Southbend, a division of Middleby Corporation, is pleased to announce it is a multi-year Gold Sponsor of the American Culinary Federation (ACF) Culinary Team USA for 2015-2016. The team is the official US representative for national and international culinary and pastry competitions, and is comprised of four sub-teams: National, Military, Regional and Youth.

John Perruccio, President of Southbend, made the announcement, saying, “We are proud to present the best chefs in the world cooking on the best equipment available through this sponsorship. Our commitment to the ACF Culinary Team USA is a reflection of our company’s long-standing commitment to the foodservice industry and its future. Unlike in other countries which compete internationally, the US National, Regional, and Youth Teams are not funded by the government, but through partnerships such as the one we’re announcing today.”

Southbend assisted in creating an Olympic Training Center in Dallas. The center features an array of Southbend equipment including Platinum gas ranges, Truvection ovens, broilers, fryers, and new TruChill blast chiller and freezer.  

The team will train at the center monthly to perfect the menu preparation and teamwork skills they will need to demonstrate in competition. The first opportunity to see them in action will be at the American Culinary Classic, July 30-Aug. 2, in Orlando, a competition that is part of the annual American Culinary Federation annual conference. 

Then they will continue preparations for the team’s trip to Erfurt, Germany in 2016 for the international competition, Internationale Kochknunst Ausstellung (IKA), best known as the Culinary Olympics. 

Perruccio adds, “Our 100-plus years of providing top-quality and innovative products are a result of the unwavering Southbend commitment to the industry we serve, our customers and our employees. It also speaks to our commitment to ongoing innovation. The new products in our line are designed to incorporate new technologies in response to the changing requirements of the professional chef. As those requirements continue to evolve, we strive to ensure that our equipment evolves as well.”