NEWS BITES

Congrats to everyone who participated in the ACF National Qualifier Competitions!

In March, qualifier competitions for ACF National Competitions awards were held at Johnson County Community College in Overland Park, Kansas.

Here is the list of regional award winners:

Chef of the Year

• Central – Russel Cunningham, CEC, AAC

• Northeast – Tony Le, CEC

• Southeast – Paul Jensen, CEC, CCA, AAC

• Western – Tom Tobin, CEC

Pastry Chef of the Year

• Central – Lauren Aleman

• Southeast – Chrissy Jensen, CEPC

• Western – Rebecca Freeman, CEPC (there were no applicants for the Northeast region)

Student Chef of the Year

• Central – Jennie Huynh

• Northeast – Maxwell Smith

• Southeast – Roman Nourse

• Western – Andrea Sanchez

Student Pastry Chef of the Year

• Central – Margaret Waddle

• Northeast – Vanessa Ruiz, CFPC

• Southeast – Patricia Santibanez

• Western – Kambree Thomas

Student Team of the Year

• Central – Joliet Junior College

• Northeast – Culinary Institute of New York at Monroe College

• Southeast – Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College

• Western – Navajo Technical University

Here are the finalists from the qualifier competitions who will advance to the ACF National Competitions in these categories at convention:

Chef of the Year

• R ussel Cunningham, CEC, AAC

• Chad Burnett, CEC

• Tony Le, CEC

• Paul Jensen, CEC, CCA, AAC

Pastry Chef of the Year

• L auren Aleman

• Donna Mallett, CPC

• Chrissy Jensen, CEPC

• R ebecca Freeman, CEPC

Student Chef of the Year

• Jennie Huynh

• Caitlin Drzyzga

• Maxwell Smith

• R oman Nourse

• A ndrea Sanchez

Student Pastry Chef of the Year

• Margaret Waddle

• Vanessa Ruiz, CFPC

• K ambree Thomas

• Shawnti Diaz

Student Team of the Year

• Joliet Junior College

• Metropolitan Community College Institute for the Culinary Arts

• Culinary Institute of New York at Monroe College

• A sheville Buncombe Technical Community College

Here are the finalists for the Chef Educator of the Year competition:

• Ryan Binney, CEPC, CCE

• Michael Stamets, CEC

• R obert Zehnder, CEC, CCE

Here are the finalists from the 47th Joint Culinary Competition, held at the Joint Culinary Training Center in Fort Lee, Virginia, Feb. 28 – March 11, who will advance to ACF National Competitions in these categories:

• Chef of the Year – R SCPO Michael Edwards, U.S. Navy

• Pastry Chef of the Year – E PO1 Mariam Bingham, U.S. Coast Guard

• Student Chef of the Year – Cpl. Carol DuenezVallejo, U.S. Marines Corps

• Student Pastry Chef of the Year – Lt. Cpl. Ashley Diaz-Araujo, U.S. Marines Corps

Here are the ACF Chapter of the Year regional award winners (national winner to be announced at convention):

• ACF West Michigan Lakeshore Chapter

• ACF Cleveland Chapter

• ACF Atlanta Chefs Association

Here are the Hermann G. Rusch Chef’s Achievement Award regional winners (national winner to be announced at convention):

• Central – Patrick Mitchell, CEC, AAC

• Northeast – John DiSessa, CEC, AAC

• Western – Carlton Brooks, CEPC, CCE, AAC (there were no applicants for the Southeast region)

Here are the Dr. L.J. Minor Chef Professionalism Award regional winners (national winner to be announced at convention):

• Central – James Kremer, CEC, AAC

• Northeast Region – Fernando Mojica, Jr., CEC

• Southeast Region – Charles Wilson, CEC, PCEC, CCA, AAC

• Western Region – John Casto, III, CEC

U.S. State Department Visit

ACF President Kimberly Brock Brown, CEPC, CCA, AAC, was invited by the U.S. Department of State to be an advisor member of a newly formed Kitchen Cabinet, part of a Diplomatic Culinary Partnership with the James Beard Foundation. ACF Young Chefs designed some of the menu items and prepared and served their creations at the event. The ACF student members in attendance were also each personally recognized by U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken during his speech for representing the future of the culinary industry.

Salut

Congratulations to ACF Chef Andy Chlebana, CMPC, CCA , professor of culinary arts/pastry chef, Joliet Junior College, Jolliet, Illinois, for earning his ACF Certified Master Pastry Chef designation. Special thanks to Virginia Western Community College, Roanoke, Virginia, and its students for graciously hosting the exam, as well as to the candidates, evaluators and subject-matter experts for their support and dedication in moving the CMPC forward.

ACF Chef Kevin Mitchell received the Outstanding Hospitality Educator Award from the South Carolina Restaurant and Lodging Association at the association’s Stars of the Industry gala.

ACF Sustainability Corner

Launched earlier this year, the ACF Sustainability Corner offers tools to help educate you, your team and students on sustainable concepts to help minimize cost while reducing your carbon footprint. Members can earn two CEHs by completing the quiz on the Online Learning Center. This month’s topic is Air, Water and Plastic Pollution. Visit acfchefs.org/sustainability to learn more.

ACF Chef Nicholas Mercogliano, CEC, CPC, corporate executive chef at Pecinka Ferri Associates, a manufacturer’s agent representing foodservice equipment, was recently promoted to partner.

ACF Chef Brian Peffley, CEPC, CCE, AAC, a pastry chef and instructor at the Lebanon County Career and Technology Center in Lebanon, Pennsylvania, was named the 2023 Pennsylvania ProStart Educator of the Year at an awards ceremony on March 1 in conjunction with the ninth annual PA ProStart Student Invitational in State College, Pennsylvania.