National Culinary Review (March/April 2024)

Cooking with Cannabis Apprenticeships on the Rise

Looking for Qualified Staff?

Train Your Own with an Apprenticeship Program

ACFEF recognizes the need for structured training programs to maintain the highest level of skill and competency demanded in the foodservice industry.

The ACFEF apprenticeship program is a proven training program that provides chefs, trainers and instructors with a list of industry relevant knowledge and skills competencies across all kitchen stations. The competencies are reviewed and updated by the ACFEF Apprenticeship Committee to ensure trends and techniques are relevant and align with ACF certification requirements.

Apprentices will complete the skills competencies on-the-job under the guidance of a supervising chef and the knowledge competencies through courses on the ACF Online Learning Center. ACFEF offers three different program levels with a progressive ladder ranging in completion time from six months to two years. The fundamentals program is structured to fit into high school and workforce development programs. Upon successful completion of the program, apprentices are eligible for ACF certification.

Benefits of Implementing an ACFEF Apprenticeship Program

• Train staff to industry standards using a reputable program.

• Increase staff retention as apprentices become committed employees.

• Improve safety, productivity and profitability.

• Develop a staff skilled in all kitchen stations to help fill gaps.

• Expand recruitment opportunities by being listed on the ACF website as an ACFEF-recognized apprenticeship program.

Become an ACFEF-Recognized Apprenticeship Program

For more information, visit www.acfchefs. org/apprenticeship or use your camera to scan the code below.

“Apprenticeship showed me how to train my staff taking a step-by-step approach instead of a sink or swim method.”

William Hoffmann, CEC, executive chef, UCF Sports Nutrition, ACFEF apprenticeship graduate (1991)

12 ACF Trends

March’s trend, Food as Medicine, references the rise of culinary medicine; April’s trend, “Higher” Cuisine refers to cooking with cannabis, an ACF specialized certificate.

26 Next Gen Apprenticeships

Apprenticeships, one of the pillars of the ACFEF, are on the rise. Plus, ACF Chef Paul Sorgule, AAC® , talks about the importance of these hands-on opportunities.

DEPARTMENTS

14 Management

Two Westmoreland County Community College instructors define speed-scratch cooking methods and how they’re taught to students.

18

Main Course

Regenerative agriculture is the new “farm-to-table” among sustainablity-minded chefs; plus, a look at the climatarian diet.

22 On the Side

Niagara Falls Culinary Institute is pioneering the path for culinary cannabis instruction.

24

Classical vs. Modern

ACF Chef Katrina Knapp, CSC®, CWPC®, partners with one of her high school students to revisit and remake frog legs.

32 Health

In a nod to our Food as Medicine trend, a roundup of popular fruits and how they can be used in savory dishes to bump up both flavor and nutrition.

38 Pastry

Two bakers talk about their techniques and new flavor combinations for classic tarts.

44 Segment Spotlight

ACF Chefs working in senior living facilities discuss food innovation in this fast-growing segment.

Cover photo: pea shoots and tendrils (Credit: Michelle Demuth-Bibb, The Chefs Garden)

ACF MEMBER CONTRIBUTORS

Classical vs. Modern

Katrina Knapp, CSC, CWPC

The Time has Come for The Return of Apprenticeships

Paul Sorgule, AAC

Chef-to-Chef

Jim Perko, Sr., CEC®, AAC

Pastry

Robert Wemischner

RECOGNIZING THE CURRENT AND ACTIVE ACF CHEF MEMBERS WHO ARE FEATURED AND QUOTED THROUGHOUT THE PAGES OF THIS ISSUE

Management

Cindy Komarinski Ph.D., CCC®, CCE®, HAAC

William Racin, CEPC®

Next Gen Apprenticeships

Jeremy Abbey, CEC, CEPC, CCE, CCA®, AAC

Brandon Chrostowski

John Piazza, CEC, CCA, CCE

Jeremy Umansky

Todd Whitman, Sr.

ACF Chef Profile

Rebecca Freeman, CEPC

Chapter Close-Up

Fionna R. España, CWPC

Robert Phillips CEC, CCA, AAC

William (Bill) Yee

On the Side

Nathan Koscielski, CCE

Segment Spotlight

John Cramutola

Brian Hardy, CEC, CCA, AAC

Gabriel Rosado, CEC

Jim Perko, Sr., CEC, AAC

Rebecca Freeman, CEPC

Nathan Koscielski, CCE

Robert Wemischner

Kiley Hylton and Katrina Knapp, CSC, CWPC (right)

Paul Sorgule, AAC

Cindy Komarinski Ph.D., CCC, CCE, HAAC

William Racin, CEPC

Editor-in-Chief

Amelia Levin

Creative Services Manager

David Ristau

Graphic Designer

Armando Mitra

Advertising and Event Sales

Eric Gershowitz

Director of Marketing and Communications

Alan Sterling

Contributing Editors

Amanda Baltazar, John Bartimole, Tricia Chaves, Lauren Kramer, Jody Shee, Robert Wemischner

Copy Editor

Erica Demarest

American Culinary Federation, Inc. 6816 Southpoint Parkway • Ste 400 • Jacksonville, FL 32216 (800) 624-9458 • (904) 824-4468 • Fax: (904) 940-0741 ncr@acfchefs.net • ACFSales@mci-group.com • www.acfchefs.org

Board of Directors

President

René J. Marquis, CEC, CCE, CCA, AAC

Immediate Past President

Kimberly Brock Brown, CEPC, CCA, AAC

National Secretary

Jeff Bacon, CEC, CCA, AAC

National Treasurer

Kyle Richardson, CEC, CCE, AAC

American Academy of Chefs Chair

Joe G. Aiello, CEC, AAC, HOF

Vice President Central Region

Rajeev Patgaonkar, CEC, AAC

Vice President Northeast Region

Ray McCue, CEC, AAC

Vice President Southeast Region

Bryan Frick, CEC, AAC

Vice President Western Region

Greg Matchett, CEC, AAC

Executive Director

Christopher Tanner, CEC, CCE, AAC

Advisor

Thomas J. Macrina, CEC, CCA, AAC, HOF, HBOT

As we traverse the culinary landscape, our commitment to excellence and innovation remains steadfast. This issue, in particular, holds a special place in our hearts as we explore the intersection of culinary arts and health, coinciding with the celebration of National Nutrition Month throughout March.

This month, as part of our Food as Medicine trend, we aim to spotlight the transformative power of food, not just as a source of pleasure for our palates but as a potent elixir for our well-being. It’s a timely reminder of the myriad ways our culinary creations can contribute to our overall health and the profound impact chefs can have on people’s lives beyond the realm of taste and indulgence.

Allow me to share some personal favorites that align with this theme. Raw green papaya, often an ingredient in Thai-inspired salads, is not only a culinary delight but also a digestive powerhouse. Its enzymes aid in digestion, embodying the essence of food working as medicine. Similarly, the humble ginger root, celebrated for its versatile flavor, also boasts nutritional benefits that extend beyond taste. Its efficacy in alleviating nausea and indigestion makes it a go-to ingredient for both culinary and medicinal uses.

For our April trend, “Higher” Cuisine, we venture into the newer territory of cooking with cannabis, shedding light on the health benefits even though the ingredient remains controversial. As the landscape of culinary arts evolves, however, it is our responsibility to stay informed and adapt, providing our members with the knowledge and skills necessary to navigate these new territories responsibly. I encourage you to share your creations around these trends on social media using the hashtag #acffoodtrends. Your contributions not only enrich our community but also inspire others to embrace the transformative power of culinary arts.

National Culinary Review® are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of the officers or members of ACF. Changes of mailing address should be sent to ACF’s national office: 6816 Southpoint Parkway, Ste 400, Jacksonville, FL 32216; (800) 624-9458; Fax (904) 940-0741.

The National Culinary Review® is mailed, and periodical postage is paid at St. Augustine, Fla., and additional post offices.

POSTMASTER: Send address changes to the National Culinary Review®, 6816 Southpoint Parkway, Ste 400, Jacksonville, FL 32216.

In alignment with the main feature for this issue, I would like to further highlight the invaluable partnership between the ACF and establishments offering apprenticeships. This symbiotic relationship enhances the growth of aspiring chefs while contributing to the continual elevation of culinary standards across the industry. The ACF apprenticeship program remains a beacon of excellence, cultivating the talents that will shape the future of our profession. Definitely check out the article from ACF Chef Paul Sorgule, AAC, on the history and importance of apprenticeships on page 12.

In closing, I extend my gratitude to the members whose dedication propels the ACF forward. Your passion, creativity, professionalism and commitment to excellence continue to define our community.

Chefs, I got your six!

Sincerely,

René J. Marquis, CEC, CCE, CCA, AAC National President, American Culinary Federation

A medida que recorremos el paisaje culinario, nuestro compromiso con la excelencia y la innovación permanece firme. Esta edición, en particular, ocupa un lugar especial en nuestros corazones mientras exploramos la intersección entre las artes culinarias y la salud, coincidiendo con la celebración del Mes Nacional de la Nutrición durante marzo.

Este mes, como parte de nuestra tendencia La Comida como Medicina, queremos destacar el poder transformador de la comida, no solo como una fuente de placer para nuestros paladares sino también como un poderoso elixir para nuestro bienestar. Es un recordatorio oportuno de las innumerables maneras en que nuestras creaciones culinarias pueden contribuir a nuestra salud en general y el profundo impacto que los chefs pueden tener en la vida de las personas más allá del ámbito del sabor y el placer.

Permíteme compartir algunos de mis favoritos personales que se alinean con este tema. La papaya verde cruda, a menudo un ingrediente en ensaladas inspiradas en Tailandia, no es solo una delicia culinaria sino también una poderosa digestiva. Sus enzimas ayudan en la digestión, encarnando la esencia de la comida que funciona como medicina. De manera similar, la humilde raíz de jengibre, celebrada por su sabor versátil, también cuenta con beneficios nutricionales que van más allá del gusto. Su eficacia para aliviar náuseas e indigestión la convierte en un ingrediente de elección tanto para usos culinarios como medicinales.

Para nuestra tendencia de abril, Cocina “Superior,” nos aventuramos en el nuevo territorio de cocinar con cannabis, arrojando luz sobre los beneficios para la salud a pesar de que el ingrediente sigue siendo controvertido. Sin embargo, a medida que evoluciona el paisaje de las artes culinarias, es nuestra responsabilidad mantenernos informados y adaptarnos, brindando a nuestros miembros el conocimiento y las habilidades necesarias para navegar por estos nuevos territorios de manera responsable. Te animo a compartir tus creaciones en torno a estas tendencias en las redes sociales usando el hashtag #acffoodtrends. Tus contribuciones no solo enriquecen nuestra comunidad, sino que también inspiran a otros a adoptar el poder transformador de las artes culinarias.

En línea con el tema principal de esta edición, me gustaría destacar aún más la valiosa colaboración entre la ACF y los establecimientos que ofrecen aprendizajes. Esta relación simbiótica mejora el crecimiento de los chefs en formación y contribuye a la elevación continua de los estándares culinarios en toda la industria. El programa de aprendizaje de la ACF sigue siendo un faro de excelencia, cultivando los talentos que darán forma al futuro de nuestra profesión. Definitivamente revisa el artículo del Chef Paul Sorgle, AAC, de la ACF sobre la historia y la importancia de los aprendizajes en la página 12.

Para concluir, extiendo mi gratitud a los miembros cuya dedicación impulsa a la ACF hacia adelante. Tu pasión, creatividad, profesionalismo y compromiso con la excelencia siguen definiendo nuestra comunidad.

Chefs, ¡tengo sus seis!

Atentamente,

René J. Marquis, CEC, CCE, CCA, AAC Presidente Nacional, Federación Culinaria Americana

NEWS BITES

ACF Culinary Team USA

Shines at Culinary Olympics

The national team earned a silver medal for both the Restaurant of Nations and Chef’s Table competition portions of the IKA/ Culinary Olympics, which took place Feb. 2-7 in Stuttgart, Germany, and featured 1,200 chefs from 55 national teams. ACF’s Junior National Team earned a bronze medal for the Restaurant of Nations portion and a silver medal for the Chef’s Table portion of the competition. The United States Army Culinary Arts Team (USACAT) received a bronze medal for both the Community Catering Kitchen and Regional Cold Table Display categories. Congratulations to all the team members, coaches, advisors and sponsors for their hard work and efforts in representing the U.S. on the international stage.

