AMERICAN CULINARY FEDERATION FOUNDATION
PRESS RELEASE

ACF Culinary Team USA Wins Gold and Silver at American Culinary Classic at 2007 National Restaurant Association Restaurant, Hotel-Motel Show
Largest, most prestigious international culinary competition in the United States

CHICAGO, Ill., May 21, 2007 - American Culinary Federation, Inc. (ACF) Culinary Team USA won two gold medals and one silver medal May 20 in the cold-food competition at the American Culinary Classic, the most prestigious international culinary competition in the United States.

ACF Culinary Team USA, competing in the cold-food portion of the competition, won gold medals in buffet and hot food presented cold. The team won a silver medal in pastry. ACF Culinary Team USA members are team captain Michael Matarazzo, senior sous chef at Westchester Country Club, Rye, N.Y., ACF National Chapter; Scott Fetty, chef-instructor at the Pennsylvania Culinary Institute, Pittsburgh, ACF Pittsburgh Chapter; Joseph M. Leonardi, department chair and assistant professor at Johnson & Wales University College of Culinary Arts, Providence, R.I., ACF Rhode Island Chapter; Craig Peterson, executive chef at Hallbrook Country Club, Leawood, Kan., ACF Greater Kansas City Chefs Association; Timothy Prefontaine, CSC, executive sous chef at River Oaks Country Club, Houston, ACF Chapter of Northern New Hampshire; and Mellisa K. Root, pastry chef at River Oaks Country Club, Houston, ACF National Chapter. The team is led by team manager Jill Bosich, CEC, CCE, AAC, executive chef/energy-programs advisor at Southern California Gas Company, Downey, Calif., ACF Orange Empire Chefs & Professional Cooks Association.

ACF Culinary Team USA is sponsored by: Chef Revival; Club Managers Association of America; Fortessa; Kraft Foods Global; McCormick & Co., Inc.; Tyson Foods, Inc.; Uncle Ben's; Unilever Foodsolutions; and Westchester Country Club.

The four-day international competition is taking place during the 2007 National Restaurant
Association Restaurant, Hotel-Motel Show® and encompasses 12 six-member international teams competing for top honors and the American Culinary Classic title. Competition is from 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the Culinary Scene display kitchens at McCormick Place, with six teams competing each day, three in hot food and three in cold food. Teams represented in the American Culinary Classic are Bahamas, Canada, Czech Republic, Germany, Great Britain, Italy, New Zealand, Norway, Switzerland, Turkey, U.S.A. and Wales.

The American Culinary Classic is owned and produced by the National Restaurant Association in cooperation with the American Culinary Federation, and is sanctioned by the World Association of Cooks Societies (WACS). The teams' creations will be reviewed by a panel of international WACS-approved judges specially selected for the American Culinary Classic. Judging is based on creativity, flavor, presentation, timing and technique.

A press conference and awards reception to announce the winners of the American Culinary Classic will take place Tuesday, May 22, at 4 p.m. at McCormick Place, Vista Ballroom, South Hall, Level 400. Media interested in attending the competition or the press conference must be registered attendees of the show and can register for press badges in room N226 with proper credentials.

The American Culinary Federation, Inc., established in 1929, is the premier professional organization for culinarians in America. With more than 19,000 members spanning more than 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.

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