Press Release

Four Chefs Compete for U.S.A.’s Chef of the Year™ National Title at the 2009 ACF National Convention Next Month

St. Augustine, Fla., June 9, 2009—Four of the best professional chefs in the nation will go head-to-head for the title of U.S.A.’s Chef of the Year™. This annual competition, sponsored by Unilever Foodsolutions, takes place live Monday, July 13, during the 2009 American Culinary Federation (ACF) National Convention, held at the Orlando World Center Marriott in Orlando, Fla.

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 demonstrates the highest standard of culinary skills, advances the cuisine of America and gives back to the profession through the development of students and apprentices.

This year, chefs from Colorado, Florida, Illinois and Massachusetts will compete for the national title. First, chefs were nominated by colleagues for their high standards, outstanding culinary skills and a reputation for cooking American regional cuisine. Then, chefs competed and won at ACF’s regional level. Now, the regional winners will meet to determine the national winner. At the competition, chefs will have two hours to prepare and cook a three-course signature meal and 15 minutes to serve 12 portions. Their menu will consist of a soup, first plate of fish and shellfish and a main plate of meat or poultry. A panel of distinguished judges will decide the winner. Convention attendees will watch the competition live and listen to a running commentary. The winner will be announced at the President’s Grand Ball, Tuesday, July 14.

2009 U.S.A.’s Chef of the Year™ candidates:

Jack Delby

ACF Central Region Chef of the Year
Jack Delby, of Fox Lake, Ill., is executive chef at the Renaissance Schaumburg Hotel & Convention Center in Schaumburg, Ill., and is a member of ACF Chicago Chefs of Cuisine Inc. Delby received his education at Loyola University, Chicago, where he was enrolled in a basic management program, and at Washburne Trade School in Chicago, where he was enrolled in a chef-training program. Before joining the staff at the Renaissance, he was executive chef at the Detroit Marriott Troy in Troy, Mich., for six years. He has received numerous culinary awards, including Renaissance Hotel’s Chef of the Year, 2006; ACF Chicago Chefs of Cuisine Inc.’s Chef of the Year, 2000; and Marriott Hotel’s Chef of the Year, 1999.

Joseph Leonardi, CEC

ACF Northeast Region Chef of the Year
Joseph Leonardi, certified executive chef (CEC), of West Greenwich, R.I., is executive chef at Somerset Club in Boston. Before joining Somerset Club, he served as department chair and assistant professor at Johnson & Wales University’s College of Culinary Arts, Providence, R.I. A member of ACF Rhode Island Chapter, he holds associate and bachelor’s degrees in culinary arts and a master’s in education from Johnson & Wales University. As an avid competitor, Leonardi has amassed numerous awards. He was a member of ACF Culinary Regional Team USA 2008, which ranked first overall in the world in the regional portion of the IKA “culinary Olympics” in Erfurt, Germany.

P. Richard Brumm, CEC

ACF Southeast Region Chef of the Year
P. Richard Brumm, CEC, of North Bay Village, Fla., is executive sous chef at La Gorce Country Club in Miami Beach, Fla., and a member of ACF Greater Miami Chapter Epicurean Club. He began his career as a self-taught cook and eventually earned an associate degree in culinary arts from Fox Valley Technical College, Appleton, Wis. Before joining the staff at La Gorce Country Club, he worked as chef de cuisine at The Carnegie Abbey Club in Portsmouth, R.I. His career accomplishments include earning his CEC, receiving a scholarship through the National Restaurant Association in 2005 and earning two silver medals in the Washington Restaurant Association’s Student Culinary Arts Competition in 2004 and 2005.

Brian Hubner

ACF Western Region Chef of the Year
Brian Hubner, of Denver, is executive sous chef at Cherry Hills Country Club, Cherry Hills Village, Colo., and is a member of ACF Colorado Chefs Association. A graduate of Johnson & Wales University, Denver, he holds an associate degree in culinary arts and a bachelor’s degree in foodservice management. Before joining the staff at Cherry Hills Country Club, he worked as a teaching assistant and purchasing director at Johnson & Wales, Denver, and as an apprentice/cook at the four-star/four-diamond The Cliff House at Pike’s Peak in Manitou Springs, Colo. His accomplishments include starting the club’s first in-house garden and recipe book, and being named Most Valuable Employee during the U.S. Women’s Open in 2005.

Chefs, cooks and foodservice professionals will attend the 2009 ACF National Convention. There will be educational seminars, culinary demos, networking and social functions, culinary competitions, meal events and more. For information, or to attend, visit www.acfchefs.org or call (800) 624-9458.

Sponsors of the 2009 ACF National Convention are: Ajinomoto Food Ingredients LLC; American Lamb Board; Barber Foods; Beef Products, Inc.; BelGioioso Cheese, Inc.; Bon Chef, Inc.; Bunge Oils; Butterball Farms, Inc.; Canada Cutlery, Inc.; Cargill Salt; Chartwells; The Cheesecake Factory Bakery, Inc.; Cleveland Range, LLC; Contessa Premium Foods; Custom Culinary, Inc.; Demeyere Dow AgroSciences; Ecolab; Eggland’s Best; GFF, Inc./Girard’s Dressings; Gordon Food Service; Guittard Chocolate Co.; Hass Avocado Board; Hormel; i-cook Professional; Indian Harvest; The International Culinary Schools at The Art Institutes; The Investing Chef; J.R. Simplot Company; Johnson & Wales University; La Brea Bakery; Lavazza; Le Cordon Bleu Schools North America; Nestlé Professional; NewChef Fashion, Inc.; Nueske’s Applewood Smoked Meats; Pasta CHEF®; Pearson Education; R.L. Schreiber, Inc.; RC Fine Foods; RH Forschner by Victorinox; Riviana Foods, Inc.; Saputo Cheese; Splenda®; S&D Coffee; Tyson Food Service; U.S. Foodservice; Unilever Foodsolutions; Vita-Mix Corp.; and 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, and to the Chef & Child Foundation, founded in 1989 to promote proper nutrition in children and to combat childhood obesity. For more information, visit www.acfchefs.org.

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Media is invited to attend. Contact Leah Craig at (800) 624-9458, ext. 113, or Patricia Carroll at ext. 147 to register for press credentials, or email lcraig@acfchefs.net or pcarroll@acfchefs.net.

Contact: Leah Craig
(800) 624-9458, ext. 113
lcraig@acfchefs.net

Patricia Carroll
(800) 624-9458, ext. 147
pcarroll@acfchefs.net

• Four Chefs Compete for U.S.A.’s Chef of the Year™ National Title at the 2009 ACF National Convention Next Month