“Our teams did a great job competing at the highest level in our profession and they represented the ACF and the U.S. extremely well,” says ACF President René J. Marquis, CEC, CCE, CCA, AAC. “We are very proud of all of our teams’ accomplishments. We also want to thank those who came out to Germany to support our teams as well as the family members of all our competitors. Our competitors made so many sacrifices through this process, and they could not have done it without your support. Thank you and great job to everyone involved!”

Read more about ACF Culinary Team USA in the Nov/Dec issue of NCR; stay tuned for more coverage from the event through ACF’s social media channels.

2024 National Convention in Phoenix

Register today for ACF’s signature event, held July 14-17 in Phoenix! Visit acfchefs.org/convention for hotel booking information and to register. If you want a reminder about how fun convention is, just check out photos from last year’s event in New Orleans on the ACF Flickr page.

Enter This!

The Pacific Northwest Canned Pear Service presents its annual CAN DO Challenge recipe contest open to chefs, directors, managers and RDs from the K-12, college/university, B&I, health care and military foodservice segments. Winners will receive cash prices up to $1,500. The deadline for recipes is April 30; winners will be announced in June. Visit eatcannedpears.com/can-do to learn more and enter.

Welcome Back to the Table

It is more important than ever to validate your culinary skills to help increase your job and promotion opportunities. To support you during these challenging times, the ACF Certification Commission is offering a limited opportunity to renew ACF certifications that have expired more than 12 months. Applicants must document 80 hours of continuing education (CEHs) within the last five years, to include 8-hour refreshers each in nutrition and safety/sanitation. Interested candidates must submit an application and fee by May 30 and complete the CEH requirement by Dec. 31. For more information and to receive the application, send an email to certify@acfchefs.org

Apply to Compete in the 2024 ACF Knowledge Bowl

The 2024 rules and guidelines for the ACFEF Baron H. Galand Culinary Knowledge Bowl have been released. Start putting together a team and get ready for an exciting competition year! Application deadline is May 15. Learn more at acfchefs.org/knowledgebowl

Competition Corner

The deadline to apply for the 2024 ACF National Awards has passed, but here’s a list of the ACF Regional Qualifier Competitions coming up! To learn more about ACF awards, visit acfchefs.org/awards

Northeast Region – March 1-3, SUNY Erie Community College, Williamsville, N.Y.

Western Region – March 11-13, Johnson County Community College, Overland Park, Ks.

Southeast Region – April 13-14, Keiser University, Sarasota, Fla. Central Region – April 17-18, Culinary Institute of Michigan, Port Huron, Mich.

Congratulations to the following gold medal winners from recent ACF-sanctioned regional competitions!

ACF of Glens Falls New York

Jan. 10-12, Skidmore College, Saratoga Springs, N.Y.

Professional Chefs of New Hampshire team (W):

ACF Chef Bradley Labarre, CEC, AAC

ACF Chef Joseph Allison, CEC, AAC

ACF Chef David Bressler, CEC

ACF Chef Daniel Zagarella

Skidmore College team (W):

ACF Chef Michael Hinrichs

Matt Palmer

Chris McGilpin

Patrick Ives

University of Massachusetts team (W):

Jeff McDonald

ACF Chef Patrick Redmond

Ashwin Bangalore

Kyle Bigelow

Fox Valley Culinary Association

Dec. 15, Fox Valley Technical College, Appleton, Wisc.

Caitlyn Drzyzga (SP2)

Ariauna Pienta (SP2)

Niagara Falls Culinary Cannabis Competition

Jan. 8, Niagara County Community College, Niagara Falls, N.Y.

Antoinette Picone, CPC (SW)

Sturgis Sundown (SW)

Gerard Molloy Memorial Culinary Challenge

Dec. 2, Monroe College, New Rochelle, N.Y.

Frank Jesse Costantino Jr., CC (KC)

Jeovanny Adames, CC (KC)

Beatrice Heirigs (SKC-1)

Maricla Romera-Vasquez (SKC-1)

Anya Atkins (SKC-1)

Ethyn Tapanes (SKC-1)

Samjela Lesiga (SKC-2)

Sydney Blanchard (SKC-2)

Mikayla Pabroada (SKC-5)

Jacklyn Kirchberger (SP-1)

Alitzel Reyes (SP-1)

Daliana Mejia (SP-2)

Nylah White (SP-2)

Cheyenne Hamilton (SW)

Evan Rodriguez (SW)

ACF Staff Spotlight

Kathy Adams

Property Membership Program Manager

Kathy Adams has been with the federation for more than 26 years. She has worked in various capacities for the ACF during her long tenure, including in member services and events. She currently manages ACF’s property membership program, communicating with and overseeing large companies, clubs and institutions looking to sign up multiple members at a time to receive bulk ACF discounts on certification and continuing education as well as other perks.

Q: Why did you first join ACF?

A: I heard about ACF through a dear friend of mine, Kathy Scioneaux, who told me about the position opening. She was the previous AAC administrator for Bert Cutino (CEC, AAC, HOF, HBOT).

Q: What is your day-to-day/week-to-week job like?

A: I interact with new and renewing members and help them decide the best use of their member benefits to meet their personal needs and goals for success. I’m often on the phone working with members. I don’t just look to sign them up for property membership; I always touch on the various services and benefits ACF offers, including the Online Learning Center,

certification programs and available discounts. I always express to them the value of connecting with their local chapter for camaraderie, networking and support and discounts with their personal certification process. I am also responsible for handling general ACF membership renewals and working with chapter board members to maintain the requirements of ACF chapter compliance.

Q: Can you tell us a little about the property membership program?

A: The property membership program provides group discounts and other support for companies signing on multiple members at a time. Some of our property members include Morrison Healthcare, Compass, Unidine, Sodexo and Delaware North as well as universities, casinos, clubs and resorts.

Q: What do you like most about your job?

A: Working with our chefs and members around the country and the satisfaction after hanging up the phone knowing I’ve gone above and beyond for a new or renewing member. When I’m out at a restaurant I’m always conscious of how I’m treated as a customer; I enjoy providing great customer service to others.

Q: Do you have some goals or plans for 2024?

A: Continue to grow the number of property memberships we have to expand our membership base. I would also like to explore ways to improve member benefits for both professional members and students and provide digital marketing tools to grow membership — perhaps through videos that chapter officers or culinary school instructors can use to promote ACF membership.

ACF Chef Lars Johansson, CEPC, CCE, AAC, passed away at the age of 92. He served in the Swedish Navy and later became a master pastry chef and culinary instructor. He was a seasoned veteran of culinary competitions, winning several medals in the IKA.

Industry Events Calendar

International Restaurant & Foodservice Show of New York

March 3-5, Javits Center, NYC

Research Chefs Association

March 5-7, Marriott Boston Quincy, Quincy, Mass.

ACF Executive Director/Chef Chris Tanner, CEC, CCE, AAC, will be presenting ACF’s 2024 trends

International Pizza Expo

March 19-21, Las Vegas Convention Center, Las Vegas

National Restaurant Association Restaurant, Hotel-Motel Show

May 18-21, McCormick Place, Chicago

Center for the Advancement of Foodservice Education (CAFE) Dean & Director Retreat & Leadership Conference

June 18-21 St. Philip’s College, San Antonio, Texas

CEHs awarded for attending ACF members

Summer Fancy Food Show

June 24-27, Javits Center, NYC

Salut

ACF Chef Keith Boston, CEC, HAAC , was inducted into the American Academy of Chefs as an honorary fellow during a ceremony at Brady’s Restaurant in Leominster, Mass.

The Niagara Falls Culinary Institute at the SUNY Niagara County

The Niagara County Community College held its first culinary cannabis competition (SW category) during its second annual Cannabis Conference in January. Ten chefs (eight savory and two pastry) participated in the competition, which required competitors to prepare extracts of cannabis (using non-high-inducing CBD flower buds, not THC) that were then infused into the components of entrees or desserts. Other ingredients from local farms were provided. Turn to p. 13 to read more about NFCI’s culinary cannabis courses. The competition concluded with a three-course seated dinner for 100 featuring “stoned fruit salad” with CBDinfused mint dressing, “chicken pot pie” with infused butter and “baked Alaska” with infused ice cream for dessert.

The Professional Chef/Cooks of Rochester (New York) showed up to support the annual C.U.R.E. brunch supporting childhood cancer research, held at The Arbor at the Port in Rochester, N.Y. ACF Chef John A. Venturo, CEC, AAC, has served as the event’s chef de

cuisine for the past 15 years that the chapter has been involved with the organization, raising more than $1 million for the cause during that time frame. About 400 people attended. Next year’s brunch will take place in September. Members of the ACF Chefs de Cuisine Association of San Diego cooked for a dinner hosted by Casa Familiar supporting children and families of the San Ysidro Community. Volunteers prepared food for, plated and served more than 700 people.

Have news to share? Email NCR Editor Amelia Levin, alevin@acfchefs.org

2024 ACF Trends

By Amelia Levin

MARCH FOOD AS MEDICINE

“Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food.”

Hippocrates’ famed quote seems even more relevant today as more consumers prioritize their health and wellness.

According to Datassential’s 2024 Food Trends report, mental health, cutting calories, getting more sleep and eating immune-boosting foods grew the most as top-of-mind consumer health goals from last year to this year.

Food as Medicine, our March trend in honor of National Nutrition Month, continues to gain traction as a serious discipline in the medical community and a growing segment in its own right in the culinary industry — even if food has been used like medicine as far back as ancient times.

ACF’s Culinary Nutrition MasterCraft Summit, held in August last year, focused exclusively on this topic, with a presenter lineup that included dietitians, doctors, culinary medicine chef/instructors and other culinarians focused on nutrition sciences.

So what, exactly, is culinary medicine? Dr. John LaPuma, a trained chef and early pioneer in the field, defines it as “an evidence-based field in medicine that blends the art of food and cooking with the science of medicine… aimed at helping people reach good

personal medical decisions about accessing and eating high-quality meals that help prevent and treat disease and restore well-being.”

While plant-forward everything continues to trend, culinary medicine takes that approach one step further, zeroing in on specific foods and food combinations that can help prevent or treat different diseases and conditions. For example, we know that combining turmeric and curcumin, found in black peppercorns (a combo prevalent in Indian curries), creates a powerful elixir for combating inflammation in the body and improving overall immunity and joint health. Garlic, onion and other alliums are known for their antiviral and antibacterial properties, and as prebiotics, they feed probiotics found in fermented foods to improve gut health. For healthy lungs and respiratory health, beets and carrots pack a powerful punch. Mushrooms are having a moment, too, providing a good dose of vitamin D for immunity post-pandemic; it’s not uncommon to see shelves lined with powdered blends at natural food stores.

So what does this mean for chefs? Many health care and university chefs are already in the game, but even if you work at a club, hotel or independent restaurant, consumers want more thought-out, healthy options when dining out. Check out the Chef-to-Chef article written by ACF Chef Jim Perko Sr., CEC, AAC , executive chef at Cleveland Clinic’s Center for Integrative & Lifestyle Medicine, explaining why we should care about culinary medicine in the first place, along with a few tips for cooking and menu planning. This issue’s Health article examines five different fruits packed with nutrition and how they can be used in savory dishes, not just drinks and desserts. Stay tuned for more continuing education offered by ACF. In addition, there are growing numbers of institutions around the country offering courses and continuing education in culinary medicine, including well-known ones offered at the Goldring Center for Culinary Medicine at Tulane University in New Orleans and at the ACF-accredited Brightwater: A Center for the Study of Food in Bentonville, Ark. Ask anyone in this field: Culinary medicine is an exciting discipline and a surface we’re only just beginning to scratch.

