Alumni Emergency Relief Fund to Benefit Chef Lay Alston

C-CAP announces the establishment of the Alumni Emergency Relief Fund to benefit our alumna, Chef Lay Alston.

Sadly, Chef Lay fell victim to a shooting incident in New York City in July, just a few short days before she was to resume her teaching position as chef-instructor at the Institute of Culinary Education in Los Angeles. She has also worked at Café Boulud and Red Rooster in New York City.

Chef Lay had returned to New York City during the pandemic as her mother had passed away from Coronavirus in May. At present, Chef Lay has been through several surgeries, and just started rehabilitation. There is a strong chance that she will remain paralyzed from the waist down for life. It is unclear how or where Lay will be able to continue her culinary work or even teach in the future, and more broadly, how she will support herself. The funds raised through the the Alumni Emergency Relief Fund will help Chef Lay in the near-term, and serve as a gesture of hope and resilience as she begins her rehabilitation process.