The Establishment of the American Academy of Chefs The idea of creating an honor society for the ACF was considered for many years before it was ever officially presented to the officers and members in 1948. Several years later after much debate, on Nov. 12, 1952, during the third annual National Convention of the ACF, the newly elected National President Paul Laesecke, AAC, HOF, of Pittsburgh, hosted a renewed discussion of the proposal. In 1954, ACF Chef Pierre Berard, HOF, then the ACF National president, sent a letter to the Board of Governors convening in New York City, and he also requested the help of a U.S. representative to introduce a bill to charter the establishment of the AAC. Though the bill failed to get out of committee, at the ACF National Convention in Pittsburgh in 1955 delegates finally voted to establish the new honor society. ACF Chef Peter Berrini, AAC, HOF, a delegate from Boston, was charged with the responsibility of organizing the academy.
He was elected as the first chairman of the academy, and he held that office until his election to the office of ACF National president in 1959. At that time, the academy boasted a membership of 37. Since then (and two The American Academy of Chefs was medal designs later), the established in 1955. academy has had a host of chairpersons, many of whom also served as ACF National president. This year, ACF Chef Americo S. DiFronzo, CEC, CCA, AAC, passed the torch as chair to ACF Chef Joe G. Aiello. For the full AAC history and list of past chairpersons, visit acfchefs.org/aac.
ACF Culinary Team USA and the Culinary Olympics The Internationale Kochkunst Ausstellung (IKA) Culinary Olympics is one of the oldest, largest and most diverse international culinary art exhibitions in the world, dating back to 1900. The event is hosted every four years by the German Chefs Association. This year’s IKA will take place in Stuttgart, Germany, on Feb. 2-7, when roughly 2,000 chefs and pastry chefs from more than 60 nations compete for medals in individual and team categories.
in the shape of Texas; salmon in puff pastry; stuffed Long Island duck with coulis; turkey casserole; and even cantaloupe melon filled with turkey stew and decorated with a turkey made out of pie dough. “We even put blue, red and white American potatoes on the table — no one had ever seen potatoes in those colors before at the Olympics,” says Chef Sonnenschmidt, who would go on to serve as team manager in ’80, ’84 and ’88. “That was the beginning of the understanding of American cuisine.”
ACF Culinary Team USA’s history with the Culinary Olympics dates back to 1956. Into the ‘90s, the team continued to break In 1960, only six years after American from European tradition and prepare 1964 ACF Culnary Team USA chefs first competed on the world stage, American food using American techniques, the U.S. Culinary Team (as it was then known) captured its ingredients and style — a torch today’s team still carries. At first World Championship title at IKA. The team returned in press time, the 2024 ACF Culinary Team USA wasn’t able to go 1964 to rack up eight gold medals. The wins continued for the into detail about the final menu to be presented at the upcoming next two decades, from 1968-1988, under the guidance of ACF Culinary Olympics, but Team Captain Dan Holtgrave, CEC, has Chef Ferdinand E. Metz, CMC, AAC, HOF, HBOT, who has said it would reflect regional nuances and ingredients indigenous to won more than 30 gold medals in international competitions. the U.S. This is only the second Olympics when teams will present He served as team manager for the culinary team that won edible cold platters. The Chef’s Table, as it’s called, requires a meal the 1968 Culinary World Cup, and he led Team USA to three for 12 people, including hors d’oeuvres, a seafood platter, a vegan consecutive World Championships at the IKA. course (another newer introduction), entree and petit fours. The hot food portion of the event, including Restaurant of the Nations ACF Chef Fritz Sonnenschmidt, CMC, AAC, HOF, who was and Live Carving, will remain the same and test teams to produce on the 1976 team, says the worldwide bronze medal and tie with a multi-course restaurant and banquet meal demonstrating the France was “a big achievement at that time.” “Everybody looked highest levels of precision and creativity. at American food as frankfurters and hamburgers, but when we won in ’76, it was the first time we ever put American food on To read more about the current ACF Culinary Team USA, visit the Olympic table,” he says. That year, the team served Texas acfchefs.org/team. steak with a coffee-infused barbecue sauce; deep fried onions WEARECHEFS.COM
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