ACF Today, Vol. II, No. 3
February 6, 2004

 
 In this edition . . .

* National office becomes fully operational next week
* Register now for 2004 ACF Central Regional Conference
* Educators Clinics offered at West, Northeast, Central and Southeast regional conferences
* ACF announces 2004 Regional Chef of the Year candidates
* Chef & Child Foundation to award vintage automobile in raffle
* Take your practical exam for ACF certification at a regional conference
* Refresher courses offered at regional conferences

ACF's Move into New Headquarters Nearly Completed

The American Culinary Federation is currently enabling systems at our new headquarters in northern St. Johns County, Fla., to deliver the high degree of service to which our members are accustomed. If you do not reach the individual or department you seek when you contact us, please leave a message, and rest assured that we will get back to you at our earliest opportunity.

ACF will be fully operational by midweek next week. Meanwhile, ACF's toll-free telephone answering service, (800) 624-9458, is available 24 hours a day. Or, visit us online at http://www.acfchefs.org, where information on the majority of ACF programs and events is readily available.

ACF's new mailing address: 180 Center Place Way, St. Augustine, FL 32095.

Discounted Registration Deadline for Central Regional Conference Approaches

"Chicago Then & Now, a Culinary Renaissance" is the theme of the 2004 ACF Central Regional Conference, March 31-April 4 at the Westin O'Hare in Rosemont, Ill. Through March 1, registration is $325 for active members ($350 after) and $200 for senior members ($225 after).

The Central Regional Conference provides registration options for student members of ACF. The full conference package, at $275 through March 1 ($300 after), includes the welcome reception, "A Street Fair, the Foods of Chicago's Neighborhoods," three breakfasts, Chef Professionalism Awards luncheon, regional awards reception and dinner, and "An Evening of Jazz & Food with the Exhibitors" at the Trade Expo.

Conference registration for Knowledge Bowl team members and Student Team Regional Championship participants is $200 through March 1 ($225 after), and includes the regional awards reception and dinner, Saturday breakfast, and "An Evening of Jazz & Food with the Exhibitors" at the Trade Expo.

For more information, visit http://www.worldofmbi.com/CENTRALMENU04.htm or e-mail acfchicagochefs1@aol.com.

ACF Offers Professional Development for Foodservice Educators at Regional Conferences

ACF partners with the Center for the Advancement of Foodservice Education (CAFE) to deliver eight-hour workshops for foodservice educators at each of the 2004 ACF regional conferences. These workshops, sponsored in part by Canada Cutlery, are a full day of discussion and information about what's going on in your region concerning culinary-arts education as well as an interactive seminar on effective communication and coaching techniques to use in your classrooms. Led by Mary Petersen of CAFE and Dr. Fred Mayo (former director of education for The Culinary Institute of America), the clinics will be held on the following dates:
* Feb. 25, Colorado Springs
* March 18, Newport, R.I.
* April 1, Chicago
* April 29, Atlanta

Registration, at $125, includes lunch and educational materials. For more information on programming, contact Mary Petersen at (410) 268-5542. To register, visit https://www.secure-online.com/acf/pfpg_edclinic.cfm.

ACF Announces Candidates for 2004 Regional Chefs of the Year

The ACF Chef of the Year Award recognizes an outstanding culinarian who works and cooks in a full-service dining facility. This person has demonstrated the highest standard of culinary skill, advanced American cuisine, and given back to the profession through the development of students and apprentices. The following are regional candidates for ACF's national Chef of the Year award, which will name the U.S.A.'s Chef of the Year^TM for 2004.

One candidate from each region will be chosen as this year's Regional Chef of the Year and announced at the respective regional conference. The four finalists will compete in a cook-off at the 2004 ACF National Convention in Orlando, Fla., in July. The awards are sponsored by UBF Foodsolutions North America.

