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.
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2026 Regional Qualifier
The ACF Culinary Competition is accepting applications for the 2026 Chef of the Year Regional Qualifier Competition. Deadline for submittal is December 31, 2025. Questions may be directed to competitions@acfchefs.org.
2026 Regional Qualifier Schedule
| Region |
Dates |
Location |
| Western |
February 27–28, 2026 |
Los Angeles Trade-Technical College
400 W Washington Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90015 |
| Northeast |
March 6–7, 2026 |
Community College of Allegheny County
800 Allegheny Ave
Pittsburgh, PA 15233 |
| Central |
March 19–20, 2026 |
The Culinary Institute of Michigan - Muskegon Campus
336 W Clay Ave
Muskegon, MI 49440 |
| Southeast |
March 27–28, 2026 |
Providence Culinary Training
3330 Shorefair Dr
Winston-Salem, NC 27105 |
2025 National Winner