Chair’s Medal

The AAC Chair’s Medal is awarded at the annual AAC Induction Ceremony & Dinner.

2013 - William Franklin, CMC, AAC

Corporate executive chef, Nestlé Professional, Centennial, Colo.; Colorado Chefs Association

2012 - Michael L. Minor, CEC, AAC

Culinary ambassador, Custom Culinary, Inc., Lombard, Ill.; ACF Cleveland Chapter Inc.

2011 - Stafford DeCambra, CEC, CCE, CCA, AAC

Corporate executive chef, PCI Gaming Authority, Atmore, Ala.; ACF Poarch Creek Chapter, Inc.

2010 - John Kaufmann, CEC, AAC

ACF Chicago Chefs of Cuisine Inc.

2009 - John Minniti, CCE, AAC, HBOT, HOF

2008 - Steven Jilleba, CMC, CCE, AAC

2007 - Tom Macrina, CEC, CCA, AAC

Tom Macrina, CEC, CCA, AAC (left), receives the 2007 American Academy of Chefs Chair’s Medal from Academy Chair John Minniti, CCE, AAC.

2006 - John Kinsella, CMC, AAC

Chair’s Medal Recipient John Kinsella, CMC, AAC, and McLaughlin Award Recipient David J. Longstaff, CEC, pose with John Minniti, CCE, AAC.

2005 - Denis Ellis, CEC, AAC

Denis Ellis, CEC, AAC (center), receives the 2005 American Academy of Chefs Chair’s Medal from Academy Chair John Minniti, CCE, AAC (right), and is congratulated by Tom Macrina, CEC, AAC, National Vice-Chair (left).

2004 - Fritz Sonnenschmidt, CMC, AAC

Fritz Sonnenschmidt, CMC, AAC (second from right), receives the 2004 American Academy of Chefs Chair’s Award from Academy Chair John A. Minniti, CEC, AAC (left), and Thomas J. Macrina, CEC, AAC, National Vice-Chair (right).

2003 - Edward G. Leonard, CMC, AAC

Edward Leonard, CMC, AAC (second from right), receives the 2003 American Academy of Chefs Chair’s Award from Fritz Sonnenschmidt, CMC, AAC, and is congratulated by John Minniti, CCE, AAC (far left), and Bert Cutino, CEC, AAC (far right).

2002 - Bert Cutino, CEC, AAC

The 2002 Chair’s Medal was presented Monday evening, July 22 at the ACF National Convention in Las Vegas, to Bert Cutino, CEC, AAC. Accepting his medal, Chef Cutino said, “The academy stands for one thing and one thing only, and that is to pass on the expertise that has been passed on to us. I feel that it’s so important that we in ACF draw on our past for our future. And I will continue to give back in the future, because without the academy and ACF, where would we be in this profession.”