ACF Culinary Regional Team USA

Culinary Team USA is preparing to face more than 40 other countries in the IKA "culinary Olympics" in Erfurt, Germany this October. Help them bring home the gold.

Edward G. Leonard, CMC, AAC - Team Manager

Edward Leonard, CMC, AAC, is executive chef at Westchester Country Club in Rye, N.Y. He is the American Culinary Federation's immediate past president, and one of only 61 certified master chefs (CMCs) in the United States. In addition, he is team manager of ACF Culinary National Team USA, and was team captain when the team finished with a gold medal in hot-food cooking at the 2004 Internationale Kochkunst Ausstellung in Erfurt, Germany. He has won ACF gold medals in every category, including, pastry and he has more than 45 gold medals from national and international culinary competitions.

Leonard, a member of ICA-American Culinary Federation (ACF) Big Apple Chapter, has extensive experience as a speaker, manager, cook, restaurant owner, executive chef and educator, and is a published author. In May 2005, he received an honorary doctorate in culinary arts from Johnson & Wales University, Providence, R.I., and was inducted in the Cordon d' Or Culinary Hall of Fame in January 2008.

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Drew B. Garms

Sous chef at Rosendales in Columbus, Ohio, Drew B. Garms is a graduate of The Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, N.Y., where he received an associate in occupational studies degree in culinary arts. He also completed the Greenbrier Culinary Apprenticeship Program in November 2005. Before joining Rosendales, he was a rounds cook at The Greenbrier in White Sulphur Springs, W.Va.

During his apprenticeship at The Greenbrier, Garms received numerous awards, including bronze medals in the buffet-platter, five-course-meal and hot-food mystery basket categories in 2004, and silver medals in the five-course-meal, hors d'oeuvres and hot-food mystery basket categories in 2005. Garms is a member of American Culinary Federation (ACF) National Chapter.

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Jennifer A. Kopp, CEPC

Jennifer A. Kopp, CEPC, executive pastry chef at Chevy Chase Club in Chevy Chase, Md., finds the medium of pastry arts a natural outlet for creative energy. After realizing she wanted to pursue a culinary career at an early age, Kopp went on to earn an associate of applied science degree in baking and pastry arts and a bachelor's degree in foodservice management from Johnson & Wales University in Providence, R.I.

A member of American Culinary Federation (ACF) Nations Capital Chefs Association, Kopp's career highlights include the ACF Nations Capital Chef of the Year Award in 2005 and the ACF Northeastern Region Pastry Chef of the Year Award in 2005. She also received the ACF Nations Capital Chef Professionalism Award in 2004, and served as chapter treasurer from 2004 to 2005.

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Joseph M. Leonardi, CEC

Joseph M. Leonardi, CEC, is executive chef at the Somerset Club in Boston. Before joining Somerset Club, he served as department chair and assistant professor at Johnson & Wales University College of Culinary Arts in Providence, R.I. He was awarded First Year Teacher and Most Valuable Player awards. A member of American Culinary Federation (ACF) Rhode Island Chapter, Leonardi holds associate and bachelor's degrees in culinary arts and a master's in education from Johnson & Wales University.

An avid competitor, Leonardi has amassed awards that include the 2003 Best Dessert from the Académie Culinaire de France, the 2004 Medal of the French Government at the 136th Salon of Culinary Art in New York, and two bronze medals at the 2004 ACF National Convention. In October 2004, he went to the Internationale Kochkunst Ausstellung (IKA) in Erfurt, Germany, where he served as coach to the student team. He also competed at the 2004 IKA as an individual competitor, earning a silver medal in ice-carving and a bronze medal in the cold-food category. Leonardi competed at the American Culinary Classic in Chicago in 2007 as a member of the ACF Culinary Regional Team USA. The team took home three gold medals, one silver medal, and placed fourth overall, second in hot food and fourth in cold food.

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Michael Matarazzo

Michael Matarazzo, ACF Culinary Regional Team USA captain, is senior sous chef at Westchester Country Club in Rye, N.Y. Before joining the club, Matarazzo was a rounds chef at The Greenbrier in White Sulphur Springs, W.Va., where he also completed the Greenbrier Culinary Apprenticeship Program in 2005. According to Matarazzo, cooking has pushed him to challenge himself every day, and has served as a driving force in both his personal and professional development.

Matarazzo is a member of American Culinary Federation (ACF) National Chapter. His accomplishments include earning an associate of occupational studies degree in culinary arts from The Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, N.Y., and medals in The Greenbrier graduation cold-food and hot-food competitions. In 2007, Matarazzo competed at the American Culinary Classic in Chicago as a member of the ACF Culinary Regional Team USA. The team took home three gold medals, one silver medal, and placed fourth overall, second in hot food and fourth in cold food.

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Timothy Prefontaine, CSC

A member of American Culinary Federation (ACF) National Chapter, Timothy Prefontaine, CSC, is executive chef at The Fort Worth Club in Fort Worth, Texas. Before joining the staff at The Fort Worth Club, he was executive sous chef at River Oaks Country Club in Houston, where he worked for six years. Prefontaine completed an ACF apprenticeship program at The Balsams Grand Resort Hotel in Dixville Notch, N.H., where he received the Balsams Apprentice of the Year Award from Phil Learned, CEC, AAC, in 2000. He also earned an associate of occupational studies degree in culinary arts from New Hampshire Community Technical College in Concord, N.H.

