U.S.A.’s Chef of the Year™ Award
In 1963, ACF created the Chef of the Year Award to acknowledge Walter Roth, AAC, for his tireless efforts to promote and elevate the profession. The award has grown in prestige, and today is the highest honor annually bestowed by ACF.
The U.S.A.’s 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 skills, advanced the cuisine of America and given back to the profession through the development of students and apprentices.
Regional winners compete in a culinary competition at the national convention, where a panel of distinguished judges will select the national winner.
2020 Regional Finalists
Central
Shawn Berry
Tim Bucci CMC, CCE
Hagop Hagopian
Matthew Schellig CEC, CEPC, CCE, CCA
Dean Sprague CEC
J. Kevin Storm CEC, AAC
Northeast
L.Fernando Mojica CEC
Matthew O'Connor CEC
William Rogers CEC , CCA
Michael Shannon CEC
Southeast
Stephen Bush CEC
Lance Cook CEC, CCA
John Michael Lynch
Steven McCracken
Peter Spear CEC, CCA
West
Ben Diaz
Christopher Emerling
Brandon LaVielle CEC
Military
Hiram Carrion-Rodriguez, CCC, SSgt USMC TECOM