The Woodlands (Houston), Texas, April 2012 …   Benchmark Hospitality International and the The James Beard Foundation in New York City have announced that applications are open for the Bob Zappatelli Culinary Arts Scholarship.  Benchmark established the scholarship in 2009 in memory of the company’s first vice president of food & beverage, Bob Zappatelli.

“The financial challenges of attending culinary school can be significant,” said Ellen Sinclair, senior vice president for Benchmark Hospitality.  “Bob was a passionate educator and mentor of young chefs, who also understood the financial hardships of following one’s dream for a career in the culinary arts.  This is why the scholarship in his name is so meaningful.”

“To be able to assist the next generation of culinary professionals through a scholarship is a profound way of keeping the memory alive of such a remarkable person as Bob Zappatelli,” stated Diane Harris Brown, director of educational and community programming for The James Beard Foundation.  “Knowing that in addition to leading the culinary program at Benchmark Hospitality, he was also a trained executive chef makes this even more meaningful to young aspiring chefs.  Bob truly remains an inspiration.”

The Bob Zappatelli Culinary Arts Scholarship Application
 
Culinary students in the United States and throughout the world can apply online through the James Beard Foundation website for consideration for the Bob Zappatelli Culinary Arts Scholarship educational resources.  Previous students awarded the scholarship have originated from the US and from Canada. 
 
The Bob Zappatelli Culinary Arts Scholarship application can be accessed online at:

http://sms.scholarshipamerica.org/jamesbeard
 
or

http://sms.scholarshipamerica.org/jamesbeard/friends.pdf

The application process remains open through May 15, 2012.
 
For further information on the Bob Zappatelli Culinary Arts Scholarship, the application process, or additional scholarships available through the James Beard Foundation, students are encouraged to visit www.JamesBeard.org

The Bob Zappatelli Culinary Arts Scholarship Fund
The Bob Zappatelli Culinary Arts Scholarship, established in 2009, is presented annually in partnership with The James Beard Foundation, the definitive culinary arts organization in the United States dedicated to showcasing American chefs' talents.  The scholarship celebrates the passion for the food & beverage profession of the late Bob Zappatelli, Benchmark Hospitality International’s first vice president of food & beverage, and serves as a living memorial to his unforgettable enthusiasm in the advancement of the culinary arts.  For many years, Bob Zappatelli worked closely with The James Beard Foundation, hosting the immensely popular Benchmark Holiday Dinner each December at the James Beard House in New York City.

The James Beard Foundation provides a Scholarship Program as one of its educational pillars, to which the Bob Zappatelli Culinary Arts Scholarship Fund has been added.  The Fund is included in the Foundation’s catalogue of nearly 80 annual culinary scholarships the organization administers and makes available each spring for students domestically and globally.  Each spring, generous scholarships are granted via the James Beard Foundation to students at many schools of note, including the Culinary Institute of America, Johnson & Wales, and Le Cordon Bleu International. The James Beard Foundation distributes resources through the Scholarship Management Services division of Scholarship America, a respected nonprofit organization that has helped award scholarships to over one million students.  

Contributing to the Bob Zappatelli Culinary Arts Scholarship Fund  
Details include:

• Donations should be made to The James Beard Foundation, with "Bob Zappatelli Culinary Arts Scholarship" indicated on the Memo line.
• Donations can be sent to:

                        The James Beard Foundation
                        Attn: Marilyn Platzer, CFO
                        167 West 12th Street
                        New York, NY  10011

• Credit card donations can also be made by calling (212) 675-4984.  Request “Special Giving.”
• The Foundation is a 501c-3 not-for-profit charitable organization and will follow up with acknowledgment of donations to all donors for their records.
• A scholarship will be awarded annually from the principal accumulated in the Bob Zappatelli Culinary Arts Scholarship Fund.

To reference “In Memoriam, A Tribute to Bob Zappetelli,” please visit: 
http://www.benchmarkhospitality.com/Media_Center/Press_Releases/Tribute_to_Bob_Zappatelli.asp
 
About Benchmark Hospitality International
Benchmark Hospitality International is a leader in the management and marketing of resorts, conference centers, hotels, and Personal Luxury Resorts & Hotels^SM.  The independent company, launched in 1980, is a worldwide organization operating properties in major metropolitan and resort destinations.  Benchmark's international headquarters is located in The Woodlands, Texas, near Houston. Benchmark Hospitality is also a founding member of the International Association of Conference Centers.  The company's eastern regional office is in New Jersey, western regional office is in Washington, with international offices in Tokyo, Japan, and Santiago, Chile. For the location of Benchmark's properties and additional information, visit www.benchmarkhospitality.com.

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