APRIL "HIGHER" CUISINE

There are plenty of jokes around 420, the cannabis culture slang signaling us to “smoke ’em if you got ’em.” But this budding business is no laughing matter. As more states legalize recreational cannabis, there’s been an explosion of products in the marketplace, including edibles in the form of gummies, chocolates and other baked goods that don’t require inhaling. And as scientists discover more health properties behind the plant, stigmas around what was once referred to as a “gateway drug” are fading fast. Today, there are high-inducing and non-high-inducing cannabinoids that can help manage stress, anxiety, sleep, appetite regulation and overall inflammation. Read more about these benefits (and about Niagara Falls Cooking Institute’s cooking with cannabis courses) in this issue’s On the Side article.

Indeed, health benefits appear to spark more interest in cannabis products among consumers than merely the prospect of getting high, according to thirdparty research firm Datassential. Just under half of consumers have tried both THC (53%) and non-high-inducing CBD (55%) products, according to Datassential’s Cannabis report published in November 2023.

When it comes to culinary cannabis, millennials and Gen Z consumers tend to show the greatest interest. CBD is increasingly being seen on menus in everything from alcoholic drinks to doughnuts. According to Datassential’s report, it could be found on 0.6% of menus in the U.S. That number sounds minimal, but it represents an increase of 328% over the last four years.

While cannabis is not legally allowed on restaurant menus, chefs are experimenting with THC-infused dishes like sousvide lamb chops with smoky, THC-laced eggplant puree and marijuana bud “dusting,” that can be served at private dinners that don’t officially charge guests but might ask for donations.

What we could see next is the growth of cannabis lounges, which would allow on-site consumption, though prohibit the use of alcohol. Case in point: In October 2021, Nevada’s state cannabis licensing board began accepting applications for cannabis lounges, where on-site consumption would be allowed. And in New York, state lawmakers have reportedly begun to explore legislation that would allow restaurants to sell THC-infused foods, beverages and edibles. If you’re interested in culinary cannabis, “The time is now to get in the game,” says ACF Chef Nathan Koscielski, CCE , an instructor at NFCI. You can also start by checking out ACF’s Specialized Certificate in Culinary Cannabis and Edibles , available through the Online Learning Center. After all, it’s 4:20 somewhere.

SPEED SCRATCH

How ACF Chefs are teaching and implementing these production techniques at Westmoreland County Community College //

By Amelia Levin

At all levels of dining in the culinary and hospitality industry, labor challenges, consumer demands and the desire to continue with popular menu items have caused chefs and operators to have to revisit their cooking and production methods to achieve the same quality, consistency and volume — often with fewer resources.

“One interesting concept we have begun to teach to our students is ‘speed scratch’ cooking techniques,” says ACF Chef Cindy Komarinski, Ph.D., CCC, CCE, HAAC , professor and program director, Culinary Arts & Hospitality programs at Westmoreland County Community College in Youngwood, Pa. “We look at a classic dish or even a current trendy dish and examine how we could create it utilizing some speed scratch ingredients/techniques.”

“Speed scratch,” in the simplest terms, means removing some portion of the scratch cooking process and replacing it with a labor-saving technique that achieves the same highquality, consistent result. For example, Chef Komarinski says, if an establishment is known for making the best French onion soup, chefs might consider replacing the step of peeling

and slicing onions with pre-sliced product. This technique does not change the outcome of the recipe; rather, it enables an establishment to produce recipes more efficiently by streamlining the preparation process.

“With the current state of the industry, the cost of food and the limited labor supply, our culinary faculty thought it was important to train students not only in the classics and classic techniques but also how they could be replicated in today’s world,” says Chef Komarinski.

Speed-scratch techniques are taught in the Culinary Bistro and Baking Bistro courses, available to students who have already mastered foundational skills in cooking and baking. Students spend the first six units learning what speed scratch actually means and then move into different menu categories where speed scratch can be implemented. Students are then able to get hands-on experience cooking in The Chef’s Bistro, the college’s on-site cafe, which is open to the public.

“As we experience labor challenges and rising costs as an industry, establishments have to look at ways to be more efficient,” Chef Komarinski says. “If I’m making a burger and fries, can I substitute pre-cut fries or frozen fries for fresh-cut ones and save on labor costs but not lose quality? If I’m making chicken noodle soup, what are the cost differences between making our own stock or buying a base stock, and what are the differences between using a whole, fresh chicken or bringing in pre-cooked chicken meat and adding that to a homemade stock — or using pre-cut onions and carrots in the process? We try to teach our students where in a recipe might they be able to substitute some pre-prepped ingredients. Pre-diced onions may cost more than buying a whole onion, but if you determine the labor cost for dicing all those onions, you might actually save on buying the prepped item.”

ACF Chefs Cindy Komarinski, Ph.D., CCC, CCE, HAAC (left) and William Racin, CEPC (right)

For each full-from-scratch versus speed scratch option, students are tasked with running various food and labor cost calculations to determine what makes the most sense. This also helps them hone their culinary math skills, Chef Komarinski says. All the recipes are tested as well to judge on taste, quality and consistency.

These cost-quality analysis techniques also apply to the baking side. For example, “in our biscuit lab, we’ll make homemade biscuits and compare those to pre-made biscuits, par-baked biscuits and even a biscuit mix to study labor costs and quality,” says ACF Chef William Racin, CEPC , instructor, Culinary Arts & Hospitality programs at Westmoreland. “We cost every recipe we do at about $15/hour, which is minimum wage in some states. That’s a quarter a minute, and if they take six minutes to prep the item, that needs to be tacked onto the total food cost.”

Chef Racin also has his students evaluate speed scratch methods when it comes to desserts like ice cream and gelato. “You pay extra for bases, but the return on investment when you don’t have to factor in the labor costs and sanitation risks can make it worth it,” he says. “Even powdered and box mixes are better quality these days and when done properly, with homemade fillings and toppings, can produce an excellent product.”

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That’s the thing: The sheer variety and quality of preprepared, par-baked and partially prepped products in the market has skyrocketed in recent years. “Many of the students enter into the course with preconceived notions of what entails speed scratch and like many industry chefs think that it is using ‘convenience’ products that jeopardize their scratch cooking efforts,” Chef Racin says. “We’ve discovered that one of the great advantages of this course is that we can introduce students to a vast product line. Many of the nation’s foodservice suppliers offer product lines that cater to restaurants that are utilizing speed scratch techniques. One class session was based on a field experience visiting various foodservice distribution centers where students could learn about product lines and also experience and understand food distribution centers.”

Though speed-scratch cooking has been a popular course, faculty members at Westmoreland haven’t stopped teaching the classics and the foundations of what makes a great chef.

“As we continue to teach our students classical fundamentals, we also have found it is critically important to recognize the demands of the industry and prepare the students to be workforce-ready,” Chef Komarinski says.

MY JOURNEY TO UNDERSTAND THE POSSIBILITIES OF UMAMI

By ACF Chef Chris Koetke, MBA, CEC, CCE, HAAC, executive chef, Ajinomoto Health & Nutrition (AHN)

Iwas that chef. I doubted the existence of umami. I doubted the safety of MSG, the purest form of umami. Why didn’t I understand umami? In general, it stems from starting to cook in the ‘80s. At that time, umami was not universally understood to be one of the five tastes (as it is now) and was often misunderstood as some type of mysterious Asian food enhancer. In 2002, researchers from the University of Miami identified umami taste receptors on our palate and how they send messages to our brain, solidifying umami as a core taste. Society readily accepted this scientific discovery and umami as our fifth taste. When it came to MSG, like many chefs, I did not understand it and believed that it did not have a place in the kitchen — until one fateful day more than two decades ago. I was teaching culinary school at the time and lecturing in my charcuterie class. One topic we covered was what we would not be putting in our meat systems. When I listed MSG on our “do not use” list, I noticed a look of confusion on the face of a Filipina student in my class. After class, she politely asked me what was wrong with MSG. Realizing that I did not actually have an educated response, I simply said, “you know, it is something that you don’t want to use,”

and so on. Talk about poor teaching on my part! She then told me that her mom cooked with it every day growing up and then asked if I had ever had it on eggs. The only thing I did right that day was ask her to cook some for me. When she did, I was dumbfounded at how delicious the eggs were — it was a culinary revelation!

This started me down a path of serious inquiry. Is MSG bad for you? Why is it so bad? Why did chefs not want to use it or relegate it to less-than-serious culinary pursuits? What I learned over the next few years was surprising. The simple fact is that there is nothing wrong with MSG at all. Public health authorities across the globe (including the FDA) see no problem with it. Science is clear that it is not harmful to health and may even be beneficial in reducing salt intake. Statisticians will tell you that when the double-blind studies are done with those who profess to have reactions to MSG, there is no cause and effect.

The reality is that MSG is sodium and glutamate. That’s it. Glutamate is an important amino acid in our bodies and is responsible for the umami taste. It makes food taste great. MSG allows us to increase the umami in food, in the purest way, with a simple sprinkle.

The reason I share this story with you is to invite you to my upcoming webinar this spring. Over the years, I have learned so much about umami and its role in making delicious food — and want to share it with you.

Do you have WHAT IT TAKES?

The ACF can help you turn your passion into a profession. Certify your culinary skills today. Get started at acfchefs.org/certify .

IT STARTS WITH THE SOIL

Regenerative agriculture meets climate-friendly cuisine for the good of the globe and our bodies

// By Jody Shee

An increasing number of farmers and chefs are grappling with the reality that current large-scale and monocrop-producing methods are detrimental to our soil, our produce, our nutrition and ultimately our planet. Their solution lies in embracing regenerative agriculture — a revival of ancient farming methods intended to improve soil health and the nutritional component of our food. As more chefs source from regenerative farms and prepare dishes using their ingredients, we’re seeing a new evolution of highly eco-friendly, nutritionally dense cuisine.

Regenerative agriculture, considered the new face of sustainability, is one of today’s hottest buzzwords that is not going away, according to Farmer Lee Jones of The Chef’s Garden in Huron, Ohio. After a farm crisis in the 1980s, the Jones family started rethinking the farming industry and their tactics. “In the past 100 to 150 years, the nutrition levels of vegetables have gone down 50% to 80% while there’s been a 3,000%

increase in kidney disease, allergies and diabetes,” he says. “This is not sustainable” for us or the earth.

Farmer Jones notes that in the past, many farms would grow one-third cover crops, one-third animal feed and one-third product to sell. Over time, farms have become dependent on harmful chemicals to which the crops and pests develop a resistance, creating a need for more chemicals, he says. Depleted, dead soil produces depleted crops; healthy soil leads to healthy crops.

One of the prime tenants of regenerative agriculture is to plant cover crops in between the row crops to harvest the sun’s energy, reduce wind and water erosion and feed the biology of what would otherwise be bare dead soil. “The cover crops build biodiversity in the soil while sequestering carbon and building nutrient-dense produce,” Farmer Jones says. “We’re working in harmony with nature.”

The Chef’s Garden, a certified regenerative farm (through Regenified), also plays a role in combating

Farmer Lee Jones (right), a pioneer in the regenerative agriculture movement, is working to enhance the nutritional content of our food and restore the nation’s soil.

climate change by offsetting greenhouse gas emissions through its farming practices. Regenerative agriculture focuses on carbon sequestration, which is a key method used to reduce the amount of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.

“Cover crops also play a role in combating climate change by offsetting greenhouse gas emissions,” says Chef Jamie Simpson , executive chef for the Culinary Vegetable Institute at The Chef ’s Garden. “They pull carbon out of the atmosphere and send it to the roots and leave it there.”

Chef Simpson and others say the most common cover crops used are alfalfa, sudangrass/sorghum, radishes, rye, barley, buckwheat and legumes. Some of the cover crops, like legumes, including alfalfa, help improve soil nitrogen levels. The grasses, like barley, rye and drought-tolerant sudangrass/sorghum, help prevent erosion while suppressing weeds and improving the soil structure. Fast-growing buckwheat helps to smother weeds and attract beneficial insects.

