Dr. L.J. Minor Chef Professionalism Award

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Frank R. Turchan, CEC

A familiar face in the kitchens at the University of Michigan, Frank Turchan has been the Michigan Dining Campus Executive Chef for over ten years. Prior to becoming the Campus Executive Chef, he served as an Executive Chef for Michigan Dining.

He has managed the operations of four separate residential dining halls, utilizing his expertise in menu and recipe development, staff training and development, and high-quality culinary standards for large and small dining operations. His specialized experience in multi-concept dining, as well as ethnic and international cuisine, was instrumental in the design and planning of Mosher-Jordan dining hall and North Quadrangle dining hall, as well as the subsequent success of those new operations.

Turchan’s ingenuity in menu concept and execution for various unique dining events at the University of Michigan has benefited students and employees. He has devised and taught cooking classes for students and staff, sharing his culinary expertise and flair. He has built a global chef program over the last few years, bringing chefs from all around the country and world to train Michigan Dining employees and connect with students. Chefs from India, Kenya, Mexico, and the Sioux nation have all been highlighted. Turchan also developed a robust internal culinary training program for Michigan Dining’s employees. This training program is divided into four modules, each of which builds on the abilities taught in the prior module, beginning with the fundamentals in module one. This helps Michigan Dining cooks build common knowledge and prepares them for the next step in their careers.

Turchan studied Hospitality Management at Ferris State University and holds culinary arts and hospitality management degrees from Henry Ford Community College and the Culinary Institute of America. He also sits on the Culinary Advisory Board for Henry Ford Community College, Ann Arbor Public Schools, and Food Service Directors publications. Prior to joining the University of Michigan, he was the Executive Sous Chef at Opus One restaurant in Detroit, and the Executive Chef for Ford Motor Company Conference & Event Center and, later, The Fairlane Club in Dearborn. He also adds substantial procurement experience to Michigan Dining, having previously worked as a food broker and chef that provided training and menu consultation for food distribution companies.

Serving over 3,500,000 meals per year and employing 240 full-time employees and 1,200 student employees, Michigan Dining operates nine dining halls, twenty-two retail food operations, and its own Campus Bakeshop. While dining with Michigan Dining, guests have a wide range of food selections. Guests can choose from a variety of American and international dishes, vegetarian and vegan entrees, and food items from local farmers and regional food producers.The dining halls also feature fruits and vegetables grown by students for students at the University’s Campus Farm, due to a partnership developed by Turchan. Additionally, Michigan Dining provides a comprehensive education and counseling program to assist students with dietary, nutrition, and food allergy concerns. Michigan Dining even has online software that enables students to review the daily menus at the dining halls for nutrition information and food allergens.

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Derek J. Ivancic, CEC

Derek Ivancic, CEC, is currently the Executive Chef of the JACK Cleveland Casino. One of his missions in the culinary industry is to mentor the next generation of leaders in all aspects of hospitality and everything the American Culinary Federation has to offer.

He graduated as valedictorian from the Pennsylvania Culinary Institute Le Cordon Bleu program in 2006. From there he worked at two Ritz-Carlton resorts in Georgia and Florida. There he learned about their standards of hospitality and cooking regional American cuisine with an upscale twist. In 2009, he returned home to Cleveland, Ohio, joining the team at the Historic Renaissance Cleveland Hotel working his way up to the restaurant Chef. From there he worked at other Cleveland landmarks and opened the second largest hotel in Cleveland, the Hilton Cleveland Downtown. The opening of this convention hotel was a true challenge in that it opened just weeks before Cleveland hosted the 2016 Republican National Convention.

Chef Ivancic is passionate about the mentoring of the next generation of chefs. Since 2014, he has been an adjunct instructor at Cuyahoga Community College. He previously instructed international cuisine and hospitality human resource management. Currently Chef Ivancic is the Garde Manger instructor focusing on classical techniques and preparations while also working on modern presentations. He has mentored several chefs throughout his career that pushed them to their next level of professionalism. He has successfully mentored chefs through the CSC and CEC levels of certification. One of his mentees went from a line cook to a restaurant chef, and then became a restaurant general manager.

