Press Release
Brigadier General Jesse Cross Receives Prestigious American Academy
of Chefs Lt. General John D. McLaughlin Award
St. Augustine, Fla., July 16,
2009—The American Academy of Chefs (AAC), the honor society
of the American Culinary Federation (ACF), honored Brigadier General
Jesse Cross with the AAC Lt. General John D. McLaughlin Trophy. Cross
accepted the award during a formal ceremony and dinner at the 2009 ACF
National Convention held at the Orlando World Center Marriott, Orlando,
Fla., July 10.
The John McLaughlin Trophy is presented each year to an individual of
high honor, distinction and involvement in the culinary field. This
award has been established in memory of Lt. General McLaughlin, who was
instrumental in bringing professional recognition to the American
executive chef.
Cross is the commanding general for the U.S. Army Quartermaster
Center and School in Fort Lee, Va. He earned a bachelor’s degree
in marketing from West Texas A&M University, Canyon, Texas, and
holds a master’s degree in logistics management from Florida
Institute of Technology, Melbourne, Fla. He is a graduate of the
quartermaster basic and advanced courses at Command and General Staff
College, Fort Leavenworth, Kan., and the War College, Carlisle, Pa. He
was commissioned a second lieutenant, Quartermaster Corps through the
Reserve Officers Training Corps in 1979.
Cross has received numerous awards, including the Defense Superior
Service Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster, Legion of Merit, Bronze Star medal,
Defense Meritorious Service medal, Meritorious Service medal with 4 Oak
Leaf Clusters, Army Commendation medal and the Parachutist Badge. He was
inducted as a distinguished member of the Quartermaster Regiment in 2006
and was awarded the Distinguished Order of Saint Martin in 2003.
The AAC, which recognizes those individuals who have made significant
contributions to both the culinary profession and ACF, was established
in 1955 at the ACF national convention in Pittsburgh. Those credited
with its founding include the legendary Pierre Berard, Peter Berrini and
Paul Laesecke, HOF, AAC.
Sponsors of AAC events at the 2009 ACF National Convention are: Allen
Brothers; American Lamb Board; Barber Foods; BelGioioso Cheese Inc.;
Buckhead Beef; Butterball Farms; The Chef’s Garden; CleanFish;
Contessa Premium Foods; The Crystal Cave; Desserts International;
Ecolab; Harbor Seafood; Hudson Valley Foie Gras; Ice Caterers; Icon
Estates; Jennifer Garant; Labriola; Lactalis; Les Chateaux de France;
Marky’s; Nestle Waters North America; New Chef Fashion; PinSource;
Revol; The Schwan’s Food Company; Shucks Maine Lobster;
Tito’s Hand Made Vodka; Valrhona; and Villeroy & Boch.
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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To arrange an interview or for a high-res photo, contact Leah Craig
at (800) 624-9458, ext. 113, or Patricia Carroll at ext. 147. 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