“In the past 100 to 150 years, the nutrition levels of vegetables have gone down 50% to 80% while there’s been a 3,000% increase in kidney disease, allergies and diabetes.”

Lee Jones Owner, The Chef’s Garden

At Oyster Oyster, Washington, D.C., Chef Rob Rubba sources all produce from local farms with regenerative and sustainable practices, including this organic kohlrabi being sliced and crisped up in ice water (credit: Rey Lopez); Chef Jamie Simpson, executive chef for the Culinary Vegetable Institute at The Chef’s Garden, regularly presents and educates about the benefits of regenerative agriculture and experiments in the kitchen using fresh vegetables grown on the farm; Above: pea shoots and tendrils (Credit: Michelle Demuth-Bibb, The Chefs Garden).

In their carbon sequestration role, cover crops aren’t grown as much for commercial purposes as to improve the soil, the crop nutrition and the environment.

WASTE NOT

Chef Rob Rubba , chef/partner of Oyster Oyster in Washington, D.C., works with 25 to 30 climatemindful producers and farmers in the mid-Atlantic region. He notices that the new generation of farmers understands what needs to happen with the land and that the product and nutrients need to matter.

“The farm exists first, then the ingredient, then I analyze all the ways to use it to not waste it,” Chef Rubba says. His menu evolves with the crops growing best on those farms at that time of year and the best ways to prepare them. He may have a marinated beet course in late summer or early fall. Then he combines juiced beet trimmings to use as hydration for bread. He dries what’s left over of the colorful bread and

mixes it with Carolina gold rice koji out of which he makes miso, a yearlong process of fermentation.

Chef Rubba also dehydrates and jars the trim from such vegetables as celery, onion skins and mushrooms, out of which he makes a warming broth that guests receive after they are seated. He even purchases local cooking oil, and after it is used, filters it and mixes it with beeswax to create the table votive candles. “There’s financial gain in not wasting anything,” he says.

Chef Simpson is also a huge proponent of not wasting the good crops that are sourced. He encourages chefs who support sustainable, ecofriendly food to consider sourcing crops where every part of the plant is usable or beneficial to the operation. Fully useful produce includes Brussels sprouts, carrots, radishes, beets, parsnips and peas, for example. “When you peel the pod off the pea, the pod is full of water. Put it in the juicer. Then it goes to the bar in a cocktail when peas are in season,” he says.

This vegan 24 Carrot Dessert at Oyster Oyster, Washington, D.C., features Appalachian allspice cake, dragon carrots cooked in chamomile and maple syrup and a pecan mousse “carrot” encapsulated in a carrot shell (credit: Rey Lopez).

Besides the fruit of the plant, find ways to use all parts of the item at all stages of ripeness. Prickly zucchini stems are a delicacy to Chef Simpson. He peels them with a paring knife like celery to remove the fibrous strands. “It’s a hollow tube that smells like summer and tastes like celery and melon had a baby,” he says. “They are crunchy. Put them in salads or treat them like rigatoni. Quick-blanch them and put sauce on them.”

Chef Simpson also blanches the large zucchini leaves, which can become a wrap or a sauce. “There’s lots of chlorophyl. If you juice it, you have a gorgeous dark green color to apply to anything.” He suggests treating zucchini leaves like saag, an Indian leafy vegetable dish often made with spinach, cumin and sometimes chicken, beef or cheese. “You cook the leaves to death until they are really tender.”

Still, he says, “We have to be smart on the operations side to know our capacity and limitations. We want vegetable options that are profitable but interesting, delicious and not more labor.”

In the end, Chef Simpson predicts consumers will dictate the future of sustainable cuisine. “Trends are not what chefs want, but what customers want,” he says. “We want to make customers happy to come back. If climatarian-minded foods are important to the consumer, it will be critical to operators.”

THE “CLIMATARIAN DIET”

There’s a new diet (or lifestyle, if you will) centered on climate-friendly foods and regenerative agriculture. Consumers who aim to reduce their intake of emissionsproducing or resource-intensive foods embrace the emerging “climatarian diet,” according to Datassential’s Trend Watch Deep Dive: Diet Trends report. This leads consumers to source and eat more plant-based foods; hardcore followers may even exclude what they consider to be resource-intensive foods like avocados, soybeans and almonds in favor of seasonal, organic local produce.

ACCORDING TO DATASSENTIAL:

• Nearly 1/3 of consumers rank climate change as one of the top three socioeconomic issues they care most about.

• 22% of surveyed consumers are interested in practicing a climatarian diet.

• 10 % of surveyed consumers already practice a climatarian diet.

• 30 % of consumers believe food brands and restaurants should take a stand and have a public position on climate change.

• 13% of operators have already taken a public position on climate change.

• 21% of operators say they plan to take a stand in the next two years.

The kohlrabi dumplings served at Oyster Oyster, Washington, D.C. are dusted with dehydrated sauerkraut and toasted yeast (credit: Rey Lopez).

A BUDDING BUSINESS

This ACF-accredited college is pioneering the path for cooking with cannabis // By Amelia

Levin

Did you know the human body has an endocannabinoid system with receptors for THC and CBD, two well-known cannabinoid compounds found in cannabis? That’s right, our bodies are actually meant to receive these plug-ins — whether we plug in the plant or not.

Despite decades of stigma, experts say there are actually many health benefits behind all the cannabinoids out there, including the ones our bodies already make and the external ones that get you high and those that don’t, says ACF Chef Nathan Koscielski, CCE , culinary arts instructor at Niagara Falls Culinary Institute, Niagara Falls, N.Y. He introduced a cooking with cannabis lecture course in 2020 designed around ACF’s Specialized Certificate of Culinary Cannabis and Edibles , followed by a lab course in 2022, just as New York made recreational cannabis consumption legal.

“I preface all that by saying that I am not a doctor or trained physician,” says Chef Koscielski. “But I believe in the medicinal benefits of cannabis and also the culinary aspect — I thought [the course] would be a great recruiting tool for enrollment.”

His hunch came true; Chef Koscielski’s lecture and lab classes (which are open to the public) have sold out since their inception, and several graduates have moved to the West Coast to pursue careers in this growing industry. “We have also helped more than 100 students receive ACF’s specialized certification,” he says. Though Niagara County Community College had an existing cannabis growing course through its horticulture program, “we were the first to offer a culinary cannabis, creditbearing class within the SUNY system, which includes 64 campuses across the state — and still are.”

Students enrolled in Culinary 250: Culinary Cannabis and Edibles, the lecture-based course, start off with a basic understanding of our body’s endocannabinoid system — a cell-signaling system that stabilizes our internal bodies when we receive negative outside forces like pain from an injury or a fever from an illness. Students then go on to learn about the 160 identified types of cannabinoids and their potential health benefits. Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) is most well-known for producing a “high.” Others like cannabinol (CBN) are said to help with appetite stimulation in cancer patients as well as sleep regulation. Cannabigerol (CBG) assists with digestion, and cannabidiol (CBD) — found legally in many drinks and snacks — has calming, anti-anxiety properties. Some even help improve fertility, and many reduce inflammation in the body for those suffering from arthritis or trying to otherwise detoxify from years of less healthy food and drink.

Also in the lecture portion of the course, students learn about the anatomy of the cannabis plant and how to use all parts of it. They learn about terpenes, the aromatic compounds that give cannabis its distinctive smells and tastes and which are also said to have health benefits.

“Terpenes can be purchased in small bottles like vanilla extract and offer wonderful flavors and fragrances and nutritional benefits to food without psychoactive effects,” Chef Koscielski says. “It’s very much like pairing food with wine. If

Chefs today are experimenting with microdoses of cannabinoids in a variety of foods beyond just pot brownies.

I’m serving a limoncello tart, I might want a strain that has citrusy notes; if I’m serving something gamey like lamb with mustard and garlic and rosemary I might want a stronger terpene that can hold up against those ingredients.”

Cannabis mathematics and proper dosing is another big part of the course. “You might have people trying cannabis for the first time so the last thing you want to do is overdose someone.” Other safety aspects come into the instruction here as well.

In Culinary 255: Culinary Cannabis Concentrate, the lab course that maxes out at 15 participants, students (who have passed Culinary 250) go on to receive hands-on instruction in how to create extractions and infusions and use them in complex dishes and desserts.

“People laughed at me when I first told them about the class and thought we were just going to sit around and get high and make pot brownies, but that’s not the case at all,” Chef Koscielski says.

Students first learn how to decarbonize the cannabis flower or bud to make infusions in order to extract the THC, CBD and other cannabinoids. Smoking achieves this immediately, but when cooking with the product, “you have to bake the cannabis in the oven low and slow or even sous-vide it at 246 degrees or less, otherwise you’ll kill off the THC or CBD.”

Infusions — in the form of butter, oil and even sugar — are best when working with cannabis. Even then, you don’t want to turn up the heat so they’re often used as finishing elements in a dish.

“We’ve infused heavy cream for use in mashed potatoes; we’ve also infused ice cream and chocolate for a tart and even did a steak au poivre with infused butter and a seared salmon with infused beurre blanc sauce,” Chef Koscielski says.

Due to the fact that NFCI is a state-funded institution, an extract of only .03% of THC or less can be legally used in cooking, though students learn how to potentially micro-dose at 3 to 5 milligrams.

Though it’s not legal to serve cannabis-laced food and drink in restaurants, Chef Koscielski says there’s a host of chefs serving private cannabis dinners and he wouldn’t be surprised to see more cannabis lounges start to pop up where cannabis is legal (note, these lounges are restricted from serving alcohol). Chef Koscielski expects this budding (pun intended) market to

continue, offering chefs yet another avenue and segment within which to work.

“My focus is to help reduce the stigma around culinary cannabis and educate our students, future chefs and the community about this amazing ingredient with unlimited flavor potential and health benefits that so many of us have never worked with,” he says. “We’re trying to elevate cannabis cuisine and beverages and normalize it. I’ve been teaching for 18 years, and I can easily say I have not had students so engaged in class and passionate about their homework. We’ve even had students take this class and then enroll in culinary school as a result. I’m truly excited to see where this field is headed.”

"PEOPLE LAUGHED AT ME WHEN I FIRST TOLD THEM ABOUT THE CLASS AND THOUGHT WE WERE JUST GOING TO SIT AROUND AND GET HIGH AND MAKE POT BROWNIES, BUT THAT’S NOT THE CASE AT ALL."

-ACF CHEF NATHAN KOSCIELSKI, CCE

A student plates cannabis-infused dishes during the Niagara County Community College’s Cannabis Conference in January. State law prohibits use of THC above .03%

ACF Chef Nathan Koscielski, CCE

Classical

ACF Chef Katrina Knapp, CSC, CWPC , culinary instructor at the recently ACF-accredited Floyd County High School in Virginia and a 10-year member and former secretary of the ACF Southwestern Virginia Chapter, drew from her background growing up in Appalachian country near the Blue Ridge Mountains when choosing to present frog legs — a French delicacy — for this study. Much like in eastern France near the Rhône River where frog legs are commonly enjoyed, “we grew up eating deer, rabbit and other small game; my father and my grandfather hunted all the time and often went frog gigging” (aka, spearing frogs out of ponds and rivers). For the classical version, Chef Knapp and her student helper Kiley Hylton first soaked the legs (sourced from a supplier in this case) in buttermilk to tenderize them and then dredged them in seasoned flour before frying them in Chef Knapp’s grandmother’s 100-plusyear-old cast iron pan filled about halfway with oil. They’re enjoyed simply fried, with a little lemon.

Modern

Chef Knapp’s students were initially squeamish at the thought of eating frog legs, so she and Hylton opted for a dressed up, modern dish featuring a lollipop version (resembling chicken legs). They were lightly coated in cornmeal and seasonings and then pan-fried and served with a bright green, savory “forest medley” sauce made of earthy mushrooms, garlic and fresh spinach sauteed in bacon fat and then pureed and finished with heavy cream. Crispy bacon bits, brûléed onions, lemon zest and black truffle-infused olive oil rounded out the dish. “In my classes I like to stress the importance of recipes passed down from our parents, grandparents and relatives and sharing our backgrounds with each other; cultural preservation is a bond that’s only strengthened through food and cooking.”

