John Besh Foundation

Established in 2011, the John Besh Foundation provides scholarships, grants and loans to individuals in the New Orleans community with the passion, creativity and knowledge to enact change in New Orleans and Louisiana. Chef John Besh created the John Besh Foundation in order to better serve his community by bringing a focus to his efforts in New Orleans. Through essential partnerships and generous donations, the Foundation promotes the preservation of the culinary history and culture of New Orleans and Louisiana through the cultivation of new talent and the support of local endeavors. After Hurricane Katrina, many predicted that the city -and its proud culinary traditions- would never be the same. Instead, New Orleans rallied, and the return of po'boys and gumbo became a marker of that resurgence. The food of our city is at its best when it embraces the rich amalgamation of cultures the city represents. Likewise, the people of New Orleans will find their best future when we come together around a common table, something that the John Besh Foundation proposes to foster using the cross-cultural force of great food. Like food, which can represent sustenance and exuberance, relationships and new beginnings, the John Besh Foundation helps build up communities and encourages new growth. It celebrates New Orleans' past by building a lasting community -a culinary world- that can revel in what exists while sustainably cultivating further progress, talent, and opportunity.