Fifth Annual Ment'or Grant Program

 The ment'or BKB Foundation is now accepting grant applications for the 2018-2019 fifth annual ment'or Grant Program. Designed for chefs with at least three years of full time work experience, the ment'or Grant Program provides aspiring chefs who may not have the access or resources with once-in-a-lifetime opportunities to expand their training and skills. Awarding one to two month grants that cover salary and basic living expenses, the Grant Program allows participating chefs the opportunity to focus on and evolve their craft. 

Established mentors from some of the world's top restaurants grant access to their kitchens and provide invaluable experience and training as a result of this initiative. Grantees learn new techniques, work with new products, and understand different styles of kitchen cultures and approaches to food and hospitality. 

Since the program launched in 2014, ment'or has awarded over $1.2 million in grants to ambitious chefs. To date, 100 grant recipients have staged in over 70 restaurants in 14 countries, including award-winning establishments such as: Atelier Crenn (CA), Attica (Australia), Benu (CA), Den (Japan), La Pergola (Italy), Le Bernardin (NY), Maison Pozzoli (France), Noma (Denmark), Pujol (Mexico), The French Laundry (CA) and many more.

Ileene Cho, 2017 grantee, commented, "I always thought that learning and perfecting the fundamentals of pastry was one of the most important aspects in advancing my career. This entire experience was truly life changing. Not only did I learn kitchen skills, I learned about the French culture. My experience at Le Meurice showed me a different and new perspective on the pastry world. I am eternally grateful to ment'or for having been awarded this amazing opportunity."

"Inspiring and educating young culinary talent is the core of what ment'or stands for," states ment'or Executive Director, Young Yun. "Providing these unparalleled opportunities can make a critical difference in a cook's career. Knowing this experience will ultimately change the course of one's life is truly rewarding." 

Ment'or is accepting applications now through December 28. For additional details about the ment'or Grant Program or the organization, click here.