• focused kitchen workspace

• 1:1 culinary mentorship w marcus samuelsson

• garden access and sustainability immersions

• professional development workshops

• 1:1 mentoring with advisory board

• opportunity to curate pop-up restaurant at leading cultural institution

• $5,000 living stipend room and board at denniston hill

• and more

November 2025–January 2026: Applicant Review
Rise Residency team selects up to 2 residents for the founding cohort. Onboarding begins: project goals defined, expectations set, resources shared.

February–March 2026: Mentorship Begins
Monthly calls with Marcus. Real talk about your project, your market, your fears. Advisory board office hours open. You're building, not just planning.

April 2026: Residency at Denniston Hill
Two weeks. No distractions. Private studio in the Hudson Valley. Garden immersions. Communal meals with interdisciplinary artists. Access to The Stacks—rare cookbooks, oral histories, family recipes that shaped American food. This is where your project crystallizes.

May–July 2026: Momentum
Back home, but not alone. Virtual Kitchen Table sessions with your cohort. Advisory board check-ins. Professional development workshops. The work gets real.

August 2026: Launch
Your capstone: Four-hand dinner with Marcus. Pop-up restaurant. Community conversation. Industry eyes on you—investors, critics, restaurateurs. Your next chapter begins.

Post-Fellowship:
You're part of a community of culinary professionals committed to industry innovation

Denniston Hill is an artist residency and cultural platform rooted in 220 acres of forested land in the southern Catskill Mountains, within the ancestral territory of the Esopus people of Lenapehoking, co-founded by renowned visual artists Julie Mehretu, Paul Pfeiffer, and Lawrence Chua.

This land is not just a backdrop. It is a collaborator in the creative life of our community. Since 2004, we have welcomed more than 200 artists from around the world into a residency grounded in care, connection, and shared resources. Residents receive free room and board, roundtrip travel, private studio space, access to a woodshop and community garden, and support from a growing network of artists, thinkers, and local neighbors. A modest stipend helps cover the cost of everyday life during their stay. At Denniston Hill, time unfolds differently.

Denniston Hill offers a rare kind of pause—a chance for artists to step away from the relentless demands of productivity and enter a slower rhythm that nurtures rest, reflection, and renewal. In this spaciousness, artists can reconnect with their practice, with the land, and with one another, allowing new ideas to take root. Denniston Hill is more than a place to work. It is a space to breathe deeply, to experiment freely, and to be present. Here, creative process is honored in its full complexity, and artists are supported as whole people.

Time. Resources. A community that gets it. Or just space to think beyond the grind. If you're at that crossroads between where you are and where you know you could be—keep reading.

We're Looking For:
At Least Five Years Experience

You've worked line cook hours, written deadline-driven articles, spent time developing wine and spirit brands, managed hospitality teams, or built a small food business. You're a veteran, not entry-level. You know what you're doing; you need support to do more.

The Project-Ready Visionary
Your idea is simmering: that cookbook preserving grandma's recipes. That restaurant reimagining West African flavors. That sommelier education platform for BIPOC students. That meal kit bringing heritage ingredients to wider markets. You just need time and backing to bring it to life.

The Heritage Keeper
Setting innovation in the context of established food legacies matters to you—not as a trend, but as a foundation. You're documenting what's being lost. Celebrating what's thriving. Understanding what comes next implies a sense of history.

The Collaborative Builder
You're not competing with other Residents; you're learning alongside them and competing with yourself to find the next tier of your ability. You believe in open hands, shared knowledge, communal tables. You are capable of feedback and stretch that may be challenging. You are comfortable with confronting the unknown, employing the flexibility and patience to navigate growth points needed to create new work and expand yourself to serve your goal.

The Committed Professional
You can dedicate up to four hours weekly for six months and two to three weeks to retreat at Denniston Hall (April-August 2026) and stay engaged through virtual sessions (monthly through August). Your employer supports professional development—or you're self-employed and making this happen.

