ACF Today, Vol. III, No. 24
November 14, 2005



In this edition . . .
* ACF Asks Ford to Remove TV Ad
* ACF Culinary Team USA to Compete in Basel
* Registration Open for World Association of Cooks Societies Congress 2006
* Register for ACF's Western and Southeastern Regional Conference Educators Clinic
* ACF Announces the Launch of ACF eCulinary Professional-Development Institute
* AAC Application Deadline Nearing

ACF Asks Ford to Remove TV Ad

ACF is deeply disturbed and disappointed by Ford Motor Company's latest advertising campaign, portraying a chef in a restroom. The chef's neglect to adhere to proper sanitation is not an accurate reflection on the culinary profession, and the depiction of such is an affront to the industry.

Our organization has received hundreds of concerned emails and phone calls from our membership, and we expect to receive many more if the campaign is not pulled immediately from broadcast. We are outraged by the cavalier attitude Ford has taken portraying a professional chef.

ACF is asking Ford to immediately remove the offending campaign and to apologize to an industry that has been thoroughly insulted by the latest ad. We hope to have a positive response from Ford this week, and we will let the membership know of the outcome.

Thank you to the members who are speaking out against the ad, and we appreciate your dedication to the profession!

ACF Culinary Team USA to Compete in Basel

ACF Culinary Team USA will compete in the Salon Culinaire Mondial 2005 in Basel, Switzerland, November 19-23, 2005.

ACF Culinary Team USA is the official representative team of the United States in major international culinary competitions. Combining its gold medal in hot-food competition and its score in the cold-buffet exhibition in last year's IKA, the team currently ranks third worldwide in overall culinary expertise after Sweden and Switzerland, first and second respectively.

The Salon Culinaire Mondial, which occurs once every six years, is one of the most important international culinary-arts competitions for national teams of chefs. Organized by IGEHO, the International Exhibition for Industrial Institutions, Hotels and Restaurants, as well as the Swiss Cooks Society and the Hotel & Gastro Union, the Salon Culinaire Mondial will feature teams from Canada, Czechia, Germany, Iceland, Italy, Singapore, Slovenia, Switzerland, Wales and the United States.

Applications are currently being accepted for ACF Culinary Team USA. Visit www.acfchefs.org for team tryout information and to download applications. The application deadline has been extended to Nov. 21, 2005. Send completed forms to Edward Leonard, CMC, manager, ACF Culinary Team USA.

Register Now for the World Association of Cooks Societies Congress 2006

Ready for one of the best culinary experiences in the world, while surrounded by lush and breathtaking landscapes? If so, make plans to attend the World Association of Cooks Societies (WACS) Congress 2006 in Auckland, New Zealand, March 12-16, 2006.

WACS is a non-political professional organization dedicated to maintaining and improving the culinary standards of global cuisines. The biennial Congress is a hallmark tradition of WACS and has been organized in more than 20 cities throughout the world during its 74-year history.

While attending the Congress, you can also take time to explore the natural splendor of New Zealand through a tour led by a leading travel specialist. Tour options include a walk on the Milford Track through the heart of Fiordland National Park to Milford Sound, a stroll through some of New Zealand's many golf courses and well-known fishing spots. You can also hit the road and enjoy the flexibility and freedom of touring the country yourself in the comfort of a rental vehicle. Tour information is available online at www.nzalacarte.com or you may send an e-mail to anita@panpacific.co.nz for tailored travel options.

Take advantage of early bird fees by registering by Nov. 30. Get ready to immerse yourself in the Pacific, and prepare yourself for a 'world of culinary excellence' in 2006. For more information, please visit www.wacscongress2006.com.

Register Now for ACF's Western and Southeastern Regional Conference Educators Clinic!

Register now for the Western Region Educator's Clinic, to be held on Thursday, February 2, and the Southeastern Region Educator's Clinic, to be held on Sunday, February 26.

Writing as Communication, Teaching as (Culinary) Art

The ACF Culinary Educator's Clinic is presented by well-known author and educator Dr. Nancy Berkoff, CCE, AAC, chef instructor at the LA Trade and Technical College in Long Beach, Calif. The first session, "Planning the (Educational) Menu," will concentrate on writing as a communications tool and constructing an effective syllabus. The second session, "Tableside Instruction," will explore critical subjects such as culinary teaching styles, a teaching mystery basket and more. Participants should bring any materials they would like to share and discuss, such as textbooks or class outlines.

This full-day event, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., awards eight hours of continuing-education credit, which can be used for faculty development and ACF certification. The cost is $125, which includes a voucher for lunch. Make checks payable to American Culinary Federation, and send completed registration forms (see the December issue of Center of the Plate, as well as www.acfchefs.org) and fees to: ACF, Education Dept., 180 Center Place Way, St. Augustine, FL, 32095, or fax to Belinda Fieldhouse at (904) 825-4758.

*Refund policy: Cancellations must be in writing and postmarked 30 days before each conference starting date, for a full refund less a $25 processing fee. No refunds will be available after those dates.

ACF Announces the Launch of the ACF eCulinary Professional Development Institute

Beginning Nov. 30, 2005, culinarians will be able to visit the ACF Web site and access the eCulinary portal, a new professional-development program offering online educational opportunities for ACF members and other working cooks and chefs. The site will be maintained and operated by Thomson Delmar Learning.

This first phase of eCulinary will include practice certification exams at all levels. Applicants for certification will be able to purchase a 30-day access to sample test banks that align themselves with ACF's official certification testing. Each participant will be able to attempt the practice exams as often as they would like within the 30 days. Exams will then be graded, giving culinarians insight into the areas in which they need to improve.

Also housed on the eCulinary portal will be the monthly National Culinary Review quizzes, allowing members an alternate means for completing and submitting the quizzes for educational credit. Users who pass the online quizzes will then be able to print passing certificates directly from the eCulinary system, which can be used as documentation for initial and renewal certification packets.

If you have any questions, please call Michael Baskette, CEC, CCE, CCA, AAC, ACF director of educational development, at (800) 624-9458.

AAC Application Deadline Nearing

ACF members who wish to apply for induction in 2006 into the American Academy of Chefs, the honor society of ACF, should submit their applications and all materials to the AAC National Office by Dec. 31, 2005.

Requirements mandatory for consideration in the honor society include:

  • must be certified as an ACF master chef, master pastry chef, executive chef, executive pastry chef and/or culinary educator for a minimum of two years
  • must be in the culinary profession a minimum of 15 years, 10 of which must be at the executive chef or culinary educator level
  • must be an ACF member in good standing for a minimum of 10 years
  • must have attended four ACF regional conferences and/or national conventions within any 10-year period
  • must fulfill a minimum of 10 of 20 elective attainable goals
  • all requirements/goals must be met the year prior to induction

For more information or to request an application, please contact Laura Howell in the AAC National Office at 800-624-9458, ext. 102.

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©2007 American Culinary Federation

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