For recipes, visit acfchefs.org/recipes

CLASSICAL

CLASSICAL MODERN vs.

Photo credits: Eli Schopp

NEXT GENERATION APPRENTICESHIPS

These ACF Chefs talk about their training programs and efforts to recruit new crops of culinarians //

By Tricia Chaves

Whether you are looking to expand your skill set, ascend the ranks of ACF certifications or build your team with qualified staff, apprenticeship programs can help you reach your objectives.

ACF Chef Todd Whitman, a member of the ACF Cleveland Chapter, had the opportunity to accomplish all of the above. Although he had many years of foodservice experience under his belt from working with family at Cleveland’s Great American Rib CookOff, finding job opportunities became challenging in 2015 at a time when he was recently incarcerated and in early recovery from addiction. Chef Whitman learned about EDWINS Leadership & Restaurant Institute, a culinary/reentry program founded by ACF Chef Brandon Chrostowski in Cleveland’s Shaker Square neighborhood. “I love food and I could see myself having a career with food,” Chef Whitman says. “Right out of treatment I got into the EDWINS program and took it very seriously — both my recovery and my career — and never looked back.”

During a six-month apprenticeship at EDWINS, students qualify for the ACF Certified Fundamentals Cook certification through a combination of classroom curriculum and handson experience in both the front and back of the house as wait staff and kitchen crew. Chef Whitman was among 52 graduates to complete the program and was referred to a position at Parker’s Downtown under Chef Andrew Gorski . Tackling every shift offered to him over his two-and-a-halfyear employment gave Chef Whitman opportunities to hone his cooking skills while preparing meals for local and visiting celebrities including the Clintons, Matthew McConaughey and the Red Hot Chili Peppers.

Building Life Skills

When the Medina County Court reached out to Chef Chrostowski in 2018 to open a culinary school with the Recovery Center of Medina County, he recruited Chef Whitman to lead the team as executive chef of Sérénité Restaurant & Culinary Institute. While pursuing the restaurant’s five-month training, students can earn their ServSafe and CPR certifications and gain connections to resources that support their recovery journey, such as social services and 12-step meetings. Modeling Sérénité’s program after his EDWINS apprenticeship, Chef Whitman says he’s able to help participants build confidence and life skills that can be applied to any profession.

“Beyond teaching culinary math, knife-handling, the five mother sauces, how to break down meats and whole fish — showing a person how to do cherries jubilee or bananas foster tableside really helps them learn to break the ice and get over any fears of working with the public,” he says.

ACF Chefs Todd Whitman (left) and Jeremy Umansky (right)

Paying for One’s Worth

Though less structured in his approach to apprenticeships, ACF Chef Jeremy Umansky takes his role as an educator seriously at his acclaimed Larder Delicatessen and Bakery in Cleveland’s Hingetown district and sees apprenticeships as mutually beneficial for both the trainee and trainer.

“When I hear ‘apprenticeship’ in another trade, it implies that they’re training to be a journeyperson, whereas in our industry it’s likely they’re a stage — peeling potatoes for minimum wage or even for free just to get a big name chef’s recommendation,” Chef Umanksy says. “In a capitalistic society, the way we value a person is by compensating their time with money. We have to destroy the mentality that training an apprentice is more hassle than it’s worth.”

Rather, Chef Umansky sees the time invested in apprenticeships as contributing not only to workforce development and the greater good of our society, but also to the success of one’s business in terms of improving employee retention, morale and work-life balance. Apprenticeships also help advance the culinary industry as a whole.

Newcomers to the industry “don’t want a future the way it looks right now,” Chef Umansky says, referring to staggering labor shortages and rising costs. It’s up to veteran culinarians to work toward industry-wide reform that provides trainees a sustainable future in foodservice. That can include “closing the disparity gap between the banker and the farmer, creating economic equity across food-centered industries and electing people who want to effect change.”

Chef Umansky takes an out-of-thebox approach to recruitment as well. “Apprenticeship programs are focused on training the next generation but they’re not necessarily focused on looking where the next generation could or should be coming from,” he says. “Rural and innercity kids who are tactile, who want to be in a trade and for whom college is not an option are ideal candidates.”

Chef Umansky also recruits immigrants to the U.S. by partnering with local nonprofit organizations like the Culinary Creatives Program at Rainey Institute and Re:Source Cleveland (formerly Refugee Response) to train aspiring cooks and create a dynamic, diverse workplace providing

apprentices jobs as culinary, pastry and basic kitchen assistants.

“Even if they don’t end up working with us or staying in food, they’re going to take these sensibilities and put them into whatever they’re doing,” he says.

Hybrid Learning

The ACFEF-accredited Detroit Institute of Gastronomy offers a hybrid program with online coursework and on-the-job training that can be completed regardless of geographical location. Culinary arts program director ACF Chef John Piazza, CEC, CCA, CCE , says the institute, founded in 2019, connects each apprentice with a mentor at a partner foodservice establishment, which can include country clubs, health care facilities, restaurants, casinos, hotels and others locally and around the country. Students also take required coursework online and can view cooking demonstrations and other videos through that platform.

“Apprentices are required to master certain skills each quarter and document them with photos uploaded into our

ACF Chef John Piazza, CEC, CCE, CCA (right), culinary arts program director for the ACF-accredited Detroit Institute of Gastronomy’s apprenticeship program; two apprentices from the program (left).

“Even if they don’t end up working with us or staying in food, they’re going to take these sensibilities and put them into whatever they’re doing.”-ACF Chef Jeremy Umansky

system,” Chef Piazza says. “The mentor reviews each skill and can approve or reject it.”

Upon completion of the one-year culinarian program, students have the option to sit for the written exam and take the cooking practical with ACF evaluators to earn a Certified Culinarian certificate. They can then choose to move into the workforce or continue on to complete a second year of study and training to obtain the ACF Certified Sous Chef certification.

The U.S. Department of Labor oversees the wage progression of students in the program, who are earning between $17 to $25 hourly depending on their individual place of employment. Every six months, the apprentice is evaluated for skills progression and can receive pay increases upon completion of the program.

“Generally speaking, with partnered work, long lead times for tasks and top-of-the-line equipment, brick-and-mortar culinary schools rarely realistically replicate the real-world experience a student will have post-graduation,” says Chef Piazza. “Our program, done in real time with a sense of urgency, pushes the chef and the apprentice into an educational mold. While doing the required prep and executing each learning task, the student is able to contribute to the restaurant’s production.”

ACF Chef Jeremy Abbey, CEC, CEPC, CCE, CCA, AAC , executive director of Soil2Service, the nonprofit operating arm

of the Detroit Institute of Gastronomy, says the program is designed to educate the next generation of culinarians without putting them through tremendous debt like traditional culinary schools can.

The virtual aspect of the institute’s program offers benefits to ACF chefs in leadership positions around the country. “We understand what a difficult challenge it can be to start an apprenticeship program or recruit apprentices in places of business,” Chef Abbey says. “By partnering with us, we can deliver the education and training program to them to recruit potential apprentices in their area. We have graduates all over the country, from Oregon to Oklahoma, Chicago, New York, Tennessee and beyond.” It’s a win-win for all parties involved.

Clockwise from top left: Apprenticeshp lessons and classes at Sérénité Restaurant & Culinary Institute in Cleveland; ACF Chefs John PIazza, CEC, CCE, CCA, (left) and Jeremy Abbey, CEC, CEPC, CCE, CCA, AAC, executive director of the nonprofit Soil2Service, founded the Detroit Institute of Gastronomy, an ACFaccredited program offering hybrid virtual/on-site apprenticeships. It earned ACF accreditation in early 2024.

The Time Has Come for the Return of Apprenticeships // By ACF Chef Paul Sorgule, MS, AAC

Prior to the early 1970s many larger restaurants and hotels managed their own training programs. Some were more formalized than others, but each establishment knew training was a cost of doing business. Early in my career I was inspired to find a home in the kitchen. There were only a handful of culinary degree programs in the United States, so instead I applied for an apprenticeship with the Statler Hilton hotel chain. I worked through various positions from butchery to line cook and banquet work, and even spent some time with the pâtissier. I developed a level of competence that led to confidence spanning a 50-year career in food.

In 1974, ACF Chefs Jack Braun, CEC, AAC, HOF, Ferdinand Metz, CMC, AAC, HOF, HBOT, and L. Edwin Brown, HAAC, HHOF, established an apprenticeship program focused on the what, when, why and how of cooking, modeled after the European guild system that prepared cooks for skilled positions as apprentice, journeyman and master. Guilds were self-contained ecosystems where inexperienced cooks (apprentices) were paired with either masters or journeymen well on their way. Guilds determined cooks’ pay, where they were placed and whether they had the required skills to move up the ladder. The process was tightly controlled to ensure the integrity of the profession.

By the late 1970s the hospitality industry in the U.S. was ready to relinquish its responsibility for training to a growing number of schools far better equipped to teach and train and exhibit the patience necessary to do so. Culinary schools grew exponentially until the late 1990s when nearly 1,000 such programs could be found across the country.

Although well positioned to teach and train, schools struggled to re-create real world environments for skill development. Embracing a sense of urgency, the schools built complex problem-solving scenarios, which prepared students to work through the challenges of the kitchen. Eventually, programs added internships and externships at qualified restaurants and hotels to fill the gaps.

A college education may be a rite of passage for American youth, but it’s not the only route to a successful life and career. The time, cost and commitment to a process of learning at the post-secondary level is perfect for some, but not for all.

As the food industry enters a new era in which labor challenges abound, lingering supply chain obstacles drive up ingredient costs and consumer interests constantly change — finding and retaining competent, confident employees is paramount to success. Is this the time to reemphasize the value of apprenticeship?

Young and/or aspiring cooks have three choices when it comes to skill development in the kitchen: earn a formal college education, go through the school of hard knocks (which often means starting at the very bottom of a restaurant ladder) or participate in an apprenticeship program to combine both formal instruction and on-thejob training.

Those enrolled in apprenticeship programs have the advantage of working, as I did, in a variety of kitchen departments to develop technical skills while feeling the pressure of urgency that exists in a real-life setting. At the same time, apprentices in ACF-accredited programs discover the theory (the why) behind the methods used every day in a kitchen; many formal apprenticeship programs align with colleges for the theory classes to support learning and skill development.

It has been said that “experience is the best educator,” but experience often lacks a background in theory, which can lead to confidence and a commitment to learning the right way. Apprenticeships provide both.

For those who find a formal education does not fit their life situation, apprenticeship is a strong alternative, a model responsible for developing some of the world’s finest chefs.

Apprenticeship Programs and the ACF

The American Culinary Federation Education Foundation apprenticeship program provides chefs, trainers and instructors with industry-relevant knowledge and skill competencies across all kitchen stations and ensures apprentices have the education, skills and job experience to have better job opportunities with higher wages. Upon successful completion of the program, apprentices are eligible to earn ACF certification. Today, the ACFEF has 44 approved apprenticeship programs in 24 states. Visit the apprenticeship page at acfchefs.org for more details and a list of apprenticeship programs near you.

FRUIT FORWARD

New ways to incorporate nutrient-dense fruits into savory dishes

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By Lauren Kramer

Fruit is the ultimate healthy choice, adding vitamins, minerals, nutrients, antioxidants and fiber to the diet. Wrapped inside these tasty foods are healthboosting properties that are still being studied, even as research links diets high in fruit to reduced risk of developing heart disease, cancer, inflammation and diabetes. So why limit them to colorful decor on the brunch and dessert menus? Fruit shines across the spectrum, and savory dishes are no exception.

Blueberries

According to the North American Blueberry Council, blueberries are native to North America, dating back at least 13,000 years, and they thrive under clear blue skies, hot days and cool nights. Farmers in 26 U.S. states produce blueberries commercially during the harvest, which runs from April to late September. International farmers in South America keep grocery stores stocked with fresh blueberries from November through March. When fresh blueberries aren’t available, frozen, dried, pureed or canned make a great substitute.

