The Culinary Insider - Nov. 13, 2007
(Vol. V, Issue 27)
Dear ACF members, sponsors and partners:
The American Culinary Federation is pleased to present
you with The Culinary Insider, our new ACF Today. It has been visually enhanced for your
reading enjoyment and technologically improved for ease of use.
The Culinary Insider will
continue to provide you with the latest ACF news and industry updates.
This is just one of the many online enhancements planned for the near
future, and I hope you find it as informative and appealing as I do.
Sincerely,
John Kinsella, CMC, CCE, AAC
ACF President
Plan for the 2008 ACF Regional Conferences
The new year will be here before you know it, so now is the perfect
time to plan for the 2008 ACF Regional Conferences. Early bird discounts
are available on attendee registration, trade show exhibitor booths,
hotel room rates and airfare.
For the most up-to-date information--schedules, host hotel and city
profiles, downloadable registration forms, and more--for each of the
2008 ACF Regional Conferences, visit www.acfchefs.org. When it comes to
Achieving Culinary Excellence, it's never too
early to plan.
Central Regional Conference - Register
Now!
February 8-10, 2008; Hyatt Regency Crown Center, Kansas City, Mo.
Southeast Regional Conference - Register
Now!
March 1-3, 2008; Williamsburg Lodge, Williamsburg, Va.
American Academy of Chefs Dinner
Northeast Regional Conference - Register
Now!
April 5-7, 2008; Hilton Netherland Plaza, Cincinnati, Ohio
American Academy of Chefs Dinner
Western Regional Conference - Register
Now!
April 19-21, 2008; Hilton Salt Lake City Center, Salt Lake City,
Utah
Going to a Regional Conference? NewChef
Fashions, Inc. is proud to be the official logo merchandising partner
for the 2008 ACF Events Series. Visit the NewChef Web site and order
your conference logo apparel today!
Support ACF Culinary Team USA in the Quest to Bring Home the
Gold
ACF Culinary Team USA is journeying to the Internationale Kochkunst Ausstellung International
Culinary Art Competition, a.k.a. the "culinary Olympics," in Erfurt,
Germany, where they will face more than 30 international culinary teams,
and they need your help.
Donate today and become part of the most dynamic, influential culinary
team in America.
ACF Chapters, Take Note
The ACF chapters that raise the most money and have the highest
percentage of member participation by March 31, 2008, will each receive
a visit by an ACF Culinary Team USA member. The team member will attend
a chapter meeting and demonstrate the skills necessary to be a
world-class chef. Any chapter that raises more than $15,000 will receive
an all expense paid trip for one individual, chapter's choice, to
apprentice for Team USA at the IKA.
Be a Part of Culinary Excellence by Supporting
America's Team on a Global Level
With your corporate sponsorship, the team's professional and educational
development will be able to continue, and the United States will have
the world's best culinary experts representing America at home and
abroad in cooking competitions.
Organizations partnering with the team gain international exposure and
premium positioning for their featured brands through successful brand
and channel marketing, advertising, promotions, e-marketing research and
menu development. ACF offers several levels of partnership to best suit
your marketing needs, and a partnership with ACF Culinary Team USA is
one of the most unique and prestigious in the culinary industry.
Companies interested in partnering with ACF can contact American
Culinary Federation at (800) 624-9458.
Current sponsors of ACF Culinary Team USA are Chef
Revival; Club Managers Association of America; Fortessa; Kraft Foods
Global; Tyson Foods, Inc.; Uncle Ben's; Unilever Foodsolutions; and
Westchester Country Club.
Knowledge Bowl News Flash!
Changes are in store for the Baron H. Galand Knowledge Bowl. Pearson
Prentice Hall and the American Culinary Federation are discussing a
makeover for the incredibly popular team competition that includes the
addition of audio and video clues and challenges, an interactive Q&A
session with the audience during breaks, prize giveaways and more.
"Making the game more interactive and adding a higher-tech element
will breathe some added excitement into what is already a highly
competitive event," said John Kinsella CMC, CCE, AAC, ACF national
president. "The Knowledge Bowl has been an iconic part of our annual
events for over a decade, and we feel that it can become an even more
integral part of our educational programming if given the right
tools."
Downloadable registration forms are available online at
www.acfchefs.org. The application fee for 2008 will be $250 to remain
consistent with other student competitions held at the regional
conferences. The deadline for application submission for teams competing
in the Central and Southeast regional conferences is December 31. The
deadline for teams completing in the Northeast and Western regional
conferences is February 28, 2008.
