BCA

Last updated on September 4, 2008

The BCA is a national non-profit foodservice, hospitality and educational networking organization. BCA’s mission is to create awareness, exposure, and educational opportunities for all people of color within the profession, and to provide a vehicle to support the development of young people who are considering careers in the culinary and/or hospitality industries.

Description:
Since 1993, The BCA (previously Black Culinarian Alliance) a 501 (c) (3) organization has been enhancing professional and educational opportunities for minorities within the food service and hospitality industry nationwide. Over the past ten years, the BCA has grown into a 500-member organization that includes individuals of all races and backgrounds (African-Americans, Asians, and Hispanics), which 40% are women. All are considering careers or are currently established in the culinary or allied hospitality fields.
Presently, the number of ethnic racial minorities holding professional culinary/hospitality positions is small. This low presence is primarily due to inadequate training and costly educational programs; a lack of access to networks (both formal and informal); and limited information about career opportunities. The BCA’s main goal is to alter this trend through innovative programming and partnerships with corporations who need to fulfill their workforce diversity objectives.
Today, the BCA provides its members with quality educational and employment resources; job coaching, mentoring and assistance with placement; as well as providing a networking support. The BCA also assists industry participants to address the formidable challenge of attracting, finding, retaining, and promoting minority employees through access to their well-trained members. This pool of culinary and hospitality professionals of color allows corporate sponsors to satisfy Equal Employment Opportunities Commission (EEOC) minority hiring requirements; create and build a national awareness of their products, services and diversity programs; and meet social and community responsibilities.

History:
Three graduates of the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, NY founded the organization in 1993. Operating as the Black Culinarian Alumni Chapter of the Culinary Institute of America, it was the first membership of its kind for minority graduates of a culinary institution. The Black Culinarian Alliance was incorporated as a 501(c)(3) in January 1998.
The BCA was established to address the limited employment and career advancement opportunities for African-Americans in the culinary, restaurant, and hospitality industries. A corollary purpose was to help corporations in these industries meet minority job placement and recruitment objectives by providing them with well-trained African-American candidates.
The BCA accomplished its dual objectives by exposing inner city high school students (addendum attached) to the culinary arts through workshops that introduced this field as a viable career option and establishing itself as a culinary and hospitality service organization. The BCA’s early efforts influenced many young African-Americans to seek careers in a field they may not have otherwise considered.

Contact person: Alex Askew, President, (631) 513-0336, (email)
Office fax number: (212) 283-7127

Address:

55 West 116th St Suite 234
New York, NY 10026
(See a map)

Web Site: http://www.thebca.net

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