Nutrition Info:

• Blueberries contain fiber, vitamin C, vitamin K and manganese, as well as phytonutrients including anthocyanin, the plant-based pigment that gives blueberries their blue color

• One cup of blueberries contains just 80 calories

• R esearchers are studying the beneficial effects of blueberry consumption on the health of the brain, gut and cardiovascular system

Menu Inspirations:

• Blueberry barbecue sauce, Wings and Rings

• Turkey club sandwich with blueberry aioli, The University of Connecticut, Storrs, Ct.

• Blueberry pesto caprese sandwich, Modern Market

Mangoes

Available year-round, mangoes in the U.S. are sourced from Mexico, Peru, Ecuador, Brazil, Guatemala and Haiti. While mangoes are grown in Florida, California, Hawaii and Puerto Rico, commercial, large-scale production in the U.S. is limited because mangoes flourish only in tropical environments. According to the National Mango Board, the mango varieties most commonly available in the U.S. are Tommy Atkins, Haden, Kent, Keitt, Honey and Francis.

Nutrition Info:

• M angoes are free of fat, sodium and cholesterol

• One serving size is 3/4 cup and contains 202 calories

• M angoes are a good source of dietary fiber, vitamins A, B6 and C, folate and copper

Menu Inspirations:

• M ango poke bowl with soy, ginger, garlic, toasted cashews, edamame beans and black sesame seeds by Chef Sarah Linkenheil, Culinary Institute of America, Hyde Park, N.Y.

• C hurrasco-style, mango-marinated grilled pork rib skewers with mango by Chef Olivier Gaupin, Benchmark Pyramid

• Pan-fried red snapper filet with mango sriracha butter and mango rice madras by Chef Pascal Beaute, Delaware North

• Pan-seared cod with mango strawberry pico de gallo and cumin mango gastrique by Chef David J. Stadtmiller, TGI Fridays

Prunes

The California Prune Board notes that California prunes are a descendent of the Petit d’Agen plum, which was brought to California from France during the Gold Rush and grafted onto wild American plum trees. Prune trees grow in 46,000 acres of orchards in the Sacramento and San Joaquin valleys and ripen on the tree. After California prunes are harvested in the fall, they are dried in climate-controlled tunnels. California

Above: Blueberries can easily be added to salads to boost flavor and nutrition (credit: North American Blueberry Council); pan-fried snapper with mango rice madra (Credit: National Mango Board); Korean prune-barbecue beef and kimchi slaw (Credit: California Prunes).

supplies 99% of U.S. prune production and 40% of the world’s prune production.

Nutrition Info:

• P runes contain 3 grams of fiber, 24 grams of carbohydrates, 20% of your daily value of vitamin K and 6% of your daily value of potassium

• P runes are an important source of vitamins and minerals including magnesium, boron, riboflavin, niacin and vitamin B6

• P runes contain no added sugar, cholesterol, sodium or fat

• R esearch has shown correlations between prune consumption and digestion and gut health, bone health, heart health, weight management and satiety

Menu Inspirations:

• Octopus tostada with prune salsa macha by Chef Mikel Anthony, Chef’s Roll

• Sweet and spicy chicken legs with prune-chile-garlic-miso sauce by Chef Stephanie Cmar

• P izza with French la tur cheese, prune marmalade, bacon and mint by Chef Daniele Uditi, Pizzana

• K orean-style barbecue beef with prune-gochujang barbecue sauce and kimchi slaw by Chef Peter Sidwell, Peter Sidwell’s Kitchen

Raspberries

Raspberry canes thrive in climates with cool summers, mild winters and a rain-free harvest season, according to the Washington Red Raspberry Commission. With its rich, well-drained soil and long, cool growing season, Washington state produces 90% of the nation’s frozen red raspberry crop. These red raspberries are grown for processing, machine harvested over six weeks in the summer and gently flash-frozen, a process that maintains the fruit’s flavor and nutrient integrity. Frozen raspberries are sold in grocery stores and used in other food products like jelly, yogurt and ice cream. Use fresh ones quickly; with

one of the highest respiration rates of any fruit, raspberries are the most delicate berry available.

Nutrition Info:

• One cup of frozen red raspberries has 80 calories and provides 28% of the recommended dietary allowance (RDA) of vitamin C, 21% fiber and 10% folate

• R aspberries contain only 1g of fat and are free of cholesterol, low in sodium, high in antioxidants and a great source of dietary fiber

Menu Inspirations:

• Washington red raspberry and cranberry compote with crostini and brie by Leslie Mackie, owner, Macrina Bakery and Café

• R oot fries and razz sauce by Chef Rebecca Poulson, Minneapolis Public Schools

• Spicy raspberry cocktail sauce by Chef James Pitzer, StrEAT Food

• Washington red raspberry mojo by Chef Sharon Hage, Shage Consulting

Watermelon

Watermelon’s origins have been traced back to the deserts of southern Africa 5,000 years ago, where the fruit still grows wild today, according to information supplied by the National Watermelon Promotion Board. The ancestor of the modern watermelon is a tough, drought-tolerant fruit prized by tribes crossing the Kalahari Desert for its ability to store water.

Grown in more than 30 states, watermelon is available year-round with imports from Mexico, Guatemala and Costa Rica when it’s out of season domestically. Watermelons need sun, water, well-drained soil and bees (for pollination) in order to grow. The fast-growing vines grow up to 8 feet in the first 30 days, and the watermelon emerges within 60 days. Watermelon crops reach maturity three months after planting and do not ripen after being removed from the vine; each watermelon plant produces two to three watermelons.

Nutrition Info:

• Watermelon is nutrient dense, containing vitamins A, B6 and C, potassium, magnesium, thiamin and phosphorus

• Watermelon contains no fat, sugars, refined starches or sodium

• Watermelon seeds are high in protein

• Two cups of watermelon contain 80 calories

• Watermelon is 92% water, making it a great way to rehydrate

Menu Inspirations:

• B urmese watermelon salad with green lentils and green beans, avocado, ginger, kaffir lime, toasted peanuts, sesame and coconut flakes and lime-soy-fish sauce dressing by Chef Rebecca Peizer, All Things Culinary LLC

• Watermelon salad with pickled watermelon rind, cotija, pepitas, cumin seeds and poblano chiles by Chef Peizer

• S haking beef with watermelon and wilted watercress bo luc lac-style by Chef Mai Pham of Star Ginger in Sacramento, Calif.

Above: Watermelon poke bowl by Chef Mai Pham (credit: National Watermelon Board); Washington red raspberry mojo by Chef Sharon Hage (credit: Washington Red Raspberries).

WHY CHEFS SHOULD CARE ABOUT CULINARY MEDICINE

By ACF Chef Jim Perko, CEC, AAC, executive chef, Cleveland Clinic’s Center

for Integrative & Lifestyle Medicine

As a professional chef for 46 years since graduating from the Culinary Institute of America in 1977 and still working full time, self-care is incredibly important to me. As we age, we experience a reduction in muscle mass — as early as in our 30s — affecting the function of our vital organs at a rate of 3% to 10% per decade. So, whether you are the one who can easily sprint up a flight of stairs or someone who struggles to get to the top, we all have the power to

extend our prime years through taking care of ourselves, proper nutrition and serving others.

Longevity expert Dr. Michael Roizen states in his book, “The Great Age Reboot: Cracking the Longevity Code for a Younger Tomorrow,” “working until age 65 is the norm for many people and most 65-year-olds are still a vibrant part of the workforce.” To extend these prime years, Roizen encourages us to “reboot” our bodies. When that happens, you can feel the shift from fear to opportunity — the opportunity to live longer and healthier lives. Just as important, extending your prime years has a profound effect on society. So, taking care of yourself is not just an act of self-preservation, but can be viewed as an altruistic one as

well. A better you means a better chef and a better us! The easiest way to optimize your body is through self-engineering with lifestyle choices. That is where culinary medicine comes into play.

Culinary medicine is a new, rapidly evolving, evidencebased field of medicine that blends the art of food and cooking with the science of medicine and nutrition. Culinary medicine’s focus is to help people achieve optimal self-care via accessing, preparing and eating meals that help prevent and treat common chronic, lifestyle-related diseases and restore well-being.

Culinary medicine prompts us to ask, “How do I prepare foods that will support my health and also taste great?” The same diet may not always work for everyone. Different clinical conditions, in different people, at various stages of their lifespan, may require different foods and ways of meal preparation.

For example, processed foods, conventional animal proteins and foods with added sugars, sodium and refined oils promote inflammation in the body and metabolic syndrome, increasing the risk of having high blood sugar, high blood pressure, abnormal LDL cholesterol levels and excess body fat around the waist. These changes increase a person’s risk for diabetes, heart disease, stroke, memory loss and cancer. Diabetes is the No. 1 cause of chronic kidney disease. You might also want to consider an anti-inflammatory, mostly plant-based diet low in added sugars, sodium and fats if you suffer from arthritis from years of working on your feet. There are many anti-inflammatory recipes in “The What to Eat When Cookbook ,” which I co-authored with Roizen and Dr. Michael Crupain, MPH, as well as in Cleveland Clinic’s e-book, “23 Recipes to Tame Inflammation .”

Here are a couple other examples: People who suffer from Crohn’s disease, irritable bowel syndrome and other digestive issues might need to follow a FODMAP diet, which limits dairy and certain types of vegetables and carbohydrates. Cancer treatments can result in fatigue, taste and smell changes, diarrhea and loss of appetite, so foods may need to be bland, less acidic and prepared to minimize smells and odors.

Culinary medicine improves a patient’s condition(s) via education to increase culinary literacy, by addressing what patients eat and drink. It emphasizes culinary techniques and skills and how to efficiently and confidently prepare healthpromoting foods that taste great. It teaches us to sweeten recipes using natural sweeteners like bananas, dates and raisins; moisten grains with water-rich vegetables like mushrooms instead of using butter; thicken dressings and sauces using fiber-packed, mashed or pureed beans in place of extra oil; swap cashews for dairy-based cream; and more. There are recipes for these techniques in my book as well.

Today’s customers who dine in our restaurants, clubs and corporate and school cafeterias are more health conscious than

ever and may choose (or be told by their doctors) to follow specific diets. Chefs need to understand the many dietary restrictions our customers request and how to satisfy and exceed their expectations with deliciousness. If “ACF is the authority on cooking in America,” as ACF Chef and former national president John Folse, CEC, AAC, HOF, HBOT, once said, who better than chefs to promote wellness and well-being for those we proudly serve? In taking better care of ourselves and learning to love the foods that love us back, we can take better care of our customers and ourselves — for longer.

For more information on Cleveland Clinic’s Center for Integrative & Lifestyle Medicine and to download the Culinary Medicine Toolkit , visit clevelandclinic. org/culinarymedicine

ACF Chef Jim Perko, CEC, AAC, has been with the Cleveland Clinic for 39 years. He has collaborated with physicians to develop the first evidence-based, technique-driven culinary medicine initiatives as well as culinary curricula for six patient programs at the Cleveland Clinic, and he is the creator and provider of the first Cleveland Clinic Culinary Medicine patient consult to help patients execute prescribed nutritional plans. Chef Perko was one of four apprentices on the ACF’s 1976 U.S. Culinary Olympic Team and was part of ACF’s 1992 Culinary Olympic Team USA, which placed third at the IKA/Culinary Olympics in Germany. He has been an ACF certified judge for 26 years.

ACF Chef Jim Perko, CEC, AAC (right), co-wrote his book (left) to offer ways to use natural ingredients in place of added salt, sugar and fat.

ACF CHEF REBECCA FREEMAN, CEPC

The 2023 ACF Pastry Chef of the Year

By John Bartimole

For ACF Chef Rebecca Freeman, CEPC , there never was a need for Plan B.

Chef Freeman, ACF’s 2023 Pastry Chef of the Year and the executive pastry chef of The Club at Las Campanas, Santa Fe, N.M., pursued one goal and one goal only since her junior year in high school: to be a pastry chef.

