Press Release
ACF Central Regional Conference Brings Chefs, Cooks and Foodservice
Professionals to Schaumburg, Ill.
Culinary Treats from Chicago’s Streets Trade
Show, Wine Lessons with Charlie Trotter and U.S.A.’s Regional Chef
of the Year™ Competition among Highlights
St. Augustine, Fla., January 22,
2009—The American Culinary Federation (ACF), Inc., is
coming to Chicago for its Central Regional Conference, held just 30
miles outside the city at the Renaissance Schaumburg Hotel &
Convention Center, 1551 N. Thoreau Dr., Schaumburg, Ill., 60173, Feb.
21–23. Hosted by ACF Chicago Chefs of Cuisine, Inc., the
conference combines networking and educational opportunities, a trade
show, cooking competitions and demonstrations from the region’s
best chefs. The event is open to foodservice industry professionals.
Saturday, Feb. 21:
- ACF Student Team Regional Championship, sponsored by R.L. Schreiber, Inc.: 7
a.m.–2:30 p.m. Teams compete in a cooking competition for the
chance to represent the region at ACF’s national convention in
Orlando in July.
- ACF’s Regional Chef of the Year competition, sponsored by Unilever Foodsolutions:
7:45–8:30 a.m. Chicago’s Dominique Tougne, executive chef,
Bistro 110, competes in a heated challenge against Schaumburg’s
Jack Delby and two other competitors from Texas and St. Louis for the
regional title.
- Cooking and Baking with Healthy Oils and Proteins, sponsored by QUALISOY in partnership with the Soyfoods
Council: 8–9:30 a.m. Learn how to incorporate soy into menu
classics without affecting the taste everyone loves.
- ACF Regional Student Chef of the Year competition, sponsored by Custom Culinary, Inc.:
8:45–10:30 a.m. Chicago’s Nicole Scherff, student, The
Illinois Institute of Art-Chicago, competes against three other
competitors from Michigan, Kansas and Nebraska to see whose cooking
reigns supreme.
- Trade Show: Culinary Treats from Chicago’s Streets:
noon–4 p.m. Attendees network and view the latest culinary
products from more than 50 local, regional and national exhibitors.
Sunday, Feb. 22:
- ACF Student Team Regional Championship: 7 a.m.–2:30 p.m.,
continued from Saturday
- Small Plates, Big Impressions, sponsored by Le
Cordon Bleu Schools North America: 8–9:30 a.m. Attendees
will discover emerging techniques in the pastry field that apply to the
bite-sized and small plated desserts trends.
- ACF Regional Pastry Chef of the Year competition, sponsored by Splenda®: 8:45–10:30 a.m.
The region’s best pastry chefs put the icing on the cake as they
vie for the regional title.
- Presenting American Lamb: Global Flavors & Modern Techniques,
sponsored by the American Lamb Board:
10–11:30 a.m. Join Certified Master Chef Edward Leonard, AAC, as
he demonstrates recipes with global flavor profiles using fresh American
Lamb.
- Gobal Flavors & Your Menu, sponsored by
Unilever Foodsolutions: 10–11:30 a.m. Discover dishes from
the hidden kitchens of Vietnam and Sicily during this
demonstration.
- Beef: From Pasture to Plate, sponsored by the
Central Region State Beef Councils: 10–11:30 a.m. A panel
of producers representing the ranching, feeding and packing segments of
the beef industry reveal how America’s favorite protein is
produced.
- General Session, sponsored by US
Foodservice: 1–5:30 p.m. Panelists representing the Central
region join Central Region Vice President David Russell, CEC, AAC, for a
discussion on food trends indigenous to the region, followed by a
“Cooking Today” demonstration.
Monday, Feb. 23:
- Going Green to Save Green, sponsored by
Enviro-Solutions and The School of Culinary Arts at Kendall
College: 9–10:30 a.m. Christopher Koetke, CEC, CCE, dean,
The School of Culinary Arts at Kendall College, Chicago, discusses how
to marry environmental sustainability with today’s tough economic
times.
- Wine Lessons with Charlie Trotter: 11 a.m.–12:30 p.m. Join one
of America’s most respected chefs as he explores the harmonious
relationship between food and wine.
- Chef Professionalism Lunch, sponsored by The
Cheesecake Factory Bakery Inc., GFF, Inc./Girard’s Dressings,
Michigan Sea Grant/Great Lakes Whitefish and Nestlé
Professional: 12:30–1:30 p.m.
- Vice President’s Gala, sponsored by
Butterball Farms, Inc, Splenda®, Sysco-Chicago and Tyson Food
Service: 7–10 p.m. All award winners will be announced at
this formal dinner event.
The event is open to foodservice industry professionals. A
full-registration package for non-ACF members is $525. Daily badges are
$75. Meal tickets can be purchased separately; tickets range from $40 to
$125. Registration is available on-site. For more information, visit www.acfchefs.org or call (800) 624-9458.
Sponsors of the 2009 ACF Central Regional Conference and ACF national
award sponsors are: American Lamb Board; Barber Foods; Barry Callebaut;
Beef Information Center; Bon Chef, Inc.; Bunge Oils; Butterball Farms,
Inc.; Canada Cutlery Inc.; Cargill Salt; Central Region State Beef
Councils; The Cheesecake Factory Bakery Inc.; Clabber Girl Corporation;
Consumer Packing Company; Custom Culinary, Inc.; Enviro-Solutions;
Federation of Quebec Maple Syrup Producers; GFF, Inc./Girard’s
Dressings; Gordon Food Service; Kendall College School of Culinary Arts;
Labriola; Le Cordon Bleu Schools North America; Mexican Hass Avocado
Importers Association; Michigan Sea Grant/Great Lakes Whitefish;
Mind’s Eye Resource Management, LLC; National Honey Board; The
National Pork Board and America’s Pork Producers; Nestlé
Professional; NewChef Fashion Inc.; Nueske’s Applewood Smoked
Meats; Pearson Education; R.L. Schreiber, Inc.; Reinhart FoodService;
Ronnoco Coffee Company; Rubbermaid Commercial Products; QUALISOY in
partnership with the Soyfoods Council; Splenda®;
Sysco–Chicago; Tyson Food Service; Unilever Foodsolutions; US
Foodservice; Vita-Mix and the Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board.
The American Culinary Federation, Inc., established in 1929, is the
premier professional organization for culinarians in North America. With
more than 22,000 members spanning 230 chapters nationwide, ACF is the
culinary leader in offering educational resources, training,
apprenticeship and accreditation. In addition, ACF operates the most
comprehensive certification program for chefs in the United States. ACF
is home to ACF Culinary Team USA, the official representative for the
United States in major international culinary competitions. For more
information, visit www.acfchefs.org.
# # #
Media is invited to attend. Contact Leah Craig at (800) 624-9458,
ext. 113 to register for press credentials, or email lcraig@acfchefs.net.
Contact: Leah Craig
Public Relations Specialist
(800) 624-9458, ext. 113
lcraig@acfchefs.net
