"There’s a lot you don’t know you can do.”
For the Fall 2026 semester, we are celebrating 30 years of Project HOPE with a series of alumni stories. Project HOPE students have achieved many great things thanks to the support they received, and we feel privileged that they shared their stories with us as we celebrate a wonderful program.
Once Zahari Davis saw his potential in front of him, he didn’t want anything holding him back.
Davis recently graduated from the Culinary Institute of America in New York. His path to that famous institution took a significant pass through Project HOPE, where he completed his high school education and built up the skills necessary to reach the next level as a professional chef.
For the 2023-24 school year, Davis – who had moved to Oklahoma from Maryland with his family – attended Project HOPE to get caught up on his high school credits. Part of the reason he chose to attend and come to Francis Tuttle Technology Center was because of the Culinary Arts program.
“I grew up around it,” Davis said about cooking and baking. “We had a lot of cookouts. It’s such a big community thing, and you can get really creative with it.”
The stability of Project HOPE helped Davis get back on track with his school work. He found it easier to concentrate and said teachers were always available
“It was way more supportive,” Davis said. “The classes were smaller and you were more focused. If you had a question, you just ask. You never had to wait. It was good to have that one-on-one time. That was very helpful.”
As he found success in his core classes, Davis was able to focus more on where Culinary Arts could take him. He excelled in FCCLA, SkillsUSA, and ProStart skills competitions, and in 2024 he participated in Odyssey de Culinaire.
In addition to serving as a fundraiser, the event helps young chefs by pairing them with an established professional chef. They cook alongside them to prepare delicious cuisine for the event, leading to a night full of fun memories and making connections.
Davis was paired with Chef Kevin Lee, and that led to him working part-time at Birdie, one of Lee’s restaurants.
After the Oklahoma City leg of his culinary adventure, Davis has since returned to Maryland. He is using the skills he acquired through Francis Tuttle and the Culinary Institute of America to establish a micro-farming cottage business.
He also has had the opportunity to work as a chef at the Michelin Star restaurant Masseria, an open-kitchen style dining experience where customers watch as their food is prepared.
“It didn’t feel like more pressure, because I already had experience doing open kitchens at Francis Tuttle,” he said.
Davis said he would like to take a more corporate route in culinary to try and advance more of his ideas.
“I’d like to get into the corporate world, like R&D and marketing,” he said. “I want to get involved with food products. That’s an avenue that I feel is more creative for me.”
But he has carried his Project HOPE experience with him. Davis said it changed the way he felt about education, and it showed him how classroom lessons can translate to personal and career success.
“I would say just keep pushing,” he said. “Even if you think you’re not doing well, or you won’t get better, I promise you’ll do better than you thought you would. There’s a lot you don’t know you can do.”