The competition is open to teams from ACF chapters, ACF
apprenticeship programs and accredited American Culinary Federation
Foundation Accrediting Commission (ACFFAC) institutions. Knowledge Bowl
teams compete at their respective ACF Regional Conference. The winning
team from each region earns the right to vie for the national title
during the ACF National Convention in Las Vegas. For more information on
the Knowledge Bowl, and the entire 2008 ACF Events Series, visit ACF
online, or call toll free (800) 624-9458.
ACF 2008 U.S.A.'s Chef of the Year™ Award Application Deadline
Approaching
The application for the 2008 U.S.A.'s Chef of the Year™ Award,
sponsored by Unilever Foodsolutions, is only available online or by
calling the Events Management Department at (800) 624-9458. The deadline
to return completed applications is November 30.
ACF Events Goes You Tubin'
Want to learn more about the 2008 ACF Events Series? Then check out
the latest ingredients in the ACF pantry, chock full of video clips and
photos from the 2007 Regional Conferences and National Convention, many
of which were sent in by members. The video provides a fun and energetic
overview of ACF, its programs and events. Take a look--you might be a
star!
Call for Papers for ACF Conferences and Convention
The American Culinary Federation Foundation (ACFF) is seeking papers
for presentations at the 2008 and 2009 regional conferences and national
convention.
Contemporary topics sought include:
- Nutrition and Nutritional Cooking
- Molecular Gastronomy
- Sanitation and Safety
- Leadership/Management
- Curriculum Planning and Development
- Teaching Methodology
- Culinary Business Planning
- Educational Psychology
- Cost Control Techniques
- Financial Management Techniques
- Marketing Techniques for Culinarians
Interested parties are asked to submit an abstract, 150 words or
less, and narrative by Dec. 14. The title and abstract should be
descriptive of the presentation, and the narrative should include a
three- to five-page topic rationale, expected outcomes and learning
activities. A brief biography of the presenter is also required.
Inquiries should be directed to Kristy Begley, director of education,
at kbegley@acfchefs.net or mailed to American Culinary Federation, 180
Center Place Way, St. Augustine, FL 32095.
Make the Holidays Last All Year Long with NCR & Sizzle
Give The National Culinary
Review and Sizzle to co-workers,
family & friends at a special discounted price.
The National Culinary Review, ACF's
flagship publication, provides the latest in menu trends, industry news
and more.
Sizzle is exclusively for culinary
students with articles on trends, techniques, emerging job markets,
mentoring and more.
The National Culinary Review - $19.95
Sizzle - $14.95
BOTH for $29.95
Subscribe today by ordering online at www.acfchefs.org
or by calling (800) 624-9458 ext. 141. Applies to subscriptions in the
U.S. only, and is valid until December 31, 2007.
What It Means to be a Certified Chef
Certified chefs mean quality in the kitchen. The ACF Certification
Program ensures that chefs are competent, skilled and educated.
Employers know that certified culinarians possess a thorough knowledge
of nutrition, food safety and sanitation, and culinary supervisory
management. Being certified verifies to employers that you have the
ability, knowledge and initiative to make a difference. Want to climb
the ladder to the top? Get certified. With the knowledge you gain during
the certification process, you will realize your potential to excel.
Some of ACF certified chefs have stated:
- Becoming certified made me realize my potential!
- Becoming certified was easier than I thought, even though I did not
attend a culinary school.
- Becoming certified has helped me build confidence, so I could strive
for the top position in my company.
- Becoming certified has helped me gain recognition with my
peers.
For more information, visit the ACF Web site, or contact the ACF
Certification Department at (800) 624-9458, or e-mail
certify@acfchefs.net.
WACS Launches Certification Program
The
World Association of Chefs Societies, a global network of more than 70
different countries chefs' associations, has launched a worldwide chef
certification program. This program recognizes significant achievement
in professional cooking and catering for chefs around the world.
Certification is based on international standards of education and
training, and ACF is honored to be the administrator.
Visit the ACF Web site for additional information and eligibility or
call ACF at (800) 624-9458.
Phillips Foods - A Crab Cake for Any Menu
There's simply no reason not to menu a crab cake, Phillips offers a
variety of high-flavor, economical crab meat grades that conform to any
cuisine style and budget. When crafting a signature crab cake for your
restaurant, your selection of crab meat choices extends beyond jumbo
lump.
