Chefs, students, and foodservice professionals from the American Culinary Federation’s (ACF) Northeast and Southeast regions gathered for professional development and culinary trend seminars at ChefConnect: Atlanta. The conference took place at Hyatt Regency Atlanta from March 13—15.
Conference topics included food pairings, beef trends, Southern cooking, French pastry techniques, and molecular gastronomy. Attendees enjoyed hands-on workshops, culinary demonstrations, and networking opportunities.
Presenters included Hugh Acheson, James Beard award-winning chef, local food advocate, author and judge on Bravo's “Top Chef,” Linton Hopkins, James Beard award-winning chef and local restauranteur, and Patrice Caillot, pastry chef instructor, The French Pastry School of Kennedy-King College at City Colleges of Chicago.
Regional awards were presented to Northeast and Southeast region chefs and students during the conference. The following ACF award winners have the opportunity to earn their respective national titles at Cook. Craft. Create. Convention & Show, Phoenix, July 15—19.
ACF Northeast Region Chef Educator of the Year
Gerard Prevost, CEC, CCE, chef instructor, St. Johnsbury Academy, St. Johnsbury, Vermont; White Mountain Chapter of the ACF
ACF Southeast Region Chef Educator of the Year
Kathleen Vossenberg, CCC, CCE, lead chef instructor, Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts Orlando, Florida; ACF Central Florida Chapter
ACF Northeast Region Hermann G. Rusch Chef’s Achievement Award
James Taylor, CEC, AAC, MBA, professor, Columbus State Community College, Columbus, Ohio; ACF Columbus Chapter
ACF Southeast Region Hermann G. Rusch Chef’s Achievement Award
Howard Cooper, Ph.D., retired, Decatur, Georgia; ACF Atlanta Chefs Association, Inc.
ACF Northeast Region Dr. L.J. Minor Chef Professionalism Award, sponsored by Minor’s
Timothy Recher, CEC, executive chef/assistant general manager, Army Navy Country Club, Arlington, Virginia; ACF Nation’s Capital Chefs Association
ACF Southeast Region Dr. L.J. Minor Chef Professionalism Award, sponsored by Minor’s
Dominick Laudia, CEC, AAC, executive chef, Boca Grove Golf and Tennis Club, Boca Raton, Florida; ACF Palm Beach County Chefs Association
ACF Northeast Region Baron H. Galand Culinary Knowledge Bowl, sponsored by American Technical Publishers
Students representing ACF Eastern Long Island Chefs Chapter, Riverhead, New York
ACF Southeast Region Baron H. Galand Culinary Knowledge Bowl, sponsored by American Technical Publishers
Students representing ACF Middle Tennessee Chapter; La Vergne, Tennessee
ACF Northeast Region Chef of the Year, sponsored by Unilever Food Solutions
Gary Davis Jr., executive chef, Horseshoe Casino Cincinnati, Cincinnati; ACF Greater Cincinnati Chapter
ACF Southeast Region Chef of the Year, sponsored by Unilever Food Solutions
Ted Polfelt, CEC, CCA, executive chef, Jefferson Street Management Group, Roanoke, Virginia; ACF Southwestern Virginia Chapter
ACF Northeast Region Pastry Chef of the Year, sponsored by Plugrá European-Style Butter
Cher Harris, CEPC, executive pastry chef at The Hotel Hershey, Hershey, Pennsylvania; ACF Harrisburg Chapter
ACF Southeast Region Pastry Chef of the Year, sponsored by Plugrá European-Style Butter
Kelly Bellmore, CEPC, executive pastry chef, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina; ACF North Carolina Chapter
ACF Northeast Region Student Chef of the Year, sponsored by Custom Culinary
Denise Aguayo, student/lab assistant, The Culinary Institute of New York at Monroe College, New Rochelle, New York; ACF Long Island Chapter
ACF Southeast Region Student Chef of the Year, sponsored by Custom Culinary
Ruth Solis, garde manger cook, Cherokee Town and Country Club, Atlanta; ACF Atlanta Chefs Association, Inc.
ACF Northeast Region Student Team Regional Championship, sponsored by Vitamix
Students representing ACF Long Island Chapter that attend The Culinary Institute of New York at Monroe College, New Rochelle, New York
ACF Southeast Region Student Team Regional Championship, sponsored by Vitamix
Students representing ACF North Carolina Chapter that attend Alamance Community College, Graham, North Carolina
ChefConnect: Atlanta award recipients in ACF’s Northeast and Southeast regions listed below were recognized for their outstanding contributions to ACF, goodwill in their communities and/or culinary excellence.
ACF Northeast Region Chapter of the Year
ACF Nation’s Capital Chefs Association; Washington, D.C.
ACF Southeast Region Chapter of the Year
ACF Central Florida Chapter; Orlando, Florida
ACF Northeast Region Chapter Achievement Awards
ACF Nation’s Capital Chefs Association; Washington, D.C.
ACF Epicurean Club of Boston; Boston
ACF Columbus Chapter; Columbus, Ohio
ACF Harrisburg Chapter; Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
ACF Southeast Region Chapter Achievement Awards
ACF Central Florida Chapter; Orlando, Florida
ACF Tampa Bay Culinary Association, Inc.; Tampa, Florida
ACF Atlanta Chefs Association, Inc.; Atlanta
ACF Southwestern Virginia Chapter; Roanoke, Virginia
ACF World of Thanks
ACF Atlanta Chefs Association, Inc.; Atlanta
ACF Northeast Region President’s Medallions
Douglas Patten, CEC, CCA, AAC, corporate executive chef, FLIK Hospitality Group, Rye Brook, New York; ACF Epicurean Club of Boston
Jason Knapp, CEC, chef instructor, Hocking College, Nelsonville, Ohio; ACF Columbus Chapter
ACF Southeast Region President’s Medallions
Clyde Christmas, CEC, AAC, executive chef, Bermuda Run Country Club, Bermuda Run, North Carolina; ACF North Carolina Chapter
Rocco Paradiso, corporate chef, US Foods, Fort Mill, South Carolina; Chefs & Culinary Professionals of Chicagoland
Joseph Randall, chef/owner, Chef Joe Randall’s Cooking School, Savannah, Georgia; ACF Savannah Chefs Association
ACF Northeast Region Cutting Edge Awards, sponsored by Friedr. Dick Corp.
Lawrence Alexander Jr., CCC, executive chef, Wheeling Island Hotel-Casino-Racetrack, Wheeling, West Virginia; Chefs & Culinary Professionals of Chicagoland
Shawn Culp, CEC, MBA, culinary arts department chair, The Art Institute of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh; ACF Pittsburgh Chapter
ACF Southeast Region Cutting Edge Awards, sponsored by Friedr. Dick Corp.
John Bell, CEC, executive chef, Leesburg High School, Leesburg, Florida; ACF Gulf to Lake Chefs & Cooks Association, Inc.
Timothy Recher, CEC, executive chef/assistant general manager, Army Navy Country Club, Arlington, Virginia; ACF Nation’s Capital Chefs Association
ACF Southeast Region Achievement of Excellence Awards
Army Navy Country Club; Arlington, Virginia
Café Calderón; San Juan, Puerto Rico
More than 450 chefs, students, and foodservice professionals attended ChefConnect: Atlanta. The conference was part of ACF’s Signature Series, which provides educational and networking opportunities for culinary industry professionals and students.
