What a Convention!

By John Kinsella, CMC, CCE, WGMC, AAC

It seems appropriate that we return to our roots to develop the new ACF. As we are in the 21st century, I am finding that what we used to deem successful is not anymore. Your board recognized it as we took the reins from the previous board, and with that mandate, I decided to shake up our convention and make it chef- and cook-friendly.

First of all, we experienced a larger walk-in registration than last year, and Tom Macrina, CEC, CCA, AAC, and ACF Philadelphia Chapter, as well as our national office staff, made registration comfortable and easy to navigate.

We had excellent education programs, such at Skills for Cuilinarians Day, sponsored by Nestlé FoodServices, with some of the finest presenters. Also, thanks to Unilever Foodsolutions, R.L. Schreiber, Inc., Chef Designs and Custom Culinary, Inc., we witnessed some of the finest competitions I have seen in a long time. My congratulations to all the contestants.

As promised, my general session was a blast. We had fun, but there were some teary-eyed moments when Leah Chase, "the Queen of Creole Cuisine," and John Folse, CEC, AAC, told of their Hurricane Katrina experiences. What an incredible story of great culinarians rising above disaster, and feeding more than 20,000 people a day. Not for one moment during that terrible time did they think of themselves.

Then we had families cooking on stage. First, brothers Ferdinand Metz, CMC, AAC, and Reinhold Metz, HAAC, demonstrated a sauerkraut dish and Bavarian flat bread. Their presentation of skill and humor showcased two of the most talented chefs in the world. Our second demonstration was what I would term the best sitcom chef TV show I have ever witnessed. Doc Jensen, CEC, CCE, AAC, and his son, Paul Jensen, CEC, and grandson Paul Jensen II, CEC, brought the house down with great cooking, but most of all, with repartee that has me chuckling still.

We ended general session with a talented comedian, Tom Ryan, and I saw nothing but smiles on our delegates' faces as they left the room.

The previous evening was our icebreaker party, which doubled as a silent auction for the Chef & Child Foundation. Joseph Kraft, CEC, AAC, and his board did a stellar job of hosting this successful event. I loved the "Taste of Philadelphia," which was the evening's theme. We enjoyed wonderful food and a fun time for a great cause.

Our first certified master chef dinner was a sellout, and we were treated to the finest food you could imagine. Our CMCs cooked at stations, and it was good to see members chatting and asking questions about the dishes, and to hear the responses from our most-talented chefs. It was my 34th wedding anniversary on that night, and what an unforgettable evening of fine food, fine wine and being with friends. My heartfelt thanks to my fellow CMCs for hosting a superb event, and to Edward Leonard, CMC, AAC, for organizing it.

Of course, there was an incredible Academy dinner, as usual, with a perfect meal and a lot of recognition for some of our long-term members. I hosted a student at the dinner so that I could show him what a great future he would have if he maintained his ACF membership. My thanks to our Academy chair, John Minniti, CEC, AAC, for hosting such an exceptional event.

Last, but not least, I asked Edward Nunn, CEC, our host chef and executive chef of the Marriott Philadelphia Downtown, to prepare a braised item that Tyson Foods, Inc., supplied for my President's Grand Ball. He responded with a delicious braised short rib and a sautéed filet with root vegetables and turned potatoes. The entrée was accompanied by an amuse-bouche and a salad and finished off with a stunning dessert presentation. Brad Nelson, corporate chef for Marriott International, and the other Marriott chefs worked to make this convention one of the finest in terms of food. The staff at the Marriott Philadelphia Downtown is truly the best of the best, and a worthy partner.

So, if you did not attend this year, please come to our next convention, which will take place July 21-24, 2007, at the Orlando World Center Marriott. I guarantee that next year's national convention will be rich in educational opportunities, exciting contests, wonderful food and, most of all, great family fun. See you in Orlando.