Chef Ivancic believes in the American Culinary Federation message of certification. Chef Ivancic has held certifications at the CC, CSC and now the CEC level. Chef Ivancic is currently an apprentice certification evaluator, his training will be complete by Q2 of 2022. This will help his chapter offer more certification exams in his local area.

He also has competed in several competitions in his career. He generally competes in hot food and recently completed a cold food competition. Chef currently has 1 gold, 2 silver and 3 bronze medals from the ACF. He believes that competing pushes all chefs to be better and more organized in their day to day responsibilities.

Chef Ivancic first joined the ACF in 2005 during culinary school. When he returned home, he joined the Cleveland Chapter and has served the chapter as the sergeant at arms. In 2019 he was recognized by his peers as Chapter Chef of the Year. Chef Ivancic is currently the President-Elect for the Cleveland Chapter and looks to continue the success of the chapter and engage with the membership. He has always tried to bring new chefs into the local chapter through his career. With the Hilton he started a line cook engagement program where the hotel would sponsor the membership of line cooks. Now at the JACK Cleveland Casino, he presented a case for the value of membership to use as an engagement tool with his Chef and Sous Chef team. This allowed him to add a property membership adding new members to the Chapter.

One of the pillars of hospitality is community involvement. Chef Ivancic has always been a champion in this area to give back to his local charities. Chef has been involved with the Ronald McDonald House Charities, Cleveland Food Bank, American Cancer Society, American Liver Foundation, and the Children’s Hunger Alliance, among others.

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Michael R. Thrash, CEC, CCA, CCE, AAC

Chef Michael Thrash currently resides in Seminole, Florida. He is currently the Corporate Executive Chef for The J.R. Simplot Company and is also a Chef Instructor at the Art Institute of Tampa.

After growing up in Rochester, New York, with a very large family of great cooks and a rockstar cook in his Mother; Michael knew at a young age that food and cooking was a passion of his. After realizing that you could actually make a career out of it, he quickly joined the industry. Starting as a dishwasher and a bus boy, Michael quickly confirmed his passion for the business. While attending vocational Culinary Arts classes in high school, his skills became more refined.

Chef Thrash is a graduate of Johnson and Wales University in Providence, Rhode Island, with a B.A.S. in Culinary Arts. He has over twenty two years of experience among nine different states, in restaurants, fine dining, luxury hotels, high end private country clubs, higher education and corporate environments. Working for various companies like Simplot, GA Foods, Boston University (Aramark), Disney, Lowes Hotels, Legal Seafoods, Hard Rock International and more.

Chef Thrash is:

• Certified Master Chef (WCMC) through the World Association of Chefs Societies (WACS) 2021
• Certified Executive Chef (CEC) Certified Culinary Educator (CCE) and Certified Culinary Administrator (CCA) through the American Culinary Federation (ACF)
• American Academy of Chefs Inductee/Fellow, through the ACF 2021
• Certified Dietary Manager, Certified Food Protection Professional (CDM-CFPP), ANFP, 2021
• Inducted Member of the World Master Chefs Society (MWMCS) 2019
• Certified Research Chef (CRC) through the Research Chefs Association 2019
• Vice Conseiller Culinaire Southeast Region, Chaîne des Rôtisseurs USA 2021
• National Board Member of the Academy Brillat Saverin, Chaîne des Rôtisseurs USA 2021
• Vice Conselier Culinaire Southeast Region USA & Maître Rotisseur with the Chaîne des Rôtisseurs
• Recipient of the ACF/F. Dick Cutlery Cutting Edge Award, 2021
• Inducted member of the Brillat Savarin Academy/Chaine Honor Society 2021
• Recipient of the Bronze Star of Excellence from the Chaîne des Rôtisseurs 2021
• Recipient of the Academie Brillat-Savarin Medaille de Merite 2020
• American Culinary Federation Ring of Honor Awardee 2020
• ProChef Level II certification through the Culinary Institute of America (CIA) 2013
• Certificate in Hospitality & Tourism Management from Florida Atlantic University 2020
• Sargent at Arms and Ethics Chair Committee for ACF Tampa Bay 2021–present
• Vice President on the Board of the ACF Tampa Bay 2019–2020
• Approved Certification Evaluator (CE) through the ACF
• Member of ACF Culinary Olympic Team USA 2016–2020
• Numerous Silver medals have been awarded through ACF competitions throughout the years as well as champion of many other industry competitions
• Named 2017 Tampa Bay Chef of the Year (ACF)
• Recipient of the ACF National President’s Medallion in 2018
• Featured in Numerous Publications, Magazines and Periodicals
• Featured Chef, Studio Guest Dining Out Radio Show & Craft Beer Hour, 2015–present
• Featured in Episode of “What to Expect: Culinary Arts,” MTV, 2004
• Chef Instructor at the Caribbean Cuisine Culinary Institute in Barbados via Zoom 2020–present

