Presidential Medallion

The Presidential Medallion is considered the highest honor given by the President of the American Culinary Federation. It is presented in recognition of outstanding representation of the ACF fundamental principles, including superior strength of character and continued contributions to ACF and/or the culinary industry as a whole.

2026 Award

Applications for the 2026 Presidential Medallion are now being accepted. Deadline for all applications is January 31, 2026. Award recipients will be announced during the 2026 ACF National Convention.

2025 Recipients

  • Jason G. Avelson, CEC, CCE, AAC
  • Jeff Bacon, CEC, AAC
  • Derrick Connor, CEC, CCA
  • Andy Cuthbert, HAAC
  • James V. DiMarzio, CEC, AAC
  • Ralph C. Feraco, CEC, AAC
  • Edward E. Fuchs, CEC, CCE, CCA
  • Christopher A. Galarza, CEC, CCA
  • LaKisha Harris
  • John Jakeman, CEC, CCE
  • Gene E. Kalesti
  • Thomas J. Macrina, CEC, CCA, AAC, HOF, HBOT
  • John N. Masi
  • Greg Matchett, CEC, AAC
  • Patrick D. Mitchell, CEC, AAC
  • John J. Norton, CEC, CCA
  • Joseph D. Parajecki
  • Rajeev Patgaonkar, CEC, AAC
  • Thomas F. Recinella, CEC, AAC
  • Lenard Rubin, CEC, CCA, AAC
  • Morris Salerno, HAAC
  • Michael Thames, CEC, CCA
  • David G. Turin, CEC
  • Daniel Van Etten, CEC
  • Fred G. Wright, CEC, AAC
  • William Yee

2024 Recipients

  • Geoffrey S. Blanchette, CEC, PCEC
  • Ronnie Blankenship, CEC
  • David Bressler, CEC
  • James L. Brown, AAC
  • Richard Brumm, CEC, CCA, AAC
  • Bruce R. Christensen, CEC, CCA, AAC
  • Jim Churches, CEC, CCA, AAC
  • James F. Connolly, CEC, CCA, AAC
  • Fionna Espana, CWPC
  • Keith Gardiner, CEC, CCE, CCA, AAC
  • Travis Johnson, CEC
  • Roger T. Kreager
  • Roger W. Newell, CEC, CCE, CCA, AAC
  • Jeffrey G. Perez, CCC
  • Vanessa Marquis, CEC, AAC
  • Juan M. Martinez, CEC, CCE, AAC
  • Maynard Meland, CCE, CCA, AAC
  • Jay Rathman, CEC, CCA
  • Paula Recinella, HAAC
  • Gabriel Rosado, CEC, CCA
  • Thomas P. Ryan, CEC, CCA, HAAC
  • Ben Simpkins, CEC, CCA, AAC
  • Shawn Smith, HBOT
  • Vaughn L. Vargus, CEC, CCA
  • Mark G. Wright, CEC, AAC, HOF, HBOT

2023 Recipients

  • Joseph M. Allison, CEC, AAC
  • Dina Altieri, CEC, CCE, AAC
  • Malachi Bolton, CCC
  • Andre R. Ellis, CEC
  • Cher D. Harris, CEPC
  • Jimmy L. Hill, HAAC
  • Jason A. Jones, CEC, CCA, AAC
  • Sergey V. Kashkin, CEC
  • Ashley Keys
  • Bradley D. Labarre, CEC, AAC
  • Ryan M. Manning, CC
  • Donald C. McMillan, CEC, AAC, HHOF
  • Elizabeth B. Mikesell, CEC, AAC
  • Hari Pulapaka, CEC, AAC
  • Scott C. Ross, CEC, CCA
  • Keith Sarasin
  • Amy C. Sins
  • Harold S. Small, HAAC
  • Robert Stegall-Smith, AAC
  • Wes Tyler, CEC, CCA
  • Jaques Wilson, CEC, AAC
  • Robert L. Witte, CEC, CCA, AAC
  • Jay Ziobrowski, CEC

2022 Recipients

  • Lawrence Allen Alexander, CCC
  • Darrin Aoyama, CEPC, AAC
  • Nicholas Barrington, CEC
  • Polly Barrington
  • Chris Bugher, CEC
  • John Casto, CEC
  • Lance Cook, CEC, CCA
  • Keith Coughenour, CEC, AAC
  • Susanne Ebacher-Grier
  • Leslie Eckert, CEPC, CCE, AAC
  • Eloise Fernandez, CEC, CCE, AAC
  • Richard Hoffman, CEC, CCA, AAC
  • Ronna Keck, HAAC
  • Kirk Kief, CEC, CCA, CPC
  • Joseph Kraft, CEC, CCA, AAC
  • Brandon LaVielle, CEC
  • Amanda Miller, CSC, CPC
  • Jacqui Pressinger, CPC
  • Jeffrey Schlissel
  • John Selick, CEC, CCA, AAC
  • Lisa Tomecek, CEPC
  • Robert Waskoviak, CEC