ACF Today, Vol. IV, No.8
April 17, 2006

In this edition . . .

• ACF National Convention Nearing…Register Today and Receive Discounted Rates
• ACF Culinary Team USA Tryouts Fast Approaching
• Crab-Cake Contest Open to AAC Chefs
• Attend the National Restaurant Association Restaurant, Hotel-Motel Show®
• ACFF Disaster Relief Fund Donations Continue, Hurricane Victims Eligible for Funds
  

ACF National Convention Nearing…Register Today and Receive Discounted Rates

ACF will hold its 56th national convention in Philadelphia at the Philadelphia Marriott and the Pennsylvania Convention Center July 14-17. The event brings together nearly 2,000 of America's most influential and accomplished chefs, culinary educators, students, restaurateurs and foodservice professionals.

Don't miss any of the convention's many networking and educational opportunities, competitions and social events. Some highlights of the convention include the trade show, Educators Clinic, Student Mentoring and Culinary Forum sponsored by Johnson & Wales University, Baron H. Galand Knowledge Bowl co-sponsored by Custom Culinary, Student Team National Championship sponsored by R.L. Schreiber, Inc., ACF Cold-Food Salon sponsored by The Art Institutes, Chef of the Year competition sponsored by Unilever Foodsolutions, and President's Grand Ball sponsored by Butterball Farms, Inc., and Tyson Foods, Inc.

Register by May 5 and receive a discounted registration fee. Rooms reserved by June 22 at the Philadelphia Marriott will be at a special ACF-convention rate of $156 per night. To register for convention or for more information call ACF at 800-624-9458 or visit www.acfchefs.org.

ACF sincerely thanks all national convention sponsors for their generous support!

Diamond
Custom Culinary, Inc.
Nestlé FoodServices
R.L. Schreiber, Inc.

Grand Platinum
Le Cordon Bleu Schools North America
Chef Designs
Tyson Foods, Inc.
Unilever Foodsolutions

Gold
The Art Institutes (EDMC)
Johnson & Wales University
McCormick & Company, Inc.

Bronze
Barber Foods
Butterball Farms, Inc.
The Cheesecake Factory Bakery Incorporated
Chef's Hat, Inc.
Boggiatto Garden Hearts
GFF, Inc./Girard's Dressings

Contributor
Canada Cutlery, Inc.
Schulstad Royal Danish Pastry

Donor
Mind's Eye Resource Management, LLC
NEWCHEF Fashion, Inc.

Attend the National Restaurant Association Restaurant, Hotel-Motel Show®

The National Restaurant Association (NRA) Restaurant, Hotel-Motel Show® will take place May 20-23 in Chicago and promises to be an exciting time for all that attend!
Join more than 73,000 of your colleagues for the world's most comprehensive look at the trends and technologies shaping the restaurant industry. Over 2,000 exhibiting companies from more than 100 countries will demonstrate the latest products and technologies. There will also be over 60 free education sessions delivering solutions for today's challenges. Lastly, but more importantly to ACF culinary members, ACF in collaboration with the NRA will host the final tryouts for ACF Culinary Team USA at The Culinary Scene during the show. Candidates vying for a spot on the official U.S. team will demonstrate their extraordinary culinary skills.

Registration is $60 per person and you can register online at www.restaurant.org/show, but have your company's tax ID number and credit card ready. You can also download the registration form at www.restaurant.org/show and submit it via U.S. mail to NRA Registration Headquarters, P.O. Box 624, Brookfield, IL 60513-0624, or fax it to (708) 344-4444. If you have any questions, e-mail nraregistration@dineout.org or call customer service at (312) 580-5410.

ACF Culinary Team USA Tryouts Fast Approaching

After much anticipation, 17 finalists have been chosen to try out in the final competition for ACF Culinary Team USA at the 2006 National Restaurant Association Restaurant, Hotel-Motel Show® in Chicago, May 20-23. ACF Culinary Team USA is the official representative team of the United States in major international culinary competitions, including the Internationale Kochkunst Ausstellung (IKA) held in Erfurt, Germany every four years, and the Salon Culinaire Mondial, one of the most important international culinary-arts competitions, held every six years.

Before being chosen as a finalist, the competitors were judged in one of two preliminary competitions held at Elgin Community College in Elgin, Ill., Feb. 27-28, and River Oaks Country Club in Houston, March 26-27. At the final tryouts in Chicago, chefs will vie for coveted spots on ACF Culinary Team USA National, along with ACF Culinary Team USA Regional and ACF Culinary Team USA Pastry.

