Fundaziun Uccelin - apply now!
From 1 to 31 March 2025, talented chefs and waiters will once again have the chance to apply for one of the coveted scholarships offered by the Fundaziun Uccelin foundation set up by Andreas and Sarah Caminada. Every year, twenty young people are given the opportunity to spend five months at a total of seven partner companies and at Schloss Schauenstein in Fürstenau (GR) to gain an insight into different working cultures and broaden their horizons.
‘For me personally, gaining insights into top companies at a young age was absolutely inspiring and motivating. Together with our Uccelin partner companies, we want to make a lasting contribution to the industry and young talent with the 20-week support programme,’ says Andreas Caminada. The foundation celebrates its 10th anniversary at the end of the year. ‘We have already awarded 89 scholarships, invested over CHF 1.3 million in talented young chefs and service staff and can now count 36 producers and 70 restaurants as partners. To have achieved this as a small foundation from Fürstenau fills us with pride. We are looking forward to the next ten Uccelins who will start their Uccelin journey with the application,’ says the 47-year-old from Graubünden.
Wings for gastronomic dreams - a unique programme
The five-month programme begins for all scholarship holders at Schloss Schauenstein, where they spend two weeks learning alongside head chef Marcel Skibba or looking over the shoulders of the team led by restaurant manager Patrizia Planer in the service department. They then spend four weeks travelling to each of the three individually selected restaurants and one week to each of the four producers. This year, the foundation is also delighted to have a new addition to its partner restaurants - for the first time, the ‘Uccelins’ can continue their training at the 3-star restaurant Da Vittorio near Bergamo.
At the end of the scholarship, the Uccelins return to Fürstenau and present their final project, which reflects their journey and is intended to generate additional income through sales. Eva Baumgartner completed her programme in January 2025 and went through stages at Quintonil (Mexico City), Markus Ruch's vineyard in Neunkrich, Blue Hill at Stone Barns (New York) and the No Idea Bar in Zurich, among others. ‘I wanted my final project to reflect the values of hospitality, warmth and timeless elegance,’ says the 29-year-old from South Tyrol. She created a product range of T-shirts, tote bags, jumpers, caps and towels with the slogan ‘From Fürstenau with love’, which focuses on the foundation's place of origin.
Online application
Interested candidates can apply on the online portal (uccelin.com/apply-now) from 1 March. Sarah and Andreas Caminada will select ten candidates together with the Board of Trustees by the end of April. The divisional trips for the talented 35-year-olds will then start at the end of the year.
The foundation will coordinate the internships and take care of all administrative matters. The scholarship covers travel expenses including visas, accommodation and food costs, as well as pocket money.
10th anniversary
The foundation celebrates its 10th anniversary in 2026. The anniversary year kicks off on 1 December with the now traditional charity dinner with guest chefs at Schloss Schauenstein. ‘In recent years, we have welcomed greats such as Björn Frantzén, Ana Ros and Virgilio Martínez and delighted our guests,’ enthuses Andreas Caminada. Who will be cooking this year will be announced shortly. ‘We are definitely looking forward to an unforgettable line-up to kick off this special year for the foundation.’
Uccelin events
AC Masters golf tournament
at the Sagogn Golf Club
Monday, 10 June 2025
Registration: info@uccelin.com
Anniversary charity lunch and dinner with Andreas Caminada, Marcel Skibba and two international celebrity chefs
at Schauenstein Castle
Monday, 1 December 2024
Registration: info@uccelin.com
Contact
Anthea Zinsli
Managing Director
info@uccelin.com | +41 81 81 632 10 83