Strengthening community-based culinary arts training programs across the country
The Jacques Pépin Foundation (JPF) advances Jacques’ love of culinary arts and teaching through video and recipe production and curriculum development, expanding education and training for all.
We provide grants and other resources to community-based culinary arts training programs nationwide, supporting those organizations that help individuals detached from the workforce gain confidence, skills, and employment in the food industry.
Learn more about our specific support for culinary training programs across the U.S. by clicking on the map at right. If you are interested in learning more about the JPF, please subscribe to our newsletter or reach out to us at info@jp.foundation. We would love to know about your program.
Join the JPF’s Vision to improve lives and strengthen communities through culinary education. Joining the JPF Membership directly helps expand the reach of the JPF’s Mission to promote Jacques’ generosity and passion for cooking by supporting individuals that seek, and organizations that create pathways to success through culinary professionalism, skills, and technique.
Watch video to hear directly from program participants about the advantages of culinary training
Grants and Collaborative Opportunities
The Jacques Pépin Foundation supports culinary arts education and job training. Our mission is in part realized by supporting non-profit, community-based, culinary arts training programs that offer life skills and culinary training to adults with high barriers to employment. Questions about our Grants Program? Please contact Jennifer Quigley-Harris at jennifer@jp.foundation.
Request for Proposals
2024 JPF Principal Grant Program RFP
ROUND 1 PROPOSALS DUE May 1, 2024
(Round 2 due October 1, 2024)
Applications are welcome from existing nonprofits for general operation costs OR specific projects to enhance a culinary training program. Grant proposals may include general operating costs, costs for membership fees to join a community kitchen network, funds to improve facilities, expand programming, directly improve teaching, add certifications, support alumni, or expand or improve upon employer partnerships.
- We are accepting bids for up to $10,000 grants.
- Organizations funded during last year’s 2023 JPF grant cycle are NOT eligible to apply in 2024 (may apply 2025).
- Organizations funded during the 2022 JPF grant cycle (or earlier) are invited to apply.
- Organizations that applied during any JPF grant cycle year and were not funded are invited to apply.
- Organizations that have never applied for JPF grant funding are invited to apply.
Pictured
2023 Grant Program Recipient, Salvation Army Massachusetts
Request for Proposals
2024 Gloria Pépin Memorial Grant
PROPOSALS DUE May 15, 2024
We invite previously JPF-funded community based culinary training programs to submit proposals for this special grant opportunity. In honor of Jacques’ late wife, the JPF offers the “Gloria Pépin Memorial Grant”, a $5,000 unrestricted award, to a top female graduate of a JPF grant-awarded community kitchen program. All JPF grant awardees from any previous year are invited to nominate one graduate per year for this award, to be distributed in June. Learn more about our 2023 recipient, Melissa (Missy) Terrell
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2023 Gloria Pépin Memorial Grant Recipient Melissa (Missy) Terrell
Request for Proposals
2024 Carl Robert “Bob” Wesen Memorial Grant
PROPOSALS DUE May 15, 2024
We invite previously JPF-funded community based culinary training programs to submit proposals for this special grant opportunity. In honor of our Executive Director Rollie Wesen’s late father, the JPF offers the “Bob Wesen Memorial Grant”, named for a man of exceptional kindness and integrity who loved to garden and grow food. This grant is a $5,000 unrestricted award, to a top male graduate of a JPF grant-awarded community kitchen program. All JPF grant awardees from any previous year will be invited to nominate one graduate per year for this award, to be distributed in June.
Partners and Beneficiaries
We partner with Catalyst Kitchens, a network of nonprofits leading a movement to end joblessness through foodservice job training and social enterprise.
We support Feeding America’s network of culinary job training programs housed in food banks across the country.
JPF Support
Grant Funding
Support for Community Kitchens
Since we started our grants program in 2019, we have granted over $1,000,000 to multiple organizations nationwide. The JPF mission and vision are rooted firmly in the belief that culinary skills training leads better health, increased self-confidence, and employment and career opportunities. We are proud to partner with and support organizations in every community that offer life skills and culinary training to individuals with high barriers to employment.
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2021 Grant Program Recipient, La Cocina
Curricular Materials
JPF Library
The Foundation distributes a set of books that includes two Jacques Pépin technique-driven cookbooks — Complete Techniques and Essential Pépin (along with accompanying educational DVD), and a copy of Jacques’ autobiography The Apprentice to training programs for use in their curriculum or as an addition to their lending library for participants.
Cooking Videos
The Foundation offers selections of Jacques Pépin cooking videos on its website for all culinary training programs to access and use in their curriculum.
The Foundation offers free JPF Group Memberships for organizations that have received a grant, providing multi-person logins for Cook with Jacques Pepin & Friends – the JPF Membership Video Recipe Book that features over 165 cooking videos.
In 2021, the JPF released a collaborative online culinary curriculum with Rouxbe Online Culinary Education. This online course called “Jacques Pépin: A Legacy of Technique” helps support our work with training programs.
Industry Support
We continue to build relationships with food industry partners such as OXO and Chef Works to help provide much-needed equipment and supplies for community-based culinary training program grantees. Please reach out to us if you would like more information about becoming a Jacques Pépin Industry Partner.
