Slow Start, Lasting Legacy

By Heather Henderson

The idea of creating an honor society within the ACF was first brought up in 1948. But the American Academy of Chefs (AAC) wasn’t officially founded until 1955 after a drawn-out debate among ACF leadership and several false starts — including a bill that was sent to Congress in 1954 and never made it any further.

The 1955 National Convention in Pittsburgh was a turning point for both the AAC and the ACF. That week, the ACF’s sub-groups were, for the first time, consolidated into a single national body with separate chapters. With this big move, it was finally the right time to establish the Academy as well, and it was voted into existence by delegates at the convention.

Peter Berrini AAC, HOF, was elected the first chairman and given the responsibility of organizing the group.

By the time Berrini left his post to become ACF National President in 1959, there were 37 members of the Academy. Those early members had to meet stringent criteria to be inducted, which was then called the National Academy of Chefs. In order to be nominated for the Academy at that time, each chef had to be an active member of the ACF and had to have been working as a chef for at least 15 years. (Today, the requirements are even stricter, including conference attendance, ACF Certification and the recommendation of at least two active Academy fellows.)

2020 will mark the Academy’s 65th anniversary, and its mission has remained largely the same since that momentous convention in 1955: to represent the highest standards of professionalism in the ACF, society and industry, and to promote the education of all culinarians.

"The fellows for the past 65 years continue to uphold the mission of the Academy,” says Chairman Americo DiFronzo, CEC, CCA, AAC. “[We will continue] working to share our knowledge to help educate our next generation of chefs, awarding culinary scholarships, and to honor chefs who give back to our industry.”