Year in Review

The 2007 ACF National Convention was a magical experience, and ACF would like to thank the members, sponsors, exhibitors and presenters for their participation and support.

More than 2,100 chefs, culinarians and foodservice industry professionals attended the four day event at the Orlando World Center Marriot.

The 2007 ACF National Convention Featured

• More than 50 culinary demonstrations and professional development seminars
• More than 125 exhibitor booths
• Five national culinary competitions

Trade Show

The two-day industry trade show included over 125 exhibitor booths and 5 national culinary competitions. Culinarians from each of the four ACF Regions earned the right to compete at the national convention by winning at their respective local, state and regional levels.

CMC Dinner

The second annual Certified Master Chefs dinner was a sold-out success. More than 250 attendees experienced unique tasting plates created by 10 different certified master chefs from around the U.S. We are planning to expand this event in anticipation of an even bigger turnout in Las Vegas in 2008!

Thank You To Our 2007 National Convention Sponsors

2007 Convention Photo Album

An album is now online with 2007 ACF National Convention photos from Universal Image. To view the album, click the link or copy the URL link into your browser's address bar: http://www.photoreflect.com/scripts/prsm.dll?eventthumbs?event=07PF005X

You must enter the password: acfchefs

Award Winners

Culinarians from each ACF Region-Central, Northeast, Southeast and Western-who earned the right to compete at national convention by winning local, state and regional competitions, competed for national awards.

U.S.A.'s Chef of the Year™, sponsored by Unilever Foodsolutions
J. Kevin Walker, certified master chef (CMC); executive chef, Cherokee Town & Country Club, Atlanta; ACF Greater Atlanta Chapter, Inc.

ACF National Pastry Chef of the Year, sponsored by Splenda®
Patricia Nash; pastry chef, Westchester Country Club, Rye, N.Y.; Chefs Association of Westchester and Lower Connecticut

ACF National Chef Educator of the Year
Norman Hart, certified executive chef (CEC), certified culinary educator (CCE), American Academy of Chefs (AAC); culinary instructor, Art Institute of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh; Pittsburgh; ACF Pittsburgh Chapter

ACF National Student Culinarian of the Year, sponsored by Custom Culinary, Inc.
Carol Chandler, certified culinarian (CC; University of Montana College of Technology, Missoula, Mont.; ACF Montana Chefs Association

ACF National Student Team Championship, sponsored by R.L. Schreiber, Inc.
ACF Western North Carolina Culinary Association; Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College, Asheville, N.C. - Michelle Bailey; Daniel Gorman; Matthew Gruber; Jason Huang, captain; and Chambli Stuber. Team coach, Bronwen McCormick

Chef Professionalism Award, sponsored by Nestlé FoodServices
Michael Beriau, CEC, AAC; executive chef, White Cliffs Country Club, Plymouth, Mass.; ACF Montana Chefs Association

Hermann G. Rusch Chef's Achievement Award
Louis Perrotte, CEC, AAC; chef/owner, Le Coq Au Vin, Orlando; ACF Central Florida Chapter

Baron H. Galand Culinary Knowledge Bowl
New England Culinary Institute, Montpelier, Vt. - Jakub Cogswell, Angel Custodio, Rosalynn Kooker, Joseph Mitchell and Jeff Surdel. Team coach, Dina Altieri, CEC, CCE

Global Chef Challenge
In addition, Aidan Murphy, CMC, AAC, the recipient of the 2006 U.S.A.'s Chef of the Year™, sponsored by Unilever Foodsolutions, representing the United States, was named the winner of the World Association of Chefs Societies (WACS) Global Chefs Challenge Continental Finals for the Americas, which took place at the Orlando Culinary Academy. Murphy, executive chef at Old Warson Country Club in St. Louis and a member of the ACF Chefs de Cuisine Association of St. Louis, Inc., competed against 12 chefs from the Americas. He will compete against international representatives from Africa, Asia, the Pacific and three European regions for the world title at the 33rd World Congress in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, May 12-15, 2008.

ACF Culinary Youth Team USA Tryouts
The convention also served as the location for the finals of the ACF Culinary Youth Team USA try-outs. St. Louis Community College, ACF Chefs de Cuisine Association of St. Louis, Inc., comprised of Michael Bush, John Gelineau, Mike Palazzola, Wayne Sieve and Kevin Taylor, was named the new youth team. They will compete alongside the ACF Culinary Team USA national and regional teams at the Internationale Kochkunst Ausstellung International Culinary Art Competition, known as the "Culinary Olympics", in Erfurt, Germany, Oct. 19-22, 2008.