Ikimi Dubose: Making It On The Hill
 C-CAP Graduate
Park West High School
New York, New York
Teachers: Michael Lynch & Gloria Tanderjian
Current Position
Chef, Rayburn Café and Cafeteria
U.S. House of Representatives
Washington, D.C.
How C-CAP Made a Difference
Dubose received cash scholarships, which
she used to attend Johnson & Wales
University. In 2006, she was honored at the
annual benefit—“my most memorable C-CAP
experience,” she explains. “C-CAP invited my
high school instructors and my first chef. To
top it off, Thomas Keller and I chatted for
quite some time about being successful.”
Ikimi Dubose runs the second largest of five dining areas in
the U.S. Capitol. On a typical day, her Rayburn Café serves
over 14,000 meals to members of Congress and staffers. She
fields menu requests from lawmakers, including Speaker of
the House Nancy Pelosi.
It’s a far cry from the world that brought her into the C-CAP
program in high school. Dubose was on her own long before
graduation, choosing independence over a troubled family
life. Yet, in her culinary arts class, she revealed great things to
come. Among her first achievements: becoming the youngest-ever manager for Marriott International. “That showcased my
ability to learn quickly and implement effective programs in
the kitchen,” she confirms. |
