Last week we announced the winners of the III Sammic Scholarship for BasqueStage. We had over 70 talented applicants this year, making the decision quite difficult. Chef Martín Berasategui and his team combed through resumes, essays, and videos to determine the two winners of the scholarship.
This week, we’d like to tell you a little more about our III Sammic Scholars for BasqueStage: Ruth Selby and Elisha Ben-Haim:
Ruth SelbyRuth Selby is a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America in Greystone, California. She is a promising young chef who has experienced nearly every facet of the food industry. Not only has she worked in kitchens, she has toiled on the farm, growing and selling produce for other chefs to use. She has also seen the editorial side, writing and working in the test kitchens of Saveur Magazine. She has previous experience cooking in Spain, and we are excited to welcome her to the kitchen of Berasategui. “I have longed to study the balance of traditional ingredients with innovation in technique that characterizes cooking in the País Vasco, particularly at Berasategui. ” Follow Ruth: |
Elisha Ben-HaimElisha Ben-Haim is from Israel and is a graduate of the CIA in New York City. He boasts an impressive resume of jobs and stages, everywhere from New York institutions like the Russian Tea Room to the lauded Del Posto. He brings a dedication sharpened by work in the kitchen as well as combat service and hiking the Appalachian Trail. “I am looking for a kitchen that will demand the highest level of commitment and perfection from me everyday, a kitchen that values and respects the ingredients used and the people that grow, raise, and harvest them.” Follow Elisha: |
The two scholars have won a six-month stage at Chef Berasategui’s starred restaurant outside of San Sebastián. Their transportation and living costs will all be taken care of, and they will be awarded a monthly stipend of 500 euros. They will also receive an instant platform via social media and blogs with which to communicate their experience.