Still Not Sure?
We see you: Wondering if your résumé is "impressive enough." If your project is "developed enough." If Marcus will think you're "ready enough."

Here's what we know: The best applicants doubt themselves. Impostors don't.

If you've spent 5+ years in food, beverage or a related field, have a vision that keeps you up at night, and are willing to do the work—you're ready.

Two residents. One founding cohort. Your application starts the conversation.

• Your Food Journey (200 words)

• Your Current Reality (150 words)

• What You Want to Build (400 words)

• Heritage + Innovation (300 words)

• Who Benefits Beyond You? (250 words)

• Your Growth Edges (200 words)

• How You Problem-Solve (250 words)

• Why Rise, Why Now? (200 words)

• What Others Say (100 words)

• Work Sample + References

1.Who is eligible to apply?

Experienced culinary professionals with 5+ years of experience. This includes chefs, food writers, recipe developers, sommeliers, food entrepreneurs, culinary historians, and hospitality professionals. If you work in food culture at a professional level and have a project ready to develop, you belong here.

2. What if I can't take two full weeks off between April and August 2026?

We understand mid-career means commitments. Talk to your employer now about professional development leave—many hospitality companies support this. If timing is truly impossible, this may not be the year to apply. We may have flexibility for extraordinary circumstances, but two-week residency participation is generally required.

3. Do I need a fully formed business plan?

No. You need a vision and willingness to develop it. The fellowship IS the space to refine your concept. We're investing in potential, not polish. Rough drafts, early-stage ideas, and "I've been thinking about this but haven't written it down yet" are all welcome in your application.

4. I'm in Atlanta/Chicago/LA/[not NYC]. Is this really for me?

Yes. The residency is in New York's Hudson Valley, but fellows can come from across the U.S., provided they may need to furnish their own travel to New York City for the retreat and the closing program. We prioritize Northeast applicants for practical post-residency connection reasons, but we welcome all regions. Your project and vision matter more than your zip code.

5. How selective is Cycle One?

Very. We're accepting 2 residents from what we expect to be 100+ applications. But don't let that stop you. We're looking for readiness and vision, not perfect résumés. The best applicants often doubt themselves most. If you're questioning whether you're "impressive enough"—you probably are.

6. Can I apply again if not selected?

Absolutely. Not being selected for Cycle One doesn't mean your project isn't strong—it might mean it needs more development, or someone else's timeline was more urgent. Future cohorts will expand. Apply again. Show us your growth.

7. What happens after the fellowship ends?

You'll have a completed project (or significant progress), industry connections, Marcus's ongoing advice, and a cohort for life. RISE fellows become part of our alumni network—first access to future programming, collaborative opportunities, and community that gets the work.

8. Is there a cost to participate?

No. The fellowship includes $5K stipend, room and board during residency, and all programming. There is no application fee. No participation fee. Ever. This is an investment in you.

9. I don't have "big name" recommendation letters. Does that matter?

Not at all. We want people who know your work and can speak to your readiness—mentors, colleagues, collaborators. A letter from your sous chef who's watched you develop leaders is worth more than a letter from a celebrity chef who doesn't know you. Authenticity over celebrity.

10. What if my project changes during the fellowship?

Good. That means you're thinking critically. We're here to support your evolution, not lock you into a rigid plan. Many fellows arrive with one idea and leave with something better. Flexibility is part of the process.

11. What if I have further questions? When will I hear back if I was accepted?

We are a small team and cannot respond to individual application requests. All vital details have been provided and questions beyond the guidance should be taken as non-urgent. Any notes you feel you need to make about your candidacy should be noted in the application. Our goal is to make announcements by January 10, 2026. This website will be updated when a decision is reached.

• Applications open November 2025

• Fellowship announced January 2026

• Mentorship begins February 2026

• Residency begins April 2026

• Closing Forum + Culminating Event July 2026