AMERICAN CULINARY FEDERATION FOUNDATION
PRESS RELEASE

Chefs Hold ACF Western Regional Conference in Coeur d'Alene
More than 400 Chefs and Cooks are Expected at ACF's Conference


ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla., April 3, 2007 - The American Culinary Federation (ACF), Inc., the largest association of professional culinarians in North America, will hold its annual 2007 ACF Western Regional Conference at the five-star Coeur d'Alene Golf and Resort Spa, April 15-17, in the spectacular city of Coeur d'Alene, Idaho.
Hosted by ACF Chefs de Cuisine of the Inland Northwest and chosen for its breathtaking beauty and attractions, Coeur d'Alene is the location of the ACF Regional Conference, bringing an estimated 400 chefs, cooks and foodservice professionals to the city. The conference provides attendees with numerous opportunities to advance their professional development and enhance their culinary skills through informative business seminars, forums, clinics and cutting-edge demonstrations. The conference also offers participants the opportunity to learn about the latest cooking trends and techniques. In addition, the conference features The Taste of the Inland Northwest Empire Food Show where foodservice exhibitors showcase their latest culinary products and culinary competitions take place.

The ACF Professional Development Program, comprised of the Educator Development Series and the Career Development Series, is an educational opportunity available to attending chefs, cooks and industry representatives. The Educator Development Series, sponsored by Canada Cutlery, Inc., titled, Creating Rubrics to Assess Student Learning, provides educators with a variety of classroom-based scoring tools, rubrics, that enable them to effectively assess student learning. The Career Development Series focuses on the areas of culinary nutrition, food safety and sanitation, culinary supervisory and business management, and lifestyle enrichment. This series of seminars, lectures and workshops includes refresher courses needed to maintain ACF certification points to improve chefs and cooks overall knowledge and skill base, and personal and professional growth.

Other highlights of the conference are:

• Maximum Utilization of Your Idaho Potatoes, sponsored by Idaho Potato Commission
• Culinary-Inspired Menus Using Convenience Products, sponsored by Basic American Foods
• Under Utilized Value-Added Pork Cuts, sponsored by Salmon Creek Farms Natural Pork
• Removing Trans Fats from Today's Menu Without Sacrificing Quality or Flavor, sponsored by Nestlé FoodServices
• Local Industry - World Class Fish, sponsored by Clear Springs Foods, Inc.
• Exploring the Flavors of Mexico, sponsored by Unilever Foodsolutions
• Cooking with American Kobe - Braising and other Unique Techniques, sponsored by Snake River Farms
• Super Colossal Onions for a Deliciously Dramatic Display, sponsored by Idaho-Eastern Oregon Onion Committee
• Menuing American Lamb - Beyond the Rack, sponsored by American Lamb Board
• Potlatch Salmon, sponsored by SYSCO Food Services, Inc.
• Tortilla's…Beyond Mexico, sponsored by Fresca Mexican Foods, Inc.
• The Spud Syllabus - All About Fresh Washington State Potatoes, sponsored by Washington State Potato Commission
• Ice Art

Conference attendees also have the opportunity to witness culinary competitions featuring the region's best chefs competing for the prestigious titles of ACF Western Region chefs of the year, as well as other awards. In addition, a Student Team Regional Championship, sponsored by R.L. Schreiber, Inc., will take place at North Idaho College and features teams from across the region competing in a hot food competition and cold food salon for the chance to become the regions' champion. All winners will advance to the national championship at the 2007 ACF National Convention in Orlando, Fla., in July.

Registration is available onsite. Visit www.acfchefs.org to learn more about the ACF Western Regional Conference.

Sponsors of the 2007 ACF Western Regional Conference include: American Lamb Board; Boyd Coffee Company; Butterball Farms, Inc.; Canada Cutlery Inc.; The Cheesecake Factory Bakery, Inc.; Contessa Premium Foods, Inc.; Food Services of America; GFF, Inc./Girard's Dressings; Guittard Chocolate Company; Idaho Preferred; J. R. Simplot Company; SYSCO Food Services, Inc.; Uncle Ben's; and The Vollrath Co., LLC. National partners include: Custom Culinary, Inc.; Nestlé FoodServices; R.L. Schreiber, Inc.; Splenda®; Tyson Foods, Inc.; and Unilever Foodsolutions. Demo/seminar sponsors include: Basic American Foods; Mind's Eye Resource Management, LLC; Nestlé FoodServices; Thomson Delmar Learning; and Washington State Potato Commission. Chef Designs is the ACF event merchandise preferred provider.

The American Culinary Federation, Inc., established in 1929, is the premier professional organization for culinarians in America. With more than 19,000 members spanning 230 chapters nationwide, ACF is the culinary leader in offering educational resources, training, apprenticeship and accreditation. In addition, ACF operates the only 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 also holds the presidium for the World Association of Chefs Societies, the largest international network of chef associations with more than 8 million members globally. For more information, visit www.acfchefs.org.

# # #

MEDIA IS INVITED TO ATTEND. CALL PATRICIA CARROLL AT (800) 624-9458 EXTENSION 147 TO REGISTER FOR COMPLIMENTARY DAY PASSES.