Press Release
Gunther Heiland, CMPC, AAC, Receives Prestigious Joseph Amendola
Award by the American Academy of Chefs
St. Augustine, Fla., July 16,
2009—The American Academy of Chefs (AAC), the honor society
of the American Culinary Federation (ACF), honored Gunther Heiland,
certified master pastry chef (CMPC), American Academy of Chefs (AAC), of
Pottstown, Pa., with the Joseph Amendola Award during a formal ceremony
and dinner at the 2009 ACF National Convention held at the Orlando World
Center Marriott, Orlando, Fla., July 10.
The Joseph Amendola Award is presented to a pastry chef or master
baker. This recipient has devoted their career to their profession and
to the mentoring of young individuals who will be future pastry
chefs.
Heiland established Desserts International, Inc., a gourmet dessert
wholesale business, in Exton, Pa., in 1986. In 2008, he retired and
entrusted the future of his company to a local rising-star pastry chef.
Heiland holds the American Culinary Federation title of certified master
pastry chef, one of only 13 in the U.S. A native of Austria, he received
his baking and pastry culinary education in Europe in the old-world
guild fashion. Subsequently, he worked as an executive pastry chef in
establishments in Iran, Portugal and Germany. In 1975, Heiland
immigrated to the U.S. and continued his career as corporate executive
pastry chef at the Omni International Hotels, Atlanta. From 1979 through
1986, he worked as executive pastry chef for several other high-end
hotels in the Northeast until opening his own business.
Heiland competed in the 1976, 1980 and 1984 “culinary
Olympics” in Frankfurt, Germany, and won gold medals in all of his
entries. He has received numerous culinary awards, including 1978 Chef
of the Year from the Chefs Association of Greater Atlanta and 1998
Pastry Chef of the Year by Chef Magazine. He has even been
awarded a star on the Walk of Fame at California Culinary Academy, San
Francisco. Heiland is a Fellow of the American Academy of Chefs, a
member of the Retail Bakers of America and has been a member of the
American Culinary Federation since 1988. He is a current member of ACF
Philadelphia Chapter.
The AAC, which recognizes those individuals who have made significant
contributions to both the culinary profession and ACF, was established
in 1955 at the ACF National Convention in Pittsburgh. Those credited
with its founding include the legendary Pierre Berard, Peter Berrini and
Paul Laesecke, HOF, AAC.
Sponsors of AAC events at the 2009 ACF National Convention are: Allen
Brothers; American Lamb Board; Barber Foods; BelGioioso Cheese Inc.;
Buckhead Beef; Butterball Farms; The Chef’s Garden; CleanFish;
Contessa Premium Foods; The Crystal Cave; Desserts International;
Ecolab; Harbor Seafood; Hudson Valley Foie Gras; Ice Caterers; Icon
Estates; Jennifer Garant; Labriola; Lactalis; Les Chateaux de France;
Marky’s; Nestle Waters North America; New Chef Fashion; PinSource;
Revol; The Schwan’s Food Company; Shucks Maine Lobster;
Tito’s Hand Made Vodka; Valrhona; and Villeroy & Boch.
The American Culinary Federation, Inc., established in 1929, is the
premier professional organization for culinarians in North America. With
more than 22,000 members spanning 230 chapters nationwide, ACF is the
culinary leader in offering educational resources, training,
apprenticeship and accreditation. In addition, ACF operates the most
comprehensive certification program for chefs in the United States. ACF
is home to ACF Culinary Team USA, the official representative for the
United States in major international culinary competitions, and to the
Chef & Child Foundation, founded in 1989 to promote proper nutrition
in children and to combat childhood obesity. For more information, visit
www.acfchefs.org.
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To arrange an interview or for a high-res photo, contact Leah Craig
at (800) 624-9458, ext. 113, or Patricia Carroll at ext. 147. Email lcraig@acfchefs.net or pcarroll@acfchefs.net.
Contact: Leah Craig
(800) 624-9458, ext. 113
lcraig@acfchefs.net
Patricia Carroll
(800) 624-9458, ext. 147
pcarroll@acfchefs.net