Consider the following grades of Phillips Crab Meat when building
your next crab cake:
Backfin--Backfin is a blend of broken
pieces of jumbo lump and special-grade crab meat, so it yields nice
flake content at a lower cost.
Special--Often considered the most versatile
grade for the widest range of recipes, special crab meat consists of the
smaller flakes of white meat from the body of the crab. Special is
perfect and profitable for crab cakes because it carries the same
bright-white color and delicate flavor as backfin and jumbo lump, but at
less cost.
Claw--Picked from the swimming fins of the
crab, claw meat is a dark meat with a sweeter flavor profile and denser,
firmer texture. (Think dark in terms of poultry meat, and you get the
idea). Claw meat is ideal for crab cakes because it allows accompaniment
by richer sauces--the flavor of the crab shines through.
Chefs should experiment with blending different crab meat
grades--such as claw meat with backfin--for a unique crab flavor. The
white meat of backfin lends itself to delicate sauces, whereas the dark
meat of claw can hold up to more intense and vigorous flavors. Ideally,
a 3-to-1 ratio of white to dark crab meat will make any crab-cake
concoction delightfully more crabby in flavor. When you purchase
Phillips crab meat, simply blend a can of each grade.
For more information visit www.phillipsfoods.com.
Jones Dairy Farm - Cherry Hardwood Bacon
You will love it--bacon with a hint of sweetness, combined with the
unsurpassed quality of Jones Dairy Farm. Cherry Hardwood Bacon is cut
from lean, hand-selected pork bellies, slow smoked using cherry
hardwood, then air chilled for a wonderfully rich and smooth flavor in
every slice. We take extra time to make our bacon, so the flavor
develops slowly and doesn't have a salty aftertaste. New Cherry Hardwood
Bacon is a unique and flavorful option for soups, entrees and
sandwiches, or on the side of your breakfast items!
Jones Dairy Farm is the quality leader for natural breakfast sausage,
bacon, Canadian bacon and ham. Want to learn more? Contact your
distributor or Jones Dairy Farm representative for details and product
samples. You may also contact Bryon Coleman, National Sales Manager,
bryonc@jonesdairyfarm.com.
ENTER FOR A CHANCE TO WIN A CULINARY TRIP TO NAPA From Pepperidge Farm® Distinctive Crackers!
You could win a Distinctive Culinary
Experience on the West Coast campus of the renowned Culinary
Institute of America at Greystone in Napa, California. The perfect
setting to enjoy elegant wine, cheese--and crackers!
The four-day/three night Grand Prize trip for two includes airfare,
deluxe accommodations, rental car, $500 spending money and dinner for
two at the fabulous Wine Spectator Greystone Restaurant.
Or you could win one of 100 second prizes:
a one-year subscription to Gourmet
magazine.
Hurry! Sweepstakes ends 11-30-07. No purchase necessary.
To register and for official rules, visit pepperidgefarmcrackers.com.
Enter sweepstakes promotion code ENACFDCR.
Try newly redesigned, redefined Pepperidge
Farm Distinctive Crackers.
Request a Free Sample and Rebate Offer.
Visit pepperidgefarmcrackers.com for complete details. You'll also
discover delicious toppable/poppable/pairable serving ideas.
OHAUS Valor 3000 Xtreme - "Bright Backlit Display for Clear
Results"
To make its results clear, each Valor 3000 Xtreme uses a bright, backlit
LCD display and dedicated text-based weighing units indicators. No
longer do you have to decipher which unit the scale is in -kg, g, lb,
decimal or 1/8 fractional ounces, lb:oz, fluid ounces of water and it
will also tell you which of the two weighing modes--% weighing or
specific gravity determination. One, some or all of the weighing units
and modes can be enabled quickly by the user, with clear-text prompts
from the SmarText menuing system. No cryptic code numbers are required,
and the easy menu structure allows you to quickly configure the Valor
3000 Xtreme to your needs. Models from 200g x 0.01g to 6kg x 1g for dry
use, and washable models from 300g x 0.02g to 6kg by 2g. Come see all of
the new OHAUS products at the International Baking Industry Expo in
Orlando. For more information or to receive 25% off list and free
shipping, call (800) 672-7722 ext. 7021. Offer code ACFE11, valid until
12/7/2007 and offer only from Ohaus.
