The Culinary Historians of New York Scholar’s Grant

The CHNY Scholar’s Grant promotes research and scholarship in the field of culinary history and is awarded annually to individuals seeking financial support for a current, well-developed project that will culminate in a book, article, paper, film, or other scholarly endeavor, including ephemera. The grants are unrestricted and can be used to defray research expenses, attend conferences, or engage in other activities related to the applicant’s project. The CHNY Scholar’s Grant is merit-based; financial need is not considered in making the award.

All recipients will present their findings to Culinary Historians of New York, either in an in-person program, as an article to be included in NYFoodStory: The Journal of the Culinary Historians of New York, or as another appropriate event. Further information is included in the Application and General Release Form.

Since 2012, the importance of the CHNY Scholar’s Grant has been recognized by The Julia Child Foundation for Gastronomy and the Culinary Arts and rewarded with generous financial support. We are pleased to announce that the support has been increased this year, allowing CHNY to award THREE grants in the amount of $3,500, $2500, and $1,500, respectively.

There are three parts to the application process for the Culinary Historians of New York Scholar’s Grants:

1. A current resumé or c.v.;
2. A completed Application Form and Release for the 2017 Scholar’s Grant, available here ;
3. A 500 word Unsigned Essay (submitted as a .pdf or .docx file) describing the project for which the Scholar’s Grant is sought. The Unsigned Essay should include the working title that appears on the Application and Release, but should not not include personal identifying information, as the evaluation of the applications is blind.

The c.v., Application Form and Release, and Unsigned Essay should be saved with applicant’s surname in the title of the file (e.g. SurnameCV, etc.)  and emailed to secretary@culinaryhistoriansny.org no later than midnight, Friday, June 2, 2017.

CHNY Scholar’s Grant Winners

2016: Stacy Williams, Anthony Buccini

Stacy Williams, “Recipes for Resistance: Culinary Writings from American Feminists, 1875-2005” ($3,500)

Anthony Buccini, “From Kongri to Diri ak Djondjon: Slavery, Creolization, and Culinary Genesis in Saint Domingue and Independent Haiti” ($1,500)

2015: Francis and Bronwen Percival, Emily Arendt

Francis and Bronwen Percival, “Every up-to-date cheesemaker knows: How starter cultures changed cheese, 1880-1930” ($3,500)

Professor Emily Arendt, “Making Politics Palatable: Food and Partisanship in the Early American Republic.” ($1,500)

2014: Joy Fraser, Scott Alves Barton

Professor Joy Fraser, George Mason University, “Honest Poverty versus Foreign Fakery: Popular Histories of Haggis and Culinary Historical Corrective” ($3,500)

Scott Alves Barton, PhD candidate, New York University, “Feeding the Gods: Afro-Brazilian Street Foods and dendé” ($1,500)

2013: Jennifer Wallach, Eric Dursteler

Professor Jennifer Wallach, University of North Texas, “Eating High on the Hog: African-Americans, Food Reform, and Racial Uplift.” ($3,500).

Professor Eric Dursteler, Brigham Young University, “Around the Mediterranean: Foodways and Identity.” ($1,500).

2012: India Mandelkern, Larry H. Spruill

India Mandelkern, PhD candidate, University of California at Berkeley, “In Da Club: Dining and Taste-making in 18th Century London” ($3,500).

Professor Larry H. Spruill, Morehouse College, “Down By the Creek: Cooking with Rebecca Taylor in Early Eastchester’s Guion Tavern” ($1,500).

2010: Kimberly L. Sorensen

Kimberly L. Sorensen, M.A., Bard Graduate Center, NYC, for continuing research on the carved mahogany cake boards used to raise designs on New Year’s Cakes in early nineteenth century New York. ($1,000)

2009: Ellen Schnepel

Ellen Schnepel, Independent Scholar, “The Cooking of History: Early Travelogues as Gastronomic Adventure.” ($1,000)

2008: Willa Zhen

Willa Zhen, PhD candidate, School of Oriental and Asian Studies, London, UK, “The Transmission of Knowledge in Cantonese Cooking Schools.” ($1,000)

2007: Megan J. Elias

Megan J. Elias, Professor, Queensborough Community College, “Cooking the Books: Nationalism, Regionalism, and American Cookbooks, 1865-1917.” ($1,000)

2006: Elizabeth M. Simms

Elizabeth M. Simms, Independent Scholar, “Tuskegee Experiment Station / Papers of George Washington Carver”($1,000). Simm’s paper on George Washington Carver should be freely available via Google Books within the next 6 months in Food and Language: Proceedings of the 2009 Oxford Symposium on Food and Cookery.

2005: Elizabeth Alsop

Elizabeth Alsop, PhD candidate, CUNY Graduate Center, “America Eats” Project. ($1,000).

Contributions to the CHNY Scholar’s Grant Fund

Culinary Historians of New York would like to increase the amount or number of grants given in the future and contributions to the scholarship fund are encouraged. Further information is available by writing to us at ScholarsGrant@culinaryhistoriansny.org.

Culinary Historians of New York is a tax-exempt organization under § 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Please consult your tax advisor for advice on the tax deductibility of contributions.