ACF wishes the best of luck to the 17 finalists!
Loan Co - ACF San Francisco Chapter
Joachim Buchner, CMC - ACF Nations Capital Chefs Association
James Decker, CEC, AAC - ACF Columbus Chapter
Christopher Desens, CEC - Chefs de Cuisine Association of St. Louis
Scott Fetty - ACF Pittsburgh Chapter
Drew B. Garms - ACF National Chapter
Richard Han - ACF Chefs of Las Vegas
Jamie Keating, CCC - ACF Greater Atlanta Chapter, Inc.
Jennifer A. Kopp, CPC - ACF Nations Capital Chefs Association
Joseph M. Leonardi - ACF Rhode Island Chapter
Michael Matarazzo - ACF National Chapter
Craig Meyer, CEC - Chefs de Cuisine Association of St. Louis
Craig Peterson - ACF Greater Kansas City Chefs Association
Timothy Prefontaine, CSC - ACF Chapter of Northern New Hampshire
Mellisa K. Root - River Oaks Country Club in Houston
Daniel Scannell, CMC - ACF Colorado Chefs Association
Daryl L. Shular, CCC - ACF Greater Atlanta Chapter, Inc.

For more information on ACF Culinary Team USA, visit the ACF Web site at www.acfchefs.org.

Crab-Cake Contest Open to AAC Chefs

AAC chefs-here's your chance to win big! The American Academy of Chefs & Phillips Foods are searching for new and innovative ways to Dress a Crab Cake. Start with a Phillips Maryland-style frozen crab cake in the center of your plate and get creative by adding toppings, garnishes, layers, sauces and other accoutrements to give it a whole new feel. For example, give a crab cake an Asian spin by topping it with warm vanilla ginger sauce and serving it over a bed of cellophane noodles or garnish macadamia-encrusted crab cakes with a savory black-bean salsa.

First place wins $750 and menu inclusion at the AAC Dinner at the ACF national convention in Philadelphia, second place wins $200 and third place wins $50. You must be an AAC member to be eligible for the contest. To enter, visit www.phillipsfoods.com/aaccontest to download a form, then send the completed form to Rebekah Brill at 1215 E. Fort Ave., Baltimore, MD, 21230 or fax it to (410) 837-8526. Entries must be received by June 23, 2006. If you have any questions, call (888) 234-2722, ext. 1605.

ACF members and chapters continue to generously lend their financial support to fellow culinarians afflicted by last year's hurricanes. More than $134,000 has been raised through donations to the American Culinary Federation Foundation (ACFF) Disaster Relief Fund. Money is currently being dispersed to hurricane victims as they continue the recovery process and rebuild their lives. If you were affected by the hurricane and would like to learn more about receiving financial assistance from the ACFF Disaster Relief Fund, please e-mail disasterrelief@acfchefs.net or ask your chapter president for a financial aid form.

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Don't Miss the 2006 Santé Restaurant Symposium

Don't miss your opportunity to:

• Choose from 50 exceptional seminar topics, including "The Power of Public Relations," "An Exploration in Chocolate," "Best Practices from DiRoNA Restaurateurs," "Wine Training Boot Camp," and so many more! All are hosted by top industry professionals, including Alex Brennan-Martin, Sondra Bernstein, Tony Abou-Ganim, and Evan Goldstein, M.S.
• Learn from and share ideas with leading restaurant professionals from around the country during meals, receptions, and recreational events
• Sample the latest foods, wines, spirits and technology in two full-sized exhibit tents
• Hear keynote speeches from Charlie Trotter, famed chef; Helene Kennan, president of Women Chefs and Restaurateurs; and David M. Dudar, corporate director of marketing and communications for RockResorts International
• Be treated to top fare from around the world during hosted dinners, receptions and hospitality suites

Contact Santé magazine today at (800) 493-9585 to learn more and reserve your spot at the 2006 Santé Restaurant Symposium, May 7-10 at the Equinox Resort & Spa in historic Manchester, Vt. For more information, including registration, visit www.isantemagazine.com.

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Great Lakes Kraut Co.
Recipe Contest Gives Chefs a Chance to Show Off Their Kraut Creativity

The Entrée to Munich-Professional Chef Recipe Contest is inviting chefs and other foodservice professionals to put on their culinary thinking caps for a chance to win a trip to Germany. To enter, create an original recipe using sauerkraut as an ingredient and submit it online through the contest's Web site, www.entreetomunich.com. Categories include entrées, appetizers/soups/salads and side dishes.

A panel of independent chefs, home economists and other culinary professionals will judge the recipes based on taste, appearance, originality and the use of sauerkraut.

The entrant judged to have the best overall recipe may choose between a grand prize of a trip for two to Munich, Germany, or $4,000 cash. Two first-place winners will also be chosen and receive $1,000 cash.

Professional chefs 18 years or older who work in a restaurant or foodservice operation may enter. The contest runs from April 1 through June 30, 2006. For complete official contest rules and details, visit www.entreetomunich.com.

The sponsor of the Entrée to Munich-Professional Chef Recipe Contest is Great Lakes Kraut Co., the largest sauerkraut producer in the world. Consumers and foodservice professionals from across the United States enjoy the quality and taste of Great Lakes Kraut Company's sauerkraut. For more information on the company and its products, visit www.krrrrispkraut.com.

©2007 American Culinary Federation

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