ACF Culinary Team USA gave an outstanding performance at the annual Villeroy & Boch Culinary World Cup 2014 in Luxembourg, Nov. 22-26.
Garnering two gold medals and the highest score in the cold-food competition, the team placed third overall in the world at one of the largest international culinary competitions.
The Villeroy & Boch Culinary World Cup is held every four years during EXPOGAST, an international gastronomy trade show held at Luxexpo in Luxembourg. More than 1,000 chefs from 56 countries competed in individual competitions and national, regional, and junior team competitions.
ACF Culinary Team USA competed against national chef teams from 29 other countries for the opportunity to win the Villeroy & Boch Culinary World Cup. Singapore, defending its 2010 title, won overall, and Sweden placed second.
“I am extremely proud of ACF Culinary Team USA’s performance at the Culinary World Cup,” says Joseph Leonardi, CEC, team manager. “This is the team’s first international competition together, and to watch them grow as chefs and see their hard work and dedication recognized by some of the best chefs in the world is inspiring. To win a gold medal in both competition categories is a great accomplishment and proves that American cuisine and products are among the best in the world. We look forward to bringing our best to the American Culinary Classic in 2015 and the 2016 ‘culinary Olympics’ in Erfurt, Germany, and representing America’s world-class cuisine to an even larger international audience.”
The team chefs competing were:
• Joseph Albertelli, executive chef, Westchester Country Club, Rye, New York
• Shawn Culp, CEC, culinary arts instructor, The Art Institute of Pittsburgh, Bridgeville, Pennsylvania
• Ben Grupe, executive chef, Meadowbrook Country Club, Ballwin, Missouri
• Jason Hall, CMC, executive chef, Hammock Dunes Club, Palm Coast, Florida
• Matthew Seasock, CEC, executive sous chef, The Fort Worth Club, Fort Worth, Texas
• Corey Siegel, sous chef, The Vintage Club, Indian Wells, California
The six chefs competed in the hot-food kitchen Nov. 22 where they prepared a three-course dinner for 110 people in six hours. On Nov. 25, the team competed in the cold-food portion of the competition where they presented finger foods, a cold buffet platter, starters, a vegetarian three-course menu, and a pastry arts menu and showpiece.
“American Culinary Federation members are extremely proud of ACF Culinary Team USA,” says Thomas Macrina, CEC, CCA, AAC, ACF national president. “The team represented the United States and its commitment to culinary excellence to the fullest and proved that our chefs are top contenders in international culinary competitions.”
U.S. chefs also competed individually in culinary arts, pastry arts, and cold food categories at the Culinary World Cup. George Castaneda, CEC, ACF Culinary Team USA member and executive chef, Sodexo North America, Franklin, Tennessee, won the Villeroy & Boch Culinary World Cup in individual cooking.
“These chefs practiced for hundreds of hours for the chance to compete in the Culinary World Cup and we are proud of them for their commitment to this profession,” Macrina says. “The time, patience and hard work it took to participate in this competition is something to be admired, and I hope they have inspired others to follow in their footsteps.”
The individual competitors were:
• Jeremy Abbey, CEC, CCE, CCA, executive chef, Culinary Impressions, Inc., Redford, Michigan; ACF Michigan Chefs de Cuisine Association; silver medal, Single Exhibitors-Chefs.
• David Daniot, CEC, executive chef, Grosse Pointe Yacht Club, Grosse Pointe Shores, Michigan; ACF Michigan Chefs de Cuisine Association; silver medal, Single Exhibitors-Chefs.
• Thomas Giles, operations manager food and nutrition, Bronson Methodist Hospital, Kalamazoo, Michigan; ACF Michigan Chefs de Cuisine Association; bronze medal, Single Exhibitor-Chefs.
• HwangJune Jan, executive chef, ICA-ACF Big Apple Chapter, New York; gold medal, Culinary Artistry D1.
• Lutz Lewerenz, CEC, AAC, retired, ICA-ACF Big Apple Chapter, New York; gold medal, Pastry Artistry D2.
• Patrick Mitchell, CEC, AAC, corporate chef ambassador, Ben E. Keith Foods Corp., Fort Worth, Texas; Texas Chefs Association; gold medal, Single Exhibitors-Chefs.
• Bang-on Roulet, chef, Hotel Captain Cook, Anchorage, Alaska; ACF Alaska Culinary Association; two gold medals and a silver medal, Culinary Artistry D1.
• Morris Salerno, owner/president, The Grotto, Highland Village, Texas; Texas Chefs Association; gold medal, Single Exhibitors-Chefs.
• Peter Sproul, CEC, chef instructor, Utah Valley University, Orem, Utah; ACF Beehive Chefs Chapter Inc, silver medal, Single Exhibitors-Chefs.
• Matthew Schellig, CEC, CCE, culinary instructor/catering manager, Dorsey Culinary Academy, Roseville, Michigan; ACF Michigan Chefs de Cuisine Association; bronze medal, Single Exhibitors-Chefs.
• Robert Walljasper, CEC, CCE, assistant professor, New York City College of Technology, Brooklyn, New York; ACF national member; diploma, Culinary Artistry D1.
• Jacob Williams, CEC, Gleaners Community Food Bank, Detroit; ACF Michigan Chefs de Cuisine Association; bronze medal, Single Exhibitors-Chefs.
Since 1982, a national chef team has represented the U.S. and the American Culinary Federation at the Culinary World Cup. In 1986, 1990, and 1994, ACF Culinary Team USA won the international competition and was the first team to receive three consecutive wins.
In 2006, the team won two gold medals and placed fifth. ACF Culinary Team USA returned to the winners’ circle in 2010 with two gold medals and a third-place finish.
U.S. chefs have been competing internationally since 1956, starting with the Internationale Kochkunst Ausstellung (IKA), held every four years in Erfurt, Germany. The team also participates in such competitions as the American Culinary Classic and Salon Culinaire Mondial, which is held every six years in Basel, Switzerland.
