs & Restaurateurs Announces 2009 Scholarship Recipients

Women Chefs & Restaurateurs (WCR) today announced 38 recipients of its 2009 Scholarship and Internship Program.

Through the program, professional and student members of WCR not only are given the chance to travel abroad to such countries as China, France, Ireland, Italy and Mexico, they also gain professional skills and inspiration from local industry leaders who generously donate their time and resources to advance the professional development of women culinarians.

"WCR thanks our members and sponsors across the globe who so generously and graciously open their kitchens, restaurants, farms, schools and businesses in support of this program," says Maureen Pothier, president of WCR and director of the culinary-arts program at Johnson & Wales University in Providence, R.I. "This support allows WCR to fulfill its mission by offering members invaluable educational opportunities."

Despite the economic downturn, the program remains as vital and inspirational as ever, reflecting the generosity of sponsors and supporters, Pothier adds. Three sponsors, for example, increased their support in 2009 from previous years: The Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health in western Massachusetts, through its executive chef, Deborah Howard, is accepting two WCR scholarship recipients as interns; Chef's Garden and the Culinary Vegetable Institute in Milan, Ohio, are accommodating three; and Nora Pouillon, executive chef and owner of Restaurant Nora in Washington, D.C., created four internship positions for WCR members.

WCR will introduce next year's Scholarship and Internship Program at its 2009 national conference, Nov. 1-3 at The Ritz-Carlton, Washington, D.C.

About Women Chefs & Restaurateurs (WCR)
Founded in 1993 by eight prominent women chefs and restaurateurs, WCR's mission is to promote and enhance the education, advancement and connection of women in the culinary industry. WCR offers a variety of networking, professional and support services to more than 2,000 members representing all industry sectors. To learn more about the opportunities offered by WCR, visit www.womenchefs.org.

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WCR congratulates the following recipients of 2009 WCR Scholarships and Internships:

$20,000 scholarship ($5,000 per year) toward a baccalaureate degree from Johnson & Wales University's College of Culinary Arts
Sandra Steward, Ft. Myers Beach, Fla.

An Organic Maine Experience at Primo Restaurant
Veronica Butler, Chicago

Barbara Tropp Memorial Internship, Beijing
Rebecca Wheeler, Chicago

Bread Baking Internship at Amy's Bread, New York City
Katie Hickok, Santa Cruz, Calif.

Catherine Brandel Fellowship
Regina Mehallick, Indianapolis

Center Yourself with an Internship at Kripalu Center for Yoga & Health
Carrie Rosebraugh, Oceanside, Calif., and Anne Churchill, New Orleans

Chef's Garden/Culinary Vegetable Institute Internship, Milan, Ohio
Erin Bell, New York City; Tania Lovato, Bernalillo, N.M.; and Sue McWilliams, Takoma Park, Md.

Cocinar Mexicano Day of the Dead Workshop
Ivy Stark, Brooklyn, N.Y.

Cooking in France with Dorothee Alexander
Shannon Kimball, Austin, Texas

Food Styling Internship with Denise Vivaldo, Food Fanatics, Los Angeles
Patricia Dickerson, Sarasota, Fla.

Front of House Management Internship with Deann Bayless, Frontera Grill, Chicago
Irene Saldana, Fountain Valley, Calif.

Internship with the "Too Hot Tamales," Border Grill, Santa Monica, Calif.
Gabrielle MonDesire, Paris, France

Learn to Grow Vegetables without Chemicals in Ireland
Alicia Deal, Seattle

New Orleans Internship with Susan Spicer, Bayona
Keisha Happy, Germantown, Md.

Organic Internship with