Prefontaine has competed in more than a dozen local, state and national culinary competitions. Most recently, he competed at the American Culinary Classic in Chicago in 2007 as a member of the ACF Culinary Regional Team USA. The team took home three gold medals, one silver medal, and placed fourth overall, second in hot food and fourth in cold food.

AAC Culinary Regional Team USA

Jill Bosich, CEC, CCE, AAC - Team Manager

Jill Bosich, CEC, CCE, AAC, AAC Culinary Regional Team USA manager, is executive chef/energy-programs advisor at Southern California Gas Company in Downey, Calif. She previously was a lecturer/chef-instructor at The Collins School of Hospitality Management at California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, Calif., where she had earned a bachelor's degree in hotel restaurant management. Bosich was dean of culinary education/founder at Culinard, The Culinary Institute of Virginia College, Birmingham, Ala., from 1999 to 2002.

A member of American Culinary Federation (ACF) Orange Empire Chefs & Professional Cooks Association, Bosich's culinary-competition experience includes serving as captain of ACF Culinary Regional Team USA 1996 and 2000. She is an ACF-certified culinary-competition judge and Western Region chair of the ACF Culinary Competition Committee. She was the 2001 Southeast Region's Chef Professionalism Award recipient, and was a candidate for ACF National Junior Member of the Year in 1993.

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Christopher Desens, CEC

Christopher Desens, CEC, is executive chef at The Racquet Club Ladue in St. Louis. He earned a bachelor's degree in hospitality management from Lindenwood University in St. Charles, Mo., and an associate degree in applied science in hospitality restaurant management from Community College at Forest Park in St. Louis. Desens is the current president Chefs de Cuisine Association of St. Louis, Inc.

His love of cooking began at an early age, and his passion for cooking has earned him many honors, including the Chefs de Cuisine Association of St. Louis, Inc. Chef of the Year Award in 2001. He has served as vice president, apprentice chair and junior-team coach of Chefs de Cuisine Association of St. Louis Inc. In addition, he is president of the St. Louis Friends of James Beard Foundation and a member of the St. Louis Culinary Society.

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Scott Fetty

Scott Fetty, chef-instructor at the Pennsylvania Culinary Institute in Pittsburgh, is a member of American Culinary Federation (ACF) Pittsburgh Chapter and former member of ACF Regional Culinary Team USA 2004. Fetty has won numerous awards, including the ACF Pittsburgh Chapter Chef of the Year Award in 2005, and the Chapter President's Award in 2004. His education includes a certificate in culinary arts from Le Cordon Bleu School of Culinary Arts in Paris, France, and an associate degree in culinary arts from the Pennsylvania Culinary Institute.

Before joining the Pennsylvania Culinary Institute, Fetty was sous chef at The Duquesne Club in Pittsburgh. Fetty has competed in many national competitions, including the ACF Pittsburgh Chapter Salon and the ACF Columbus Chapter Chefs Challenge in 2001, receiving gold medals in both competitions. Fetty also competed at the American Culinary Classic in Chicago in 2007 as a member of the ACF Culinary Regional Team USA. The team took home three gold medals, one silver medal, and placed fourth overall, second in hot food and fourth in cold food.

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Daryl L. Shular, CCC

Corporate executive chef for PFG-Milton's in Oakwood, Ga., Daryl L. Shular, CCC, has been a coach and mentor of culinary students and competitors for many years. Shular earned an associate degree in culinary arts at The Art Institute of Atlanta, and was a member of the institute's international culinary team. He received a faculty award for Outstanding Student Success Initiative in spring 2003. Before joining PFG-Milton's, Shular was senior lead instructor at The Art Institute of Atlanta.

Shular is a member of American Culinary Federation (ACF) Greater Atlanta Chapter Inc., and was a former chapter student-team coach. His most recent achievements include a gold medal for best of show at the ACF Choctaw Chapter Culinary Salon in Choctaw, Miss., and a gold medal in the fresh-seafood signature dish competition at the 2005 SYSCO Atlanta ACF Culinary Salon in Atlanta. He was also named the 2004 National Champion in the ACF Nutritional Challenge at the 2004 ACF National Convention.

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Randy J. Torres

Randy Torres is department chair of culinary arts at the Professional Culinary Institute in Campbell, Calif. He received his formal training from Orange Coast College in Costa Mesa, Calif., where he earned an Advanced Culinary Certificate in 1999. Torres has 15 years of culinary experience. He has worked in private clubs and hotels around the country, such as Victoria Country Club and Nordstrom Café in Riverside, Calif. He has also won more than 10 culinary medals in various competitions, including a silver medal at the Orange County Culinary Salon in 2003, a silver medal at the ACF Western Regional Conference in 1998, and a gold medal at the Las Vegas Culinary Challenge in 1996. He competed nationally and internationally as a member of the California Culinary Team from 1996 to 2004.

Torres began working as a culinary educator in 1999 at Orange Coast College, while remaining executive chef at Bear Creek Golf Club in Murrieta, Calif. Torres has coached numerous student culinary teams and has an impressive record of six state championships, three Western Regional Conference championships and two national championships. Torres continues to inspire young culinarians as team manager at Professional Culinary Institute.