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Gregory M. Sever, CEC

Really, I began my Culinary Career in High School. Prior to that I had been encouraged by my eighth grade home economics teacher to get a job between eighth grade and freshman year. Burger King was my first cooking experience; crazy to think that was 28 years ago.

Anyway, during high school I was very fortunate to work for Chef Noel Cunningham at Ciao Baby which was in Tiffany Plaza. I was strictly front of the house; however it was my first exposure to a European Chef and all that entails. I knew then that I had really found something I could love, something I could get into every day.

Later in high school, I worked for the same ownership group that owned the Broker Restaurants at a place called Piccadilly’s which was located at Belleview and I-25 before being torn down. A more casual version of the Broker model, many of the Broncos frequented the bar and it was very exciting as a senior in high school. In those days I was able to work as a Bar Back and funded my own Senior Trip as well as many pairs of Air Jordans.

Fast forward, after about a year and a half at the University of Northern Colorado, I found myself back in the city and ready to work full time again. I actually was at No Frills Grill (which was right down the street from the home office) for a couple years. It was there where I really caught the kitchen bug and never really looked back.

The Hyatt Denver Tech Center is where I was introduced to my first fine dining, working for Chef Robert Meitzer in the Centennial Room. Again, many VIPs and some of Denver’s swankier folks. Many of the hotel’s chefs had completed culinary apprenticeships and I was able to begin my own in the fall of 1997. I actually was working two jobs at that time, the hotel at night and for Leo Goto at the Wellshire Inn by day.

The ACF Culinary Apprenticeship program is an intensive three-year hands-on training program that focuses on real life work, complimented by roughly 1000 hours of classroom theory. After a year and a half I withdrew from the program as my wife and I had moved to the mountains. We ran a small café in Fairplay.

Over the next ten years I worked for Vail resorts and spent time at Papillion in Cherry Creek working for Radek Cerny.

In 2007, I returned to complete my Apprenticeship and graduated in 2009. I tested for my CEC in 2010.

In the past 3 years I have received my Postsecondary CTE Certification allowing me to teach CTE courses at a college level, which I do for the same apprenticeship program I graduated from. I am in class one night a week working with the students in their second year. My current staff minus one employee are all current, graduate or former apprentices. It is something I am very passionate about.

Right now I am also working on my ACF Approved Culinary Evaluator certification which is something that will allow me to be a part of evaluating students and professionals when they are ready to take practical tests for certification. Chef DeGiovanni holds this certification currently.

In addition to my day job and teaching, I am as active as I can be in ACF competition and any events where volunteers are needed. In 2014, I was able to win two non-sanctioned competitions and place with a silver medal in a sanctioned mystery basket competition.

This is a basic nutshell of the last 18 years for me in the Kitchen. I would be happy to go into more detail as needed.