“I know you’re supposed to have a Plan B, another career choice, but I’ve only always had one plan — Plan A, and I love it,” she says. “I literally go to sleep at night thinking of things I can bake and desserts I can create. If you don’t have passion in this industry, you won’t stay in this business. And I absolutely love what I do.”

That love was nurtured at the tender age of 6 when she would help her mom make chocolate chip cookies at home. Some of Chef Freeman’s favorite memories are triggered by the smell of those cookies baking and of freshly made pasta.

If her passion for culinary was prompted by her childhood, that passion really flourished during her junior year of high school.

“I was fortunate, because my high school had on its fourth floor a full commercial kitchen, and the

class that went with it was a small business management class focusing on foodservice,” she says. “We were in charge of writing a fake business plan, creating menus, determining the cost of goods and prices on the menu. I was instantly hooked.”

So hooked was Chef Freeman that she graduated high school a year early and went straight to culinary school at the age of 17. “I’m sure I was the youngest in the class,” she says. “Most of my classmates were at least four or five years older than I was.”

While in culinary school, Chef Freeman landed an internship at the prestigious Polynesian Village Resort at Walt Disney World, an experience that further defined her career.

“I started at 4 a.m. baking breakfast pastries; at 6 a.m., I would begin baking bread for the entire property, then I would move on to make plated dinner desserts, other desserts and the whole range of baking,” she says. “That showed me what a kitchen could be like, and I never let it go.”

Once she graduated from culinary school, she found work at a bakery, making the traditional assortment of baked goods, including muffins, cookies, cupcakes and more. But that wasn’t the end of Chef Freeman’s day.

“After I was done at the bakery, I would literally walk across the street to an elite restaurant and did plated desserts,” she says. “I loved the experience.”

Chef Freeman says her work hasn’t slowed down much today, but she’s grateful for the opportunity. She works at the country club during the day, and

ACF Chef Rebecca Freeman, CEPC

when there are banquets, will stay into the night to help with and oversee the plated desserts.

Her entry into the ACF national pastry chef competition was not her idea. She credits ACF Chef Leonard Bailey II, CEC , a past president and chairman of the board of the ACF Rio Grande Valley (New Mexico) Chapter, for nominating her and encouraging her to compete.

“To be honest, I didn’t think I was worthy,” she says. “But Chef saw something in me that made him think I could compete at the regional and national levels. Because of his confidence in me, I decided to enter.”

Chef Freeman says she practiced almost relentlessly in preparation for the competition, to the point where she said

her co-workers had to tell her to slow down. Even with all the preparation, she says the grind of the competition was more than she realized. “I was a team of one,” she says with a laugh. “I saw other chefs with full entourages helping them, and here I was, asking strangers to help me carry my equipment.” One of her winning entries was namelaka, a Japanese dessert that is a hybrid between a mousse and whipped ganache.

These days, Chef Freeman is giving herself a little bit of a break and allowing herself to slow down — but just a bit; she’s preparing to get her MBA to further the business side of her career. “School did not suit me at 17, but I’m much better at it now at 33!”

Plan A suits her just fine.

ACF Pastry Chef of the Year Rebecca Freeman’s winning pastries included a coffee-chicory milk chocolate namelaka with roasted banana ice cream, brûléed bananas, pecan praline and chocolate sucrée (foreground) and a Hurricane entremet with passion fruit cremeux, grenadine jelly, orangerum white chocolate mousse and sponge cake (background).

of the

MASTERS TART

Two pastry chefs share their tips and flavor ideas for making these tasty treats //

By Robert Wemischner

Tarts can be the backbone of any pastry kitchen’s repertoire, requiring only a simple, butter- and sugar-based dough and offering endless options when it comes to fillings. Precise execution and attention to details yield the best results when making tarts, pastry chefs say. Whether topped with seasonal fresh fruit or infused with global ingredients, tarts offer tons of flavor and visual variety for restaurants, hotels and bake shops.

“More and more, our baking curriculum is being enriched by incorporating a broad swath of international desserts into what has otherwise been largely Eurocentric, focused on the classic European repertoire with modern twists,” says Chef Noah Carroll , assistant professor of pastry and baking arts at the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, N.Y. Tarts offer the perfect vehicle for this exploration.

Take for instance, Chef Carroll’s citrus sesame tart, which he demoed during an ACF ChefsForum Webinar last fall. Chef Carroll applies classic techniques when making the tart dough, candied citrus, curd and meringue, but introduces global flavors in the form of black sesame paste and yuzu for the filling. The mixture is lightly set with white chocolate to create a thin crunchy layer in the bottom of the baked tart shell. For the top layer, Chef Carroll stamps the Italian meringue with a heated pizzelle (Italian waffle cookie) mold, pressing it onto the just made, slightly warm meringue and torching it briefly. The resulting design resembles the cross section of a citrus fruit with its segments on display.

“The tart might look simple on the surface, but it has a lot going on texturally and flavor-wise, making it a complex eating experience,” Chef Carroll says. “The key is to start with a thin tart shell, just thick enough to hold up and provide a delicate counterpoint to the curd filling and creamy meringue.”

Thinking outside of the — er, tart shell — Chef Carroll also suggests playing around with format, not just with ingredients. “You can deconstruct the tart and break down its contrasting components and reimagine them with a frozen component and plating sauce added.”

Tarts are alive and well at Fresh Baguette, a from-scratch, clean-label bakery with wholesale and retail locations in the Washington, D.C., area offering a wide array of baked goods, from breads and croissants to mousses, cookies and muffins.

Pistachio tarts offered at Fresh Baguette, a from-scratch, clean-label bakery in the Washington, D.C., area.

“We wish to surprise the palate of our customers,” says Executive Chef Jimmy Brilhaut about the tarts on display. Chef Brilhaut reaches for top-quality pistachio paste when making his signature pistachio orange blossom tart. “What makes this [tart] even more special is a whipped white chocolate ganache, set into a buttery almond crust and filled with almond frangipane.” Crunch, cream and a deeply nutty flavor from both pistachios and almonds all come through here.

Along with this newcomer to the line, the intense crémeux framboise — a tart with a Breton butter cookielike crust, raspberry crémeux, raspberry jam and fresh raspberries for the garnish — is another can’t-miss favorite. “Using raspberry here in several forms ensures

an intense taste experience, differentiating our tart from what else is out there,” Chef Brilhaut says.

For his tarte Normande, “tradition rules; we cook apples in butter enriched with the flavor of brown sugar,” Chef Brilhaut says. “We then pour a creamy egg custard over them before finishing baking the tart.” The classic combination of salted caramel and rich chocolate ganache finishes things off.

When making tarts of any kind, Chef Brilhaut recommends “brushing the inside of the tarts with melted cocoa butter, which helps to keep them crisp despite the moisture of the fillings.” Though he makes many of his creations by hand, to accommodate increased demand, the bakery recently installed a state-of-the-art molding machine to allow for uniformity, precision and volume in the tarts-making process. “It saves time on the production of both mini individual-sized tarts as well as the larger multiple portion ones,” he says.

The possibilities are endless in this highly profitable and popular category.

"The tart might look simple on the surface, but it has a lot going on texturally and flavor-wise, making it a complex eating experience."

Chef Noah Carroll, assistant professor of pastry and baking arts at the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, N.Y.

Scan here to view a recipe for Black Sesame Citrus Tart

Yuzu lemon meringue tart (above) and raspberry tart with soft Sablé breton cheese (below) at Fresh Baguette in the Washington, D.C., area.

THE ACF CHEFS DE CUISINE ASSOCIATION OF CALIFORNIA LOS ANGELES CA013

Celebrating 100 Years // By John Bartimole

So much was different 100 years ago. In 1923, the cost of a postage stamp was 2 cents. Unemployment stood at a measly 2.4%. The federal government’s budget was $3.14 million; last year, it was $6.27 billion. But what hasn’t changed is the impact on chefs and the culinary industry by the ACF’s Los Angeles chapter — formally referred to as the Chefs de Cuisine Association of California Los Angeles — which traces its roots to a century ago as of last year.

ACF Chef William (Bill) Yee, who joined the association in 2017 and became the chapter’s executive director a little over a year ago, says that “as a chapter, we’ve had our ups and downs. I was fortunate to have a background in marketing and management, and I was able to help our chapter with that experience.”

Even though COVID-19 had its predictable deleterious effect on participation and membership, Chef Yee saw some advantages in the pandemic’s impact on the chapter. “Yes, COVID upset many industries, including ours, but we viewed it as an opportunity for our profession to grow,” he says. The

Board of Directors

Executive Director - William Yee

President - Fionna R. España, CWPC

Chairman of the Board - Robert W. Phillips, CEC, CCA, AAC

Treasurer - Martin A. Gilligan, CEC, CEPC, AAC

Certification Chair - Eloise Fernandez, CEC, CCE, AAC

Board Member - Marie Antoinette D. Madrid

chapter participated in Zoom meetings and demos and also dropped off food and meal kits in impoverished communities and at shelters in the county.

Last year, the LA chapter membership base saw an increase of more than 45 new members and affiliates, thanks largely to close partnerships with other Southern California chapters and schools and a stronger presence in the greater Los Angeles community.

Chapter President Chef Fionna R. España, CWPC , executive chef, San Dimas Canyon Golf Club, now in her second term as president since 2020, has also made it her mission to recruit more students and younger chefs into the chapter.

“My goal has been to bridge the gap between our longtime members and the younger generation — how do we pull in the students and chefs starting out in their career and let them know what ACF represents?” says Chef España, who has organized several dinners and events at various area culinary schools, including the ACF-accredited Los Angeles Trade-Technical College.

“When we had our first dinner in 2021 after the pandemic shutdown, we had maybe 50 people show up and a lot of them were students from these local colleges so I realized that they were looking to connect with us,” she says. “We also had a lot of help from the educators at the schools who encouraged their students to sign up. [ACF Chef] Robert Phillips [CEC, CCA, AAC] and I have served as a judge for various culinary cups held at these schools so we’ve been able to maintain good relationships with them.” Chef España gives credit to Chef Phillips, for pushing her to lead such endeavors.

Above: ACF LA chapter members celebrate a century of tradition at the 100th anniversary awards dinner held in December. Left to right (back row): ACF Chefs John Chew, Brian Reff, Lidia Felix, Son Phan, Minnie Alcocer, Bill Yee, Lejan Torres, Elsa Claire; (front row): Jimmy Williams, Luis Claire, Jon Lodi, HAAC.

At each event involving students and young chefs, Chef España works alongside them and makes it a point of providing her personal contact information to stay in touch, answer questions and even offer shadowing opportunities. She has a personal connection with her “bridging the gap” mentality; her 19-year-old son recently informed her of his decision to switch from pre-med to culinary in the hopes of following in her footsteps.

Chef Yee shares in Chef España’s approach to recruit younger members as well as those interested in active participation. “We don’t want chefs just to join, but to do something for the chapter,” he says. “I hope our legacy is that member chefs realize and appreciate the responsibility they have to be a professional example for others in the hospitality industry and give back something to the community.”

Chef Yee’s drive to increase membership also focused on refining the chapter’s meetings. The key to well-attended, successful meetings, according to Yee, is hosting them “at attractive venues, having a well-thought-out agenda, making sure that the topic and demonstrations are interesting and the food is appetizing with good presentation and some form of additional entertainment.” With the assistance of organized social media promotion and interesting eye-catching flyers, the chapter has seen attendee numbers go up for its events in the past year.

In September, the chapter spearheaded the Southern California’s ACF Chapter Picnic, which featured more than 150 chefs, culinary students, sponsors, family and friends. Southern California, with almost 24 million people, is home to the Los Angeles County, Ventura County, Orange County, San Diego County and San Bernardino County chapters. The ACF LA

From top: ACF L.A. chapter members come together with other Southern California chapters at an annual picnic; Chapter President Fionna España (center) with chapter members at the 2023 ACF National Convention; ACF Chef Robert Phillips, CEC, CCA, AAC, chairman of the board for the L.A. chapter.

chapter had several well-attended meetings at other venues in 2023, which also included bringing in highprofile companies such as Southern California Edison and Disney Resorts.