Jud Flynn, CEC
Senior Executive Chef
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University and Personal Touch
Catering
Blacksburg, Va.
Southeastern Region

Friedrich "Fritz" Gitschner, CMC, AAC
Executive Chef
Houston Country Club
Houston, Texas
Central Region

Thomas Hiestand, CEC
Executive Chef
The Herrington Inn and Spa
Geneva, Ill.
Central Region

John Hudak, CEC, AAC
Executive Chef and Food and Beverage Director
Huntsville Golf Club
Shavertown, Pa.
Northeastern Region

J. Daniel Knerr, CEC, AAC
Executive Chef
The Black Pearl
Newport, R.I.
Northeastern Region

Jonathan Kraft, CEC
Executive Chef
Sunset Country Club
St. Louis, Mo.
Central Region

Kenneth McNamee
Executive Chef
Columbia Tower Club
Seattle
Western Region

Derin Moore, CMC
Executive Chef
Dunwoody County Club
Dunwoody, Ga.
Southeastern Region

Richard Potter, CEC, AAC
Chef and Owner
Stringtown Restaurant and Catering
Florence, Ky.
Northeastern Region

Michael Redmond, CEC
Executive Chef
Genesee Valley Club
Rochester, N.Y.
Northeastern Region

Stephen Samson
Executive Chef
Valentino Restaurant
Santa Monica, Calif.
Western Region

John Saundry, CEC, AAC
Executive Chef
Mariner Sands Country Club Inc.
Stuart, Fla.
Southeastern Region

Chef & Child Foundation and ACF Culinary Team USA to Hold Fund-raiser at ACF National Convention

In honor of ACF's 75th anniversary this year, ACF Culinary Team USA 2004 will team up with the ACF Chef & Child Foundation at the 2004 ACF National Convention in Orlando, Fla., in July to award a 1975-model vintage automobile to one lucky raffle winner. This family-fun event, scheduled for Sunday evening, July 18, at an Orlando venue, will directly benefit efforts of ACFCCF and Culinary Team USA.

Raffle tickets, at $5 each in a book of 50, are available to members and chapters now, and will be sold at the four ACF regional conferences this year.

Other prizes to be awarded are:

* One round-trip United Airlines air fare from anyplace in the United States to Europe (Business Class value $7,000)
* Three-day/two-night stay at The Greenbrier, White Sulphur Springs, W.Va. (includes Modified American Plan; some restrictions included)
* Three-day/two-night holiday for two at The Breakers, Palm Beach, Fla. (some restrictions included)
* Set of Arnold Palmer golf clubs
* Dell notebook computer
. . . and many other prizes.

Drawing for all prizes will be July 18, 2004, in Orlando. Ticket purchasers need not be present to win. Winners are responsible for applicable taxes. For more information, contact Beverly Stuart at (800) 624-9458, x111, or bstuart@acfchefs.net.

Practical Exams for ACF Certification Held at Regional Conferences

The certification practical exam will be offered at each of the four regional conferences. Registration will be accepted up to two weeks before each test or until testing capacity has been reached. The cost is $50 for ACF members. A seminar at each regional conference the day before the exam will explain the test process.

Certification practical exams will be held on the following dates:

* West, Sunday, Feb. 29
* Northeast, Sunday, March 21
* Central, Sunday, April 4
* Southeast, Friday, April 30

For more information and to register to take the practical exam, or if your application to be an ACF practical test examiner has been approved and you are interested in being an apprentice practical examiner at one of the scheduled tests, contact Belinda Fieldhouse at (800) 624-9458, x138, or bfieldhouse@acfchefs.net.

Refresher Courses Offered at Selected Regional Conferences

The following refresher courses for certification renewal will be offered at regional conferences this year. All courses are $75 each. Refresher courses are organized and executed by the host chapters of the conferences; for more information, visit the respective Web page or contact Belinda Fieldhouse at (800) 624-9458, x138, bfieldhouse@acfchefs.net.

* Sanitation and nutrition refresher courses at the 2004 ACF Northeastern Regional Conference in Newport, R.I., March 18-19. Visit http://www.acfchefs.org/download/documents/nerefresher2004.PDF
* Supervisory management, sanitation and nutrition at the 2004 ACF Central Regional Conference in Rosemont, Ill., March 31-April 2. Visit http://www.worldofmbi.com/Chicagorefresher.htm.
* Supervisory management, sanitation and nutrition at the 2004 ACF Southeastern Regional Conference in Atlanta, April 28-30. Visit http://www.worldofmbi.com/Atlantarefresher.htm

©2007 American Culinary Federation

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