Applications Now Open for $50,000 Prizes for Immigrants Working Across the Culinary Arts

Calling all immigrant practitioners and storytellers:
Chefs, brewers, bakers, mixologists, food filmmakers and journalists, chocolatiers, sommeliers, historians, cheese makers, food stylists, content creators, caterers, pastry chefs, food critics, distillers, culinary writers, testers, sous chefs, vintners, recipe developers, podcasters, and editors!

NEW YORK, Feb. 17, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — The Vilcek Foundation is now accepting applications for the 2027 Vilcek Prizes for Creative Promise in Culinary Arts through May 4, 2026. Six $50,000 cash awards will be given to young immigrants in the United States, aged 38 or younger, who have demonstrated outstanding early achievement in the field.

“[Winning the 2019 Vilcek Prize for Creative Promise in Culinary Arts] was a really pivotal moment in my career. My identity as an immigrant was never front and center, and it was really interesting to think about that part of myself. It made me realize that there’s another dimension to myself and my work.” says Tejal Rao, now the Co-Chief Restaurant Critic for the New York Times. “Immigrants power the restaurant industry with their labor, which often goes unseen, but they’re also part of the creative engine that pushes our food culture forward in countless delicious ways.”

The Vilcek Foundation will honor three immigrants working in the Food & Beverage category, and three immigrants in the Media & Storytelling category, with individual, unrestricted cash awards.

“From food trucks to fine dining, immigrant labor and ingenuity have made the American culinary scene amongst the most robust in the world,” says Rick Kinsel, President of the Vilcek Foundation. “With these prizes, we are proud to bring the full diversity of immigrant contributions into national focus. We welcome applicants from around the world and across the culinary arts—including content creators, Chefs de Cuisine, and everyone in between.”

Food & Beverage

Foreign-born culinary artists tell stories through their creations that bridge geographic barriers and inspire connection. The Vilcek Prizes for Creative Promise in Food & Beverage will celebrate immigrants working as:

Culinary Artists—chefs, sous chefs, pastry chefs, caterers, etc.
Beverage Professionals—vintners, distillers, brewers, sommeliers, mixologists, etc.
Artisans & Food Makers—producers of craft and fine foods such as breads and baked goods, chocolates, cheeses, preserves, charcuterie, confections, tea, vinegars, spices, condiments, and other fine craft products.

Media & Storytelling

Immigrants who document food and drink traditions record the ways cultures are shared, preserved, and enriched. The Vilcek Prizes for Creative Promise in Media & Storytelling recognize immigrants working as:

Writers, Thinkers, & Researchers—culinary writers, editors, journalists, authors, academics (historical, theoretical, anthropological), food critics, food essayists, and professionals working in food sustainability and innovation, etc.
Multi-Media & Entertainment Specialists—culinary professionals in film/TV, broadcast and documentary producers, filmmakers, content creators, podcasters, photographers, stylists, recipe developers and testers, etc.

The Vilcek Prizes for Creative Promise in the Arts and Humanities are awarded in a different field each year; the Vilcek Prizes for Creative Promise in Culinary Arts are only offered once every 8-10 years. Eligible applicants must not be more than 38 years old and have lived in the United States for a total of at least four years. Additionally, applicants must have five years of experience in fields related to Food & Beverage or Media & Storytelling, and possess a strong track record of high-caliber work that enriches the culinary arts.

Applications will be accepted until May 4, 2026 at 5 pm EST. Prizewinners will be selected for the rigor and impact of their work by a jury of culinary experts appointed by the Vilcek Foundation. Recipients will each receive an unrestricted cash award of $50,000, a commemorative trophy, and will be nationally promoted by the Vilcek Foundation.

Interested applicants can apply and learn more about the Vilcek Prizes for Creative Promise in Food & Beverage or Media & Storytelling through the foundation’s website. All questions about the Vilcek Prizes for Creative Promise or the application process can be sent to creativepromise@vilcek.org.

The Vilcek Foundation raises awareness of immigrant contributions in the United States and fosters appreciation for the arts and sciences more broadly. Since it was established in 2000 by Jan and Marica Vilcek, the foundation has awarded over $17 million in prizes and grants in support of this mission.

The Vilcek Foundation is a private operating foundation, a federally tax-exempt nonprofit organization under IRC Section 501(c)(3). To learn more, please visit vilcek.org.

Contact
Shelby Roller
The Vilcek Foundation
212-472-2500
shelby.roller@vilcek.org