2011 ACF Western Regional Conference

The Camelback Mountains of Scottsdale, Ariz., were the perfect setting for the 2011 ACF Western Regional Conference, hosted by ACF Chefs Association of Arizona, Inc., at the Talking Stick Resort, April 29–May 2. Hundreds of chefs, cooks and foodservice professionals from the Western United States descended on Scottsdale to “Experience the Power of Connection.” Attendees were provided with numerous opportunities to advance their professional development and enhance their culinary skills through seminars, culinary demonstrations featuring the latest trends and techniques, cooking competitions, meal events, networking and opportunities to learn about the newest industry products at the trade show. View the photos.

One of the conference’s many highlights was when ACF Western Region Vice President Bill Franklin, CMC, WGMC, AAC, shared the stage at General Session with notable culinary figure Jon Paul Hutchins, CEC, CCE, executive chef at Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts–Scottsdale, at General Session. Hutchins entertained the crowd with personal stories from his days as an instructor at the New York Restaurant School in New York, his vast restaurant experience and personal appearances on network TV. General Session concluded with attendees hearing from candidates running for the 2011–2013 ACF national board of directors.

An amazing evening of fine dining awaited those attending the American Academy of Chefs Dinner at The Phoenician, Scottsdale. Executive Chef Paul Carter prepared an impressive menu that was savored by all.

A sincere thank you to our sponsors and exhibitors, whose support was instrumental to our success, and to the AAC for donating $1,000 to the ACF Western Region Student Team winner to assist with national convention travel expenses.

Congratulations to all the award recipients and honorees for their outstanding contributions and goodwill, and to all the competitors for a job well done.

Chef of the Year | Pastry Chef of the Year | Chef Educator of the Year | Student Chef of the Year | Chef Professionalism Award | Hermann G. Rusch Chef’s Achievement Award | ACF Student Team Regional Championship | Baron H. Galand Culinary Knowledge Bowl | Chapter of the Year | Chapter Achievement Awards | President’s Medallions | Cutting Edge Awards | Paella, Please!

Chef of the Year, Sponsored by Unilever Food Solutions

ACF Western Region Chef of the Year Award Winner

Todd Leonard, CEC, executive chef, Blue Lemon, American Fork, Utah; ACF Beehive Chefs Chapter Inc.

Competitors

Elijah Dalager, CCC, sous chef, Harbor Crest, Spokane, Wash.; ACF Chefs de Cuisine of the Inland Northwest
Billy Daugette, chef de cuisine, U.S. Army, Office of the Secretary of Defense Dining Facility, Pentagon City, Va.; Old Dominion ACF Chapter
Lenard Rubin, executive chef/partner, The Vig Uptown, Phoenix; ACF Chefs Association of Arizona Inc.
Travis Smith, CEC, CCA, AAC, executive chef, One Ski Hill Place and Breckenridge Mountain Dining, Breckenridge, Colo.; ACF Colorado Chefs Association

Pastry Chef of the Year, Sponsored by Splenda®

ACF Western Region Pastry Chef of the Year Award Winner

Paul Padua, executive pastry chef, The Ahwahnee Hotel, Yosemite National Park, Calif.; Delaware North Companies Parks and Resorts Inc.

Competitor

Miyoung Suh, pastry chef-instructor, The International Culinary School at The Art Institute of California–Los Angeles, Santa Monica, Calif.; ACF Chefs de Cuisine Association of California

Chef Educator of the Year

ACF Western Region Chef Educator of the Year Winner

Bill Sy, CEC, AAC, academic director, The International Culinary School at The Art Institute of Tucson, Tucson, Ariz.; ACF Chefs Association of Southern Arizona Tucson

Competitors

Murat Day, CEC, WCC, AAC, culinary arts instructor, The International Culinary School at The Art Institute of California–San Diego, San Diego; ACF Orange Empire Chefs & Professional Cooks Association
Laird Livingston, CEC, CCE, AAC, academic director, culinary arts, The International Culinary School at The Art Institute of California–San Diego, San Diego; ACF national member
Brian McDonald, CEC, CCE, educator, Bellingham Technical College, Bellingham, Wash.; ACF Washington State Chefs Association
Scott Smith, Ph.D., CEC, CCE, director, foodservice management programming, Johnson & Wales University, Denver; ACF Colorado Chefs Association
Judy Uerling, CEC, educator, Clovis Municipal Schools, Clovis, N.M.; ACF Rio Grande Valley Chapter

Student Chef of the Year, Sponsored by Custom Culinary, Inc.

ACF Western Region Student Chef of the Year Award Winner

Ghil Medina, services journeyman, U.S. Air Force, Langley, Va.; Old Dominion ACF Chapter

Competitors

Nathan Dirnberger, student, Pikes Peak Community College, Colorado Springs, Colo.; ACF Pikes Peak Chapter Inc.
Krista Nakamura, student, Renton Technical College, Renton, Wash.; ACF Washington State Chefs Association
Brandon Strebel, student, Utah Valley University, Orem, Utah; ACF Beehive Chefs Chapter Inc.

