The Culinary Insider - June 16, 2014 (Vol. XII, Issue 12)

ACF President Thomas Macrina, CEC, CCA, AAC, Delivered Commencement Speech at CIA and Named Ambassador

Last Friday, June 13, ACF National President Thomas Macrina, CEC, CCA, AAC, returned to his alma mater, The Culinary Institute of America, as the commencement speaker. This was a great honor for him and ACF. He delivered an inspiring speech. Watch the video of the commencement ceremony. Macrina’s speech begins at approximately 1:24. After the speech, Dr. Tim Ryan, CMC, AAC, president of the CIA and ACF past president, recognized Macrina’s many achievements and proclaimed him an Ambassador of the CIA. He also presented him with a corporate gold medal and ambassador’s certificate. Read More

ACF Launches Chef to Chef Summer Membership Contest

ACF’s Chef to Chef Summer membership special allows members to supplement their dues while helping ACF grow. Recruit two new professional culinarian or culinarian members between June 1 and Sept. 30 and receive a minimum of 25% off your membership dues Chef to Chef Summer Membership Contest.jpg next year. Receive an additional 15% off with each additional new member recruited. The top member recruiter will receive a free 2015 ACF National Convention registration, second place wins a 32GB iPad Mini and third place wins a 2015 ACF Regional Conference registration. Learn More

Counting Down to ACF National Convention

Don’t delay and register today for ACF National Convention in Kansas City, Missouri, July 25–29, because it is less than six weeks away! It will be five incredible days of extraordinary demonstrations and presentations, fantastic networking opportunities, unbelievable food and a reinvented trade show featuring competitions and the best of the culinary world sharing the latest culinary innovations. Below is just a “taste” of what’s on the schedule:

• Smoking 101: The Art of Smokology®: Discover the secrets of perfect barbecue.
• Social Media 101 for Restaurants: Learn the best online strategies and tactics to use when building the reputation and business of a local restaurant.
• The Extraordinary Flavors in Locally Grown Wheat: Explore the newest styles of bread baking and practice sensory techniques while tasting loaves made from sprouted wheat and preindustrial heirloom grains.
• 2014 Campbell Culinary TrendScape Report: Find out which food trends will soon be in restaurants in this overview of Campbell’s first-ever Culinary TrendScape Report.
• 40 Hot Ideas to Make Your Buffet Sizzle: Learn food and buffet styling techniques to bring on- or off-site catered events to the next level.
• Survival Spanish for Today’s Workforce: Learn Spanish words, phrases and requests that are specifically useful in foodservice related workplaces.
• Glazed and Confused: Learn about doughnuts, donuts and cronuts from the evolution of American fried dough into a favorite treat.

The 400 E-Newsletter from Pork Foodservice

Tender, juicy and on-trend, pork is a menu must-have. Want the latest news in pork foodservice? Sign up for The 400 e-newsletter and get trend reports, interviews with industry professionals, recipes and more. Sign up today at porkfoodservice.org.

Vegalene® Food Release Sprays Stand Up to the Tests of Professional Chefs

Par-Way Tryson’s Vegalene® Food Release Spray, Vegalene® Allergen Free Food Release Spray and Vegalene® Buttery Cooking Spray have been awarded the ACF Seal of Approval. The products were approved after extensive testing to evaluate the product’s physical performance, performance when various cooking methods were applied, adaptability, and accuracy of labels and marketing materials. Read More

The Benefits of Being an ACF Member

ACF continues to add member benefits through the ACF Members Advantage Program, which provides discounts on products and services exclusively available to ACF members. A few of the new programs are:

• Mobile Phone Program: T-Mobile is giving ACF members a $25 reward card with the purchase of a device when activating a new line of service, upgrading a device or adding a line to an account, and there is no annual contract or activation fee.
• Office Products: Receive up to 80% off preferred products at Office Depot.
• Travel Discounts: Save up to 20% on Avis car rentals and 25% on Budget Car Rental rates, 15% off stays at Red Roof Inn, 10% off at Motel 6, and 20% off the best available rate at participating Wyndham Hotels.

Visit the ACF Members Advantage Program on the ACF website to take advantage of these discounts and learn about other programs available to ACF members.

ACF Receives Accreditation for Fourth Certification

ACF’s Certified Culinary Educator® credential has received accreditation from the National Commission for Certifying Agencies under the Institute for Credentialing Excellence (ICE). This is the fourth ACF professional culinary certification to receive independent accreditation. Since 2011, the Certified Executive Chef®, Certified Sous Chef® and Certified Executive Pastry Chef® designations have been accredited by ICE.

Credentials are becoming recognized as a growing alternative path for full-time workers wanting to highlight specialized skills for career advancement and higher earnings, according a report released by the U.S. Census Bureau in January, “Measuring Alternative Education Credentials: 2012.” Read More

WACS Congress and Competitions

The World Association of Chefs Societies Congress, Worldchefs, hosted by the Norwegian Chefs Association, takes place this year in Stavanger, Norway, July 2–5. The congress offers a wide array of professional-development opportunities, networking and competitions. Check out the website to see the program line up and register to attend.

ACF’s own Scott Ryan, CEC, AAC, and Reilly Meehan will face off against some of the best culinary talent in the world during the Worldchefs Global Chefs Challenge and the Hans Bueschkens Young Chefs Challenge, respectively, during the congress. Both chefs won the right to represent the Americas region in the Worldchefs final competitions in the semifinals held in Las Vegas last July.

Ryan is executive chef at The Country Club, Pepper Pike, Ohio, and a member of ACF Cleveland Chapter Inc. Meehan, an ACF national member, is co-owner of Bespoke Doughnuts, San Francisco. Both chefs have been practicing their competition dishes for almost a year in preparation for the challenge. They will face semifinalist chefs representing Worldchefs regions of Asia, Africa/Middle East, Pacific Rim, Europe North, Europe Central and Europe South. Read More

Win ACF Merchandise by Taking Social Media Survey

ACF is looking for input from chefs and foodservice professionals about how they use social media. Your input is valuable to help ACF grow its social media channels and continue to share relevant culinary industry content with followers. Take the survey and share it with other foodservice professionals on your Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. Everyone completing the survey may enter to win ACF merchandise. Take the survey now.

TV Casting Calls for Culinarians

ABC’s “The Taste” is serving up season 3. Anthony Bourdain, Nigella Lawson, Ludo Lefebvre and Marcus Samuelsson are back and they want you. If you are passionate about food then apply and show off your culinary skills for a chance to win $100,000! Learn more and apply.

From the producers of the Travel Channel’s “Man v. Food” comes an exciting new competitive cooking TV series. Competitors will travel the country entering in food competitions in one of the most unique food docu-series yet. Are you and a teammate ready to test your creative culinary skills in everything from burgers and pasta to bacon and dessert? Learn more and apply.

Casting Calls A+E Networks’ FYI Channel is now casting for a new show, “Pressure Cooker.” Chefs and their favorite partner, who is a little lost in the kitchen, will hit the open road and cook up meals based on their travels. Learn more and apply.