C O M P A N Y I N S I G H T
COOK. CRAFT. CREATE.
The American Culinary Federation:
FOOD’S JEDI ACADEMY Top chef Nathan J. Dirnberger describes what ACF did for him and how he is now helping others achieve their ambitions Written by Nathan J. Dirnberger Produced by Lee Cornell
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hen we eat something awesome, magic happens. The most forward thinking culinary minds make an effort to see beyond the kitchens they work in. Past the science of cooking, we are looking into quantum physics. When we eat something awesome, we are consuming the delicious result of a series of thoughts becoming a tangible experience, mouthwatering, almost orgasmic flavors bursting in our mouths. We all have had the experince of food creating happiness in our lives. The top chefs are discovering the cutting edge of cooking lies far beyond the food itself. How is that related to quantum physics? Your thoughts, they become things. A good example your mind creating an opinion about what your are reading at this second. Or a cook taking a basket full of ingredients and creating, using thoughts, an amazing dish from what was previously just a pile of ingredients. Either way they are examples of the universe and our thoughts interacting with each other. Chefs, the good ones, are like Jedi Masters. Honing, refining, and mastering themselves and their craft is an art. Becoming a chef requires certain neural pathways in the brain to be stimulated. Over time those pathways lead to an incredible ability to manipulate physics and chemistry. The result is the quick work of that cook taking the basket of ingredients and turning them into that mind stimulating goodness we savor long after we are done eating.
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The cutting edge of cooking is seeing far beyond just the ingredients we have in front of us. Chefs have an inherent duty to lead our communities. In this sense we have to envision the world we want to see, and our thoughts will start to become things. Just as we envision the finished plate and start to work towards it, using physics,
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chemistry, and yes quantum physics to make it reality. Food is something that we all have in common. It is tied to our cultures, our ealiest memories as children and ultimately to our health. Chefs can
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help our society to realize their potential of impact, through the simple concept of cooking- the process of imagining and acting upon that imagination. The American Culinary Federation
was and is my very own Jedi Academy. It has existed spiritually since the early part of the American Revolution and was formally organized into the Federation of today in 1929. It is the Standard of Excellence for Chefs. The role of the ACF is to be the leader in professional and personal development for the culinary
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A S S O C I AT I O N - A M E R I C A N C U L I N A R Y F E D E R AT I O N ( A C F )
community. It provides opportunities for people to grow and experiment with food. Certification, accreditation, and continuing education are all vital parts of the ACF that enable standards of excellence to be continually raised for the culinary field. Beyond these important structural components, this organization fosters the relationships of true cooks. Men and women of all walks of life, ethnicity and social status learn from one another through this organization. More importantly organizations like the ACF have helped to raise chefs like me to now be in the position to use our thoughts to help innovate in our field. Innovation and trendsetting are some of the most important areas of the culinary industry that are incubated through the ACF. If “Jasmine Melon Sorbet”, made using liquid nitrogen, scooped into a miniature ice cream cone, topped with Strawberry Poprocks sounds like a mind blowing experience, it was. That is just one example of this organization’s ability to tap and develop people’s potential. I was fortunate to do a Chef Driven Bar and Beverage Innovation Demo
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in Chicago this past February for the Western Regional Conference. I created the most outlandish menu I could imagine, submitted a proposal, and that theoretical creation of my thoughts became magic reality. Chapters make up the Federation and each contributes to their own community. Our local chapter sets trends with everything, from our own live Food Network style cooking battle to culinary Knowledge Bowls. Our members make it fun to get together and play with likeminded friends. Benefits of a membership include all of the resources of this prestigious organization, but most importantly the mentorship of other chefs. Now back to the quantum physics. If we understand the concept of our thoughts interacting with the universe, and practice daily within our professions and personal lives to actively observe the marvel of our thoughts creating realities, we can inspire others to do the same. The world has a lot of issues that require our minds to focus on in order to create change. The environment, food, social values, relationships, poverty,
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war, you name it, they can all use some of our focus. What works on a small scale will also work on a large scale- far beyond our kitchens.
American Culinary Federation 180 Center Place Way, St. Augustine, FL 32095 Tel. (904) 824-4468 Fax. (904) 940-0741 www.acfchefs.org