Chef Professionalism Award, Sponsored by Minor’s®

ACF Western Region Chef Professionalism Award Winner

Anthony Danna, CEC, AAC, executive chef, Edgewood Downs Retirement, Beaverton, Ore.; ACF Chefs de Cuisine Society of Oregon

Hermann G. Rusch Chef’s Achievement Award

ACF Western Region Hermann G. Rusch Chef’s Achievement Award Winner

Leif Benson, CEC, AAC, retired, Welches, Ore.; ACF Chefs de Cuisine Society of Oregon

Competitor

O. Siegfried Krauss, CEC, AAC, retired, Colorado Springs, Colo.; ACF Pikes Peak Chapter Inc.

ACF Student Team Regional Championship, Sponsored by R.L. Schreiber, Inc.

ACF Western Region Student Team Regional Championship Winner

ACF Bay Area Chefs Association of Oregon; Oregon Coast Culinary Institute, Coos Bay, Ore.; Justin Clark, Mallory Crocker, Diana Jeffs, Reilly Meehan, Kimberly Ream and coach Randy Torres, CEC

Competitors

ACF Alaska Culinary Association; AVTEC Alaska’s Institute of Technology, Seward, Alaska; Cheryl Lewis, coach
ACF Beehive Chefs Chapter Inc.; Utah Valley University, Orem, Utah; Peter Sproul, CEC, coach
ACF Chefs Association of Arizona, Inc.; The International Culinary School at The Art Institute of Phoenix, Phoenix; Francine Marz, CEC, coach
ACF Chefs de Cuisine of the Inland Northwest; Spokane Community College, Spokane, Wash.; Douglas Fisher, CEC, CCE, AAC, coach
ACF Chefs Las Vegas; College of Southern Nevada, Las Vegas; Levy Acosta, coach
ACF Colorado Chefs Association; Colorado Mountain College, Glenwood Springs, Colo.; Kevin Clarke, CCE, coach
ACF Orange Empire Chefs & Professional Cooks Association; Orange Coast College, Costa Mesa, Calif.; William Barber, CEC, coach
ACF Washington State Chefs Association; Bellingham Technical College, Bellingham, Wash.; Michael Baldwin, CCE, coach
Chefs de Cuisine Association of Hawaii Honolulu; Kapi’olani Community College, Honolulu; Alan Tsuchiyama, coach
U.S. Coast Guard; Edward Fuchs, CC, coach

Baron H. Galand Culinary Knowledge Bowl, Sponsored by American Technical Publishers

ACF Western Region Baron H. Galand Culinary Knowledge Bowl Winner

ACF Pikes Peak Chapter Inc.; Liberty Blechman, Katherine Conlon, Robin Flynn, Patrick Patterson, Debra Schmidt and coaches Heidi Block and Leslie Bender

Competitors

ACF California Capital Chefs Association; The International Culinary School at The Art Institute of California–Sacramento, Sacramento, Calif.; Carol Thomas, coach
ACF Chefs de Cuisine Association of California; The International Culinary School at The Art Institute of California–Los Angeles, Santa Monica, Calif; Daniel Drumlake, CEC, CCE, CCA, AAC, coach
ACF Midnight Sun Chefs Association; Michael Roddey, CCC, CCE, MS ED, CDM, coach
The International Culinary School at The Art Institute of California–San Diego, San Diego; ACF Chefs & Culinarians of San Diego; Kelly Funes, coach
Pueblo Community College, Pueblo, Colo.; Chuck Becker and Benjamin Bedard, coaches
Walla Walla Community College, Walla Walla, Wash.; ACF Northwest Wine Country Chapter; Jay Entrikin, coach

ACF Western Region Chapter of the Year

ACF Pikes Peak Chapter, Inc., Colorado Springs, Colo.

ACF Western Region Chapter Achievement Awards

ACF Pikes Peak Chapter, Inc.
ACF Southern CA Inland Empire Chefs & Cooks Association, San Bernardino, Calif.

ACF Western Region President’s Medallions

Franz Kubak, CEC, assistant professor/chef-instructor, Utah Valley University, Orem, Utah; ACF Beehive Chefs Chapter Inc.
Tony Parker, CEC, general manager, Eurest Dining Services, Kent, Wash.; ACF Washington State Chefs Association
James Wolters, CEC, AAC, executive chef, Manito Country Club, Spokane, Wash.; ACF Chefs de Cuisine of the Inland Northwest

Cutting Edge Awards

Donald Dickinson, CEC, CCA, AAC, culinary division director, Institute of Technology, Citrus Heights, Calif.; ACF California Capital Chefs Association
Walter Hawley, CEC, corporate executive chef, Nestlé Professional, Englewood, Colo.; ACF Colorado Chefs Association
Christopher Plemmons, CEC, AAC, chef-instructor, Olympic College Culinary Arts Institute, Bremerton, Wash.; ACF Washington State Chefs Association
Ricardo Santana, executive chef, Impressions Catering, Ontario, Calif.; ACF Southern CA Inland Empire Chefs & Cooks Association

Paella, Please! Sponsored by Riviana

Samuel Murillo, executive sous chef, Talking Stick Resort, Scottsdale, Ariz.