CECAP (Creating & Executing a Culinary Advancement Plan) is a grant-funded program that provides Massachusetts schools with customized support to improve their culinary practices and work on goal-setting. Through CECAP, schools receive guidance from a Culinary Consultant, select and work on SMART goals, and may gain eligibility for additional training opportunities such as the Chef Coaching Program.

CECAP is open to any school participating in the National School Lunch and Breakfast Program in Massachusetts. Whether your school is just beginning to explore scratch cooking or has years of culinary training experience, there is a tier of support available for you.

Getting started is easy! Simply complete the Intake Survey for a specific school in your district. Once completed, your school will be placed into one of three Tiers based on your culinary readiness. From there, you’ll receive tailored support and recommendations to enact your culinary advancement plan.

Schools are placed into one of three Tiers based on their culinary readiness:

• Tier 1: Foundation & Training – For schools beginning their culinary journey and building core skills. Culinary advancement plans (CAPs) include online trainings, workshops-to-go, and chef-supported live-setting trainings.
• Tier 2: Implementation & Growth – For schools actively applying new skills and looking to expand. CAPs include chef coaching program, culinary bootcamp, networking events, site visits, and more.
• Tier 3: Maintenance & Mentoring – For schools with extensive training experience, ready to mentor others and sustain long-term change. CAPs include hosting site visits, networking events, and invites to advanced culinary conferences.

Yes. With ongoing support from your Culinary Consultant, your school’s progress will be monitored, and you may move to a new Tier when ready.

There is no cost to participate in CECAP itself. Every school receives a Culinary Consultant, SMART goal tracking support, networking opportunities, and access to Tier-based site visits at no charge.

Costs may apply only if your school chooses to take part in the hands-on workshops or trainings through the John C. Stalker Institute (JSI). All pricing for workshops is listed on the JSI Workshops-to-Go webpage.

The Chef Coaching Program is a separate cost, which covers the expense of sending a Chef Coach to your school for 12 weeks, including travel reimbursement.

Once enrolled, schools may occasionally be asked to complete short surveys before or after trainings, but participation in any training, workshop, or activity is optional. There is no formal contract or required commitment.

Included at no cost are:

• Guidance and mentorship from a Culinary Consultant, with access to weekly office hours
• Support in creating and updating your Culinary Advancement Plan (CAP) and SMART goals
• Assessments to help determine when your school is ready to move to the next Tier
• Networking events and site visits to Tier 3 schools
• Ongoing encouragement and guidance from chefs and culinary nutrition experts to help your team meet its culinary goals

Schools can choose from a variety of JSI Workshops-to-Go, online trainings, annual conferences, and some one-time culinary events, all covering culinary techniques, education, and confidence-building for increasing scratch cooking in schools. Trainings are recommended based on your SMART goals and current Tier.

The Chef Coaching Program provides 12 sessions of hands-on full day coaching from a professional Chef Coach instructor in your Tier 2 school. This program helps schools practice culinary skills and work through barriers in real-time. Schools that have participated in the chef coaching program have worked on increasing kitchen efficiencies, cross-training staff, recipe development, inventory control, student engagement, and much more!

Tier 3 schools serve as mentors by:

• Hosting site visits for Tier 2 schools
• Sharing best practices and modeling long-term culinary change
• Encouraging participation in national professional development opportunities
• Strengthening peer-to-peer support and problem-solving within school nutrition teams

Yes! Networking sessions and mentorship site visits are a core part of CECAP and are dependent on Tier. These connections allow schools to learn from one another, share successes, and collaborate on overcoming challenges.

Through regular check-ins with your Culinary Consultant, participation in trainings, and opportunities for mentorship, CECAP helps schools sustain progress and continue to grow their culinary capacity.

If you completed the CECAP intake survey you would have received an email from the culinary consultant at JSI. Please email: culinaryconsultant@framingham.eduat any time to check on your status. Each survey completed is per school (not district), and each school is tiered individually.