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Fall 2026 Chef Bootcamp for Policy and Change Application

Thank you for your interest in applying to the  James Beard Foundation’s  Chef Bootcamp for Policy and Change. This application should take no longer than one hour to complete. The application consists of three parts:   


1.  Demographics

2. Policy advocacy interest and experience (you do not need prior experience to apply, but interest is key)

3. A brief essay or video (details below)

 

 You will also need to provide 1-2 brief letters of recommendation.  


Our Fall 2026 Bootcamp will take place  Monday September 28th – Wednesday September 30th, 2026, at Glynwood Center for Regional Food and Farming in Cold Spring, NY.    


Your Bootcamp commitment includes reading any material sent ahead of time and holding meetings with your elected officials afterwards, as well as reporting on those meetings with the JBF team and your cohort.


A maximum of 15 applicants will be selected. Priority will be given to chefs who own restaurants. Successful applicants will be notified in July and will need to confirm acceptance within 3 days. We recommend blocking the Bootcamp dates on your calendar when you submit your application to ensure that you can attend if selected.  Attendance for all three days is required.   

 

The application for the Fall 2026 Bootcamp closes on June  21st at 11:59 pm PST. 

 

Note: Applicants who have not participated in a JBF program over the last 12 months might be prioritized. Please note that we do not accept two applicants from the same business (spouses, partners, coworkers, etc.) for the same Bootcamp. No guests or plus ones are allowed to attend. 

 

Contact Information Release 
 
By applying to Bootcamp, you acknowledge that JBF may send communications, offers, and other information to you, and that you may unsubscribe from or opt out of the receipt of such emails at any time.  

If you have any questions, please reach out to impactforward@jamesbeard.org 

 

General Information



























Demographics












Reach
Directions: If not applicable for your business, type in N/A 





Policy Advocacy Interest & Experience

























On a scale from poor to excellent, how familiar are you with the following topics?
Poor Fair Good Very good Excellent


How important are the following issues to you in the restaurant and beverage industry?
Not important Slightly important Neutral Fairly important Very important






Personal Statement

We are looking for leaders who are aligned with JBF's values and are committed to improving the industry and food system through policy advocacy.

Please submit a brief essay (no more than 300 words) describing your interest in attending a Chef Bootcamp. In this personal statement, please touch on the four questions below:

  • Why do you want to participate in Bootcamp?
  • What do you hope to learn at Bootcamp?
  • How will you benefit from advocacy training?
  • What do you plan on doing with this training?

Let us know if you need assistance submitting an essay or video, or if you have any questions or concerns.


Letters of Recommendation

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