The American Culinary Federation (ACF), Inc., the largest association of professional culinarians in North America, held its 2013 ACF Northeast Regional Conference at Turning Stone Resort Casino, Verona, N.Y., March 17-20. More than 25 chefs, students and chapters were honored at the conference. Many of these award winners will compete against their regional counterparts at the 2013 ACF National Convention in Las Vegas, July 21-25.
The 2013 ACF Northeast Regional Conference, hosted by ACF Syracuse New York Chapter, brought hundreds of chefs, cooks, and foodservice professionals to Verona. The conference provided attendees with opportunities to advance their professional development and enhance their culinary skills through business seminars, cooking demonstrations featuring the latest trends and techniques, cooking competitions, and awards.
At the conference, the ACF’s Chef & Child Foundation, in partnership with Hidden Valley Original Ranch dressings & dips, awarded $10,000 to The ACF Jersey Shore Chefs Association, winner of the ACF Northeast Region $10K Challenge, for the significant impact chapter members made in their local communities by hosting Lunch Break for Kids fundraisers and outreach events for Childhood Nutrition Day. In addition, the American Academy of Chefs (AAC), ACF’s honor society, gave a $1,000 grant to the ACF Northeast Region Student Team Regional Champion, Johnson & Wales University, Providence, R.I., representing ACF Rhode Island Chapter, to assist the team with expenses to travel to the national competition in July.
ACF Northeast Region Chef of the Year, sponsored by Unilever Food Solutions
Eddie Tancredi, CEC, corporate chef, Cleveland Restaurant Group, Cleveland; ACF Columbus Chapter
ACF Northeast Region Pastry Chef of the Year, sponsored by Plugrá European-Style Butter
Tammy Lynn Fuchs, CEPC, executive pastry chef, The Rolling Rock Club, Ligonier, Pa.; ACF Laurel Highlands Chapter
ACF Northeast Region Chef Educator of the Year
David Campbell, CCC, CCE, professor, State University of New York at Cobleskill, Cobleskill, N.Y.; ACF Capital District—Central New York
ACF Northeast Region Hermann G. Rusch Chef’s Achievement Award
Robert Forquer, CEC, AAC, retired, Johnstown, Pa.; ACF Conemaugh Valley Culinary Association
ACF Northeast Region Dr. L.J. Minor Chef Professionalism Award, sponsored by MINOR’S
James Connolly, CEC, CCA, AAC, divisional director of culinary services for New England, Atria Senior Living Group, Louisville, Ky.; ACF Epicurean Club of Boston
ACF Northeast Region Student Chef of the Year, sponsored by Custom Culinary, Inc.
Alexis Chamoff, student, State University of New York at Delhi, Delhi, N.Y.; ACF Long Island Chapter
ACF Northeast Region Baron H. Galand Culinary Knowledge Bowl, sponsored by American Technical Publishers
Students from Westmoreland County Community College, Youngwood, Pa., representing ACF Laurel Highlands Chapter; coached by Carol Baier, CC
ACF Northeast Region Student Team Championship, sponsored by R.L. Schreiber, Inc.
Students from Johnson & Wales University, Providence, R.I., representing ACF Rhode Island Chapter; coached by George O’Palenick, CEC, CCE, AAC
ACF Northeast Region Flavors of the Mediterranean–A Minute Rice Competition, Sponsored by Riviana Foods
Cyril Ortigosa-Liaz, chef, Yale University Catering, New Haven, Conn.; Connecticut Chefs Association
ACF Northeast Region Chapter of the Year
ACF Philadelphia Delaware Valley Chefs Association, Philadelphia
ACF Northeast Region Chapter Achievement Award
ACF Columbus Chapter, Columbus, Ohio
ACF Epicurean Club of Boston, Boston
ACF of Greater Buffalo New York, Buffalo, N.Y.
ACF Philadelphia Delaware Valley Chefs Association, Philadelphia
ACF Northeast Region Cutting Edge Awards
David Banks, CEC, AAC, executive chef, Harry’s Savoy Grill and Ballroom, Wilmington, Del.; ACF First State Chefs Association
Jason Drysdale, director of culinary operations, Turning Stone Resort Casino, Verona, N.Y.; ACF Syracuse New York Chapter
Michael McCombe, CEC, CCE, culinary arts instructor, Middle Bucks Institute of Technology, Jamison, Pa.; ACF Philadelphia Delaware Valley Chefs Association
Scott Steiner, CCE, chef-instructor; ACF Greater Buffalo Chapter, Niagara County Community College, Sanborn, N.Y.
ACF Northeast Region President’s Medallions
Mary Kiernan, CCC, food and beverage instructor, Syracuse University, Syracuse, N.Y.;ACF Syracuse New York Chapter
Bridget McManus-McCall, corporate executive chef, Nestlé Professional, Brightwaters, N.Y.; ACF Long Island Chapter
Gregory Skibinski, CEC, AAC, executive chef, Western Hills Country Club, Cincinnati; ACF Greater Cincinnati Chapter
Cornelia “Connie” Walmsley, CCE, AAC, retired, Lewiston, N.Y.; ACF Greater Buffalo Chapter
ACF Northeast Region American Academy of Chefs Northeast Region Service Award
Wilfred Beriau, CEC, CCE, AAC, culinary arts department chair, Southern Maine Community College, South Portland, Maine; ACF Casco Bay Culinary Association of Portland ME
Willie Lewis, AAC, consultant, executive chef, Halperns’ Purveyors of Steak & Seafood, Brigatine, N.J.; ACF Professional Chefs Association of South Jersey
Robert Roebuck, CEC, AAC, chef, Wegmans Food Market Inc., Mechanicsburg, Pa.; ACF Harrisburg Chapter
ACF Northeast Region $10K Challenge
The ACF Jersey Shore Chefs Association, Monmouth and Ocean Counties, N.J.
National and regional sponsors of the 2013 ACF events series are: Alabama Gulf Seafood; Allen Brothers; American Lamb Board; American Roland Food Corporation; American Technical Publishers; Barry Callebaut; The Beef Checkoff; BelGioioso Cheese, Inc.; California Avocado Commission; Campbell Soup Company; Canada Cutlery Inc.; Central Region State Beef Councils; Clemens Food Group; Custom Culinary, Inc.; Ecolab; Gerharz Restaurant Equipment, Inc.; Gordon Food Service; Idaho Potato Commission; Idaho Preferred; Irinox USA; Jim Beam American Stillhouse; Jones Dairy Farm; Johnson & Wales University; JTM Food Group; Kentucky Beef Council; Lactalis Foodservice; Maines Paper & Food Service, Inc.; McCormick For Chefs; MINOR’S; Mississippi Beef Council; Mississippi Seafood Marketing; NEWCHEF Fashion Inc.; North Carolina Beef Council; Plugrá European-Style Butter; PreGel AMERICA; R.L. Schreiber, Inc.; RC Fine Foods; Riviana Foods; S&D Coffee; Sysco; Tennessee Beef Industry Council; Tyson Food Service; Unilever Food Solutions; Victorinox Swiss Army, Inc.; Villeroy & Boch; Virginia Beef Industry Council; Vitamix Corporation; Winston Industries, LLC; and Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board.
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