CHAYA Restaurants has partnered with Careers through Culinary Arts Programs (C-CAP) to help educate and train underserved high school students who want to pursue a career in the restaurant industry and is the first to launch C-CAP LA’s Adopt-a-School program.

Fifteen culinary students from Hollywood, West Adams and Westchester high schools will compete in a “Top Tuna Tartare Chef” competition at CHAYA Downtown as part of C-CAP’s Adopt-a-School Program.  CHAYA’s Executive Chef Shigefumi Tachibe and CHAYA Downtown’s Chef de Cuisine, Kazuya Matsuoka will judge the competition, along with Executive Director for C-CAP, Los Angeles, Mitzie Cutler.

CHAYA has an unprecedented 390-year history of restaurants owned and operated by the same Tsunoda family both in Japan and California.  CHAYA began under an enormous shade tree in Hayama, Japan, centuries ago, where they offered tea, sweets and respite to weary horseback travelers.  Today, there are two locations in Japan (Hikage CHAYA and La Marée de CHAYA) and four locations in California (Beverly Hills, Venice, Downtown LA, and San Francisco).

Careers through Culinary Arts Program (C-CAP) works with public schools across the country to prepare underserved high school students for college and career opportunities in the restaurant and hospitality industry.   C-CAP provides training and curriculum enrichment programs including: teacher training; scholarships and cooking competitions; job shadows, job training, internships, and career advising; college advising and college 101; and product donations.  For more information about C-CAP, visit www.ccapinc.org.