Press Release

Chefs Debut Student Magazine with Sizzle

St. Augustine, Fla., February 25, 2004—The American Culinary Federation (ACF) this month released the foodservice industry’s first broad-based, nationally distributed magazine for students enrolled in culinary and baking/pastry arts. Sizzle: The American Culinary Federation Quarterly for Students of Cooking debuted its Spring 2004 edition on Feb. 11 to more than 36,000 students.

“With the premier of Sizzle, the American Culinary Federation further establishes its position as the leader in promoting quality foodservice education in the United States,” said Edward G. Leonard, CMC, AAC, president of ACF. “Cooking as a profession has never been more revered in this country, and opportunities in foodservice have never been greater. Through our new publication, ACF will help foodservice students realize their maximum career potential while we provide the industry with better-qualified personnel.”

Sizzle targets readers with an average age of 27 in a broad market that encompasses high-school students to career-changing adults. Editorial focuses on career opportunities, scholarships, cooking competition, technical-skills development, interviews of accomplished chefs, and first-hand experiences of students and recent graduates. Acknowledging that graduates are not likely to hold kitchen-management positions for several years after joining the workforce, food-trends editorial predicts the evolution of that trend a decade from now.

“Reaction to Sizzle from the foodservice-education community has already far exceeded our expectations,” said Katie Ayoub, editor-in-chief. “Students and teachers love it because it speaks directly to student needs. The culinary community is a rich one, and Sizzle is the town crier in that community, giving students a forum in which to become better culinarians.”

ACF has accredited postsecondary culinary and baking/pastry programs since 1986 and programs in high schools since 1999. The federation is considered the industry standard in accrediting foodservice-training programs in the United States, and in 2000 accredited its first international program, in Switzerland. ACF’s apprentice-training program was launched in 1976 and is approved by the U.S. Department of Labor.

Sizzle is produced and mailed free to ACF-accredited training programs and ACF-approved apprenticeship programs for dissemination to students. Programs not accredited or approved by ACF may subscribe to Sizzle at reasonable bulk-pricing. Individual subscriptions are $19.95 for one year, $34.95 for two years. The quarterly is released in February, May, August and November.

The American Culinary Federation, Inc., establishes and upholds the highest standards of cooking, thereby making a positive difference for culinarians internationally through education and creation of a fraternal bond of respect and integrity.

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Note to editors: A high-resolution digital image of Sizzle’s first cover is available.

Contact: Lisa Alessandro, APR
(904) 824-4468, ext. 103
lalessandro@acfchefs.net