Storytelling is
how we train.
It is how we scale.
It is how we change systems to build a more sustainable industry that equips talent with skills to grow, stay and lead—boosting retention and raising standards.
From Film to Force for Change
MAPP is a 501-C3 non-profit organization building a sustainable culinary and hospitality industry through workforce development. We empower one another to lead through Mentorship, Advocacy, Purpose, & the Power of community (MAPP).
Storytelling is not an accessory to MAPP’s work—it is the core operating system.
We use film to expose problems, build empathy, train talent and unlock long-term industry potential.
It all began form the award-winning PBS documentary A Fine Line, directed and produced by MAPP Founder Joanna James. The film reached more than 150 Million viewers, sparked legislation, launched a global movement and with MAPP, has been recognized in the Oprah Magazine, NPR, Forbes, The James Beard Foundation, Food & Wine, Harvard University and the Culinary Institute of America.
MAPP has hosted annual conferences from Miami to Las Vegas bringing together industry leaders from corporations to small businesses, from independent restaurants to hotels and corporate foodservice giants. MAPP has created a global culinary community hosting international events and externships from Paris to London and beyond ensuring we’re shaping the future of food and hospitality by the people who power it.
We share your voices on Capitol Hill where we have hosted our annual MAPP DC Advocacy Summit from 2020, speaking with legislators and key stakeholders on urgent issues like affordable, accessible childcare, immigration and bipartisan support for policies so small businesses can thrive.
Today, MAPP continues to lead with film—producing short form accredited content that educates, motivates and measures impact through RoadMAPP™
Let’s pave paths towards advancement together.
the film that sparked it all.
After A Fine Line’s 2020 theatrical and national broadcast premiere on PBS sparked national conversations regarding gender bias in restaurant culture and the food system, our 501C3 non-profit was created to empower women into leadership using a RoadMAPP™ designed with the industry’s top programs, mentors, and partners.