Also last year, the chapter hosted an educational Greek supper and meeting, inviting area chefs to participate and allowing qualified culinary students to attend for free. ACF Chef Effie Noifelt , an award-winning private chef and author and member of the LA chapter, presented on how to make her popular spanakopita. The event was a success and is emblematic of how the chapter ties networking, education and camaraderie into its events.

Last summer, when Chef Yee was invited by the ACF Orange County chapter to exhibit at the Foodservice & Hospitality Expo in Anaheim, his team set up a professional display booth to promote the ACF and spotlight members and their talents. “To me, one of the reasons you go to a trade show is to help promote the ACF with a professional presentation,” he says. “Many of the exhibitors also teamed up with us to become sponsors for the picnic and other events. They saw in us opportunities to network and get their products known among our members and others.”

Most recently, the ACF Chefs de Cuisine Association of California Los Angeles held a 100th anniversary celebration and awards dinner on Dec. 3 at Mountain View Country Club in La Quinta, Calif.

About 120 people attended the event, which featured ACF President René J. Marquis, CEC, CCE, CCA, AAC , and Chaplain DOV Cohen as

honorary presenters. ACF Chef Jimmy Williams received the Chef of the Year Award; ACF Chef Jeremy Choo, CEPC , received the Pastry Chef of the Year Award; ACF Chef Jerry Vachon received the Educator of the Year Award; Minnie Alcocer received the Student Chef of the Year Award; and ACF Chef Jon Lodi, HAAC , Rescue Mission Alliance, received the Lifetime Achievement Award. Two student teams were recognized: Los Angeles Trade-Technical College and Los Angeles Harbor College. Food was prepared by ACF Chefs Ben Diaz , Marie Madrid and others, and served by a Caddy Robotics robot. Sponsors included Delola, Fresh Origins, Flckn, Land O’Lakes, Mercer Culinary, Pondicherry Dry Goods, Riboli Family Wines, Smithfield, Sunrise Produce and ThinkCulinary. Marc Hamilton of Bialli provided wine for the evening.

“I really pulled out every card I could pull and talked to every person I could talk to to get people to come and also involve the students,” says Chef España, who invited culinary student teams from LA Trade-Tech, LA Harbor and other local culinary schools to prepare the charcuterie board, ice carvings, bread display and desserts in exchange for being able to attend and enjoy the dinner for free. The chapter received nearly all the meat, produce and other ingredients needed for the dinner in donations, along with wine and other supplies.

“They were really excited and were glad to be able to experience everything — working alongside seasoned chefs and be able to prepare a fine dining dinner and then actually get to enjoy it,” she says. “It’s an experience not all young culinarians get, so we’re so happy we were able to provide that as a chapter.”

The Wow Factor

Chefs are bringing culinary innovation and excitement to fast-growing senior living communities

//

By Amanda Baltazar

Today’s seniors have traveled the world and eaten in top restaurants. They’ve lived their lives in a time of immense change and spend time with grandchildren who tell them about new trends, culinary and otherwise.

Two-thirds of seniors are willing to try new foods, provided they’re in familiar formats, according to a 2021 report from Datassential entitled “New Food Experiences for Boomers.” Another 17% say they love trying new foods and the crazier and more unique the better.

For this reason, the traditional meat and potatoes that has been served in senior living facilities for years is just not cutting the mustard anymore.

ACF Chef Gabriel Rosado, CEC , is the director of hospitality and nutrition services at Hartsfield Village Retirement Community in Munster, Ind., and president of ACF Chefs of Northwest Indiana . His dining room menu changes daily, and he offers dishes such as New Zealand rack of lamb, prime rib and scallops.

To keep excitement high, Chef Rosado assigns certain cuisines to certain days, from Asian to Mediterranean. He serves anything from pad thai and orange chicken to hummus, tabbouleh and shawarma.

He also holds special events. At the end of last year, one option at the Christmas dinner was fresh pasta with crispy pancetta and seared sea scallops with lemon beurre blanc and roasted maitake mushrooms.

give them an idea of the flavor profiles without putting so much heat in there.”

Raising the bar

Every day ACF Chef Brian Hardy, CEC, CCA, AAC , offers a variety of comfort foods, traditional foods and contemporary creations at The Gatesworth in St. Louis, Mo.

The director of foodservice and executive chef offers these as daily specials and at special events. Dishes might include yuzu braised scallops or slow roasted pork tenderloin with parsnip puree, apple fennel slaw and Shiner Bock jus lie.

Menus are always changing, he says, which means his job stays fresh after 23 years. “It’s the personal touch

Authenticity is of paramount importance to Chef Rosado, but there are sometimes things he has to change. Due to following HACCP steps, he says, “understanding this is a health care facility, I have to be cautious.” So for a ceviche, for example, he blanches the shrimp then adds it to the other ingredients to develop the flavors. For a dish like pad thai, Chef Rosado might tame the spiciness. “We try to

Clockwise from top left: Seared salmon with seasonal citrus salad (kumquats, cara cara and blood oranges, Belgian endive) by ACF Chef Gabriel Rosado, CEC, director of hospitlaity and nutrition services, Hartsfield Village Retirement Community, Munster, Ind.; ACF Chef Brian Hardy, CEC, CCA, AAC and his signature tomato basil soup.

of getting to know the residents and you know what they like,” Chef Hardy says. “And that’s the fun part of being a chef: wowing people and making them happy.”

For special events, such as New Year’s Eve, he raises the level of the specials such as slow roasted beef tenderloin with wild foraged mushrooms, balsamic syrup and blue cheese cream sauce. Special desserts could be baked Alaska, creme brûlée or mousse. For a garden party in the fall, Chef Hardy served a vanilla bean Bavarian cream with blackberry compote, honey cake, almond crunch, blackberry coulis and toasted meringue. “We do things that require a bit more finesse,” he says.

Residents are even open to vegetarian fare, he points out, and there’s always something meat-free on the menu, from butternut squash ravioli to braised ratatouille with gnocchi.

Armchair travel and tasting

Cura Hospitality, Canonsburg, Pa., whose accounts are in health care and senior living, has a number of concepts that allow chefs to flex their creative muscles. These include Citizen Chicken, Dohlio Pizza and SeoulTown, which is Korean-inspired.

“We not only encourage them to be used but also have a spotlight concept every quarter so they’re aware of how they can add some excitement into the everyday menu,” says ACF Chef John Cramutola , corporate director of culinary. The concepts can be added as a daily special or a temporary concept and come with a variety of recipes.

Cura also offers a guest chef program to all of its accounts through which a chef visits a facility and presents a specialized dish. That might be a seasonal or holiday dish, something special to the chef, or a regional dish. Senior living facilities can create an event around the demonstration; guests can ask questions and engage with the chef and then taste the dish once it’s cooked. “It’s a bit of fanfare,” says Chef Cramutola. “It’s about fun and breaking the monotony.”

Chefs at senior living facilities can also submit their own recipes to be included in Cura’s recipe bank. Chefs at the corporate office test the recipe, input it into Cura’s program, standardize it and analyze the nutrition. “We encourage our chefs to be creative,” Chef Cramutola says.

And coming up soon from Cura is a live tour feature. Guests in senior living facilities can sign up for a presentation that takes place digitally. A guest chef in a locale will tour the local area and prepare some local dishes “that allow them to experience the

food and where the food comes from in real time,” Chef Cramutola says. “It’s going to add even more engagement with our residents because they see where the food comes from and they can interact with a tour guide on-site during the process.”

Back-of-house engagement

Offering a diverse and innovative menu isn’t just fun for the residents but also for Chef Rosado and others in the kitchen. “It keeps us constantly innovating new flavor profiles and flavor combinations. That’s one of the perks, along with knowing you’re making a difference in people’s lives on a daily basis.”

Keeping innovation strong at senior living facilities is essential, Chef Cramutola says. “We’re dealing with issues of disengagement with positions and are short-staffed, so more than ever, we have to generate engagement with our staff from the frontline up to our leadership at the sites. When we lose the engagement, we lose productivity and we lose quality for our residents.”

Clockwise from top left: Plant-based bowls at Cura; ACF Chef John Cramutola, Cura’s director of culinary; pan pizza from the Dohilo, a Cura concept.

NCR Quiz

March/April 2024

By Robert Penry

What is ACF Chef Rebecca Freeman, CEPC, planning to pursue to further the business side of her career?

a. Culinary classes

b. A Ph.D.

c. Taking a break from work

d. A n MBA

Created by a group of ACF chefs in 1974, the American Culinary Federation apprenticeship program follows which model?

a. The American education system

b. The European guild system

c. The Epicurean training system

d. The Statler-Hilton system

What motivated ACF Chef Katrina Knapp, CSC, CWPC, to create a modernized version of frog legs?

a. To preserve French culinary techniques

b. To introduce exotic ingredients to her culinary class

c. To make the dish visually appealing and approachable

d. To showcase her expertise in modernist cuisine

According to ACF Chef Cindy Komarinski, Ph.D., CCC, CCE, what factor has led to the need for more efficient cooking methods in the culinary and hospitality industry?

a. Decreased consumer demands

b. Increased labor supply

c. R ising costs and labor challenges

d. Decreased popularity of menu items

The speed-scratch cooking courses at Westmoreland County Community College focus solely on replacing traditional cooking methods with convenience products.

a. Tr ue

b. Fa lse

What does Chef Jimmy Brilhaut recommend brushing on the inside of tarts to keep them crisp despite the moisture content of the filling?

a. Ol ive oil

b. Melted cocoa butter

c. Clarified butter

d. Egg wash

Cover crops in regenerative agriculture are grown primarily for improving the environment and soil health rather than for commercial purposes.

a. Tr ue

b. Fa lse

What are terpenes and how are they used in culinary cannabis?

a. Synthetic compounds used for extraction

b. Psychoactive compounds used for effect

c. Chemical compounds used for enhancing potency

d. A romatic compounds used for flavor and fragrance

Why does ACF Chef Nathan Koscielski, CCE, emphasize baking cannabis at a low temperature when making infusions for cooking?

a. To achieve a quicker infusion

b. To prevent degradation of THC or CBD

c. To avoid psychoactive effects

d. To enhance the flavor profile

What is a common nutritional component found in blueberries that contributes to their blue color?

a. A nthocyanin

b. Beta-carotene

c. Chlorophyll

d. Lycopene

In which U.S. state is 90% of the nation’s frozen red raspberry crop produced?

a. Washington

b. Flor ida

c. California

d. Hawaii

In the citrus sesame tart created by Chef Noah Carroll, which global ingredients are incorporated into the filling?

a. Pomelo and chocolate

b. Matcha and red bean

c. Black sesame paste and yuzu

d. Pistachio and orange blossom

What approach does ACF Chef Jeremy Urmansky take with apprenticeship recruitment that differs from traditional methods?

a. Focusing on individuals with college degrees

b. Targeting experienced chefs

c. Focusing on immigrants and inner-city residents

d. Targeting individuals with prior experience

ACF Chef John Cramutola emphasizes the importance of repetition in senior living facilities to engage both residents and kitchen staff.

a. Tr ue

b. Fa lse

ACF Chef Bill Yee credits the increase in membership seen by the ACF Chefs de Cuisine Association of California Los Angeles to attractive venues, thought-out agendas and engaging presentations.

a. Tr ue

b. Fa lse

See the rest of the questions, finish the quiz and earn four CEHs toward your certification on ACF’s new Online Learning Center at acfchefs.org/olc

Let your customers know you have their safety in mind.

ACF COVID-19 Safety Training

Take the ACF COVID-19 Safety Training for Foodservice course and earn a certificate and verifiable digital badge that can be displayed on your website and social media channels.

Available in the ACF Online Learning Center. Visit acfchefs.org/OLC

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Join us in

The 2024 ACF National Convention is being held July 14-17, 2024, at the Phoenix Convention Center in Phoenix, Arizona.

acfchefs.org/events