Certified Executive Chef®

Application | Requirements | Practical Exam Guidelines | Recommended Study Materials

Application

Certified Executive Chef Application
Please send application and documentation of completed requirements to:
American Culinary Federation
180 Center Place Way
St. Augustine, FL 32095

CEC Job Analysis

ACF conducted a job analysis resulting in a detailed list of the knowledge and skills required for today’s successful Certified Executive Chef. Review the Role Description and CEC Hypothetical Day for an overview of CEC responsibilties. Job analysis Domain, Task and Knowledge Statements as well as the Glossary of Knowledge Statements will provide information on the topics to be mastered for CEC certification.

Requirements

In addition to the requirements listed below, you must provide documentation of three 30-hour courses—one in Nutrition, one in Food Safety and Sanitation, and one in Supervisory Management. If these courses were taken more than five years ago, an eight hour refresher course is required in each topic. These courses are available at Chefcertification.com or any accredited school.

• Minimum Job Experience: Three years as a Chef de Cuisine, Executive Sous Chef, Pastry Chef or chef in charge of food production in a foodservice operation. Must have supervised at least three full time people in the preparation of food.
  
• Minimum Educational Courses: High school diploma/GED plus 150 hours of continuing education. If you do not have a high school diploma/GED, 250 hours of continuing education are required.

The ACF Foundation offers certification training courses and practice certification exams on eCulinary. Courses contain study materials in all major subjects related to the ACF certification exams, including sanitation, nutrition, and supervisory management.

• BEFORE JULY 13: The Written Exam is administered by LaserGrade. Candidates have one hour to complete the 100 multiple choice questions. The written test fee is $75 and is payable to Lasergrade upon arrival at the test site.
  • No support materials other than pens, pencils, calculators are permitted.
  • A score of seventy percent (70%) or higher is required to pass.

  The following books are suggested in preparation for the written and practical exams:

  • Culinary Fundamentals, ACF: Prentice Hall BUY
  • Baking Fundamentals, ACF: Prentice Hall BUY
  • Supervision in the Hospitality Industry: Applied Human Resources, 5th Ed., Miller, Walker, Drummond: John Wiley & Sons BUY
  • Nutrition for Foodservice and Culinary Professionals, 6th Ed., Drummond, Brefere: John Wiley & Sons BUY
  • Food Safety Fundamentals: Essentials of Food Safety & Sanitation, McSwane, Rue, Linton, Williams: Prentice Hall BUY
  • The Professional Pastry Chef: Fundamentals of Baking Pastry, 4th Ed., Friberg: John Wiley & Sons BUY
  • Escoffier: The Complete Guide to the Art of Modern Cookery, John Wiley & Sons BUY
  
  
• AFTER JULY 13: Written Exam Composition and Reference Materials. Candidates have 1½ hours to complete the 100 multiple choice questions. The written test fee is $75 and is payable to the written exam test site.

• Practical Exam: All levels of ACF certification require candidates to be tested for practical skill proficiency. The CEC practical exam is three hours and can be taken at any ACF approved test site. A score of 75% or higher is required to pass.
  
  To help you prepare for the Practical Exam, review the Practical Exam Candidate Manual.

Recommended Study Materials - Reference Materials for Written Exam taken after July 13