Central Region Competitors

Congratulations to all the 2009 Central Region award competitors and best of luck to the winners, as they prepare to face-off against their regional counterparts for the national title at the 2009 ACF National Convention in Orlando, Fla., July 11–14.

Chef of the Year | Chef Educator of the Year | Chef Professionalism Award | Hermann G. Rusch Chef’s Achievement Award | Pastry Chef of the Year | Student Chef of the Year | ACF Student Team Regional Championship | Baron H. Galand Culinary Knowledge Bowl™

Chef of the Year

Sponsored by Unilever Foodsolutions

2009 ACF Central Region Chef of the Year Award Winner
Jack Delby
Executive Chef
Renaissance Schaumburg Hotel and Convention Center
Schaumburg, Ill.
ACF Chicago Chefs of Cuisine Inc.

Alex Darvishi, CEC, AAC
Executive Chef
Kingwood, Tex.
ACF Professional Chefs Association of Houston

Paul Kampff, CEC
Executive Chef
St. Louis Country Club
St. Louis
Chefs de Cuisine Association of St. Louis Inc.

Dominique Tougne
Executive Chef/Managing Partner
Bistro 110
Chicago, Ill.

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Chef Educator of the Year

2009 ACF Central Region Chef Educator of the Year Winner
Timothy Bucci, CEC, CCE, CHE
Associate Professor
Joliet Junior College
Joliet, Ill.
ACF Louis Joliet Chapter

Robert Hertel, CEC, CCE, FMP, AAC
Professor
St. Louis Community College
St. Louis
Chefs de Cuisine Association of St. Louis Inc.

Christopher Koetke, CEC, CCE
School of Culinary Arts Dean
Kendall College
Chicago
ACF Windy City Professional Culinarians Inc.

Paul Santaularia, CEC, CCE
Instructor - Culinary Arts
Northland Career Center
Platte City, Mo.
ACF Greater Kansas City Chefs Association

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Chef Professionalism Award

Sponsored by Nestlé Professional

2009 ACF Central Region Chef Professionalism Award Winner
Fawzi Ottman, CEC, AAC
Executive Chef
Odyssey Country Club
Tinley Park, Ill.
ACF Chicago Chefs of Cuisine Inc.

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Hermann G. Rusch Chef’s Achievement Award

2009 ACF Central Region Hermann G. Rusch Chef’s Achievement Award Winner
Bernard Urban, CEC, AAC
Chef Ambassador
Ben E. Keith Foods
Texas Chefs Association

John Farris, CEC
Consultant
Lansing Entertainment & Public Facilities Authority
Lansing, Mich.
ACF Capitol Prof Chefs & Cooks Assoc. of Grtr. Lansing

Jesse Mercado, CEC, AAC
Retired
ACF Chicago Chefs of Cuisine Inc.

James Trebbien, CCE, CCA
Academic Director
Metropolitan Community College
Omaha, Nebr.
ACF Prof. Chefs and Culinarians of the Heartland

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Pastry Chef of the Year

Sponsored by Splenda®

2009 ACF Central Region Pastry Chef of the Year Award Winner
Ford Culbertson
Executive Pastry Chef/Co-Owner
Rolf’s Patisserie, Inc.
Lincolnwood, Ill.

Matthew Crowe, CC
Pastry Chef
Northwood Club
Dallas
Texas Chefs Association

Charles Stepanovich
Pastry Chef
The Milwaukee Club
Milwaukee, Wis.
ACF Chefs of Milwaukee Inc.

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Student Chef of the Year

Sponsored by Custom Culinary, Inc.

2009 ACF Central Region Student Chef of the Year Award Winner
Kelly Conwell
Student
Johnson County Community College
Overland Park, Kans.
ACF Greater Kansas City Chefs Association

Bradley Ball
Student
Oakland Community College
Milford, Mich.
ACF Michigan Chefs de Cuisine Association

Nicole Scherff
Student
The Illinois Institute of Art Chicago
Chicago, Ill.
ACF Windy City Professional Culinarians Inc.

Alex Swanda
Sprecial Projects Liaison
Institute for the Culinary Arts
Omaha, Nebr.
ACF Prof Chefs and Culinarians of the Heartland

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ACF Student Team Regional Championship

Sponsored by R.L. Schreiber, Inc.

2009 ACF Central Region Student Team Regional Championship Winner
ACF Michigan Chefs de Cuisine Association; Schoolcraft College, Livonia, Mich.: Marina Baditoi; Richard Kallis; Edward Kim; Justin Lucas; and Brandon Wolschleger. The team is coached by Kevin Gawronski, CMC.

ACF of Greater Buffalo New York
Coach: Monte Dolce

ACF Louis Joliet Chapter, Joliet Junior College
Coach: Kyle Richardson, CEC, CCE

ACF Greater Kansas City Chefs Association, Johnson County Community College
Coach: John Head, CCC

ACF Minneapolis Chefs Chapter, The International Culinary Schools at the Art Institutes International Minnesota
Coach: Amy Carter

ACF Greater Indianapolis Chapter, Ivy Tech Community College
Coach: Glenn Brown, CEC

ACF Chefs de Cuisine Association of St. Louis, Inc.
Coach: Anthony Haacke, CCC

ACF Professionals and Culinarians of the Heartland
Coach: Brian O’Malley

ACF Culinary Arts of Oklahoma, Culinary Institute of Platt College
Coach: Mark Cochran, CEC, CCA, CFBE

Texas Chefs Association
Coach: William Hodges

ACF Fox Valley Chapter, Madison Area Technical College
Coach: Joseph Gaglio

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Baron H. Galand Culinary Knowledge Bowl™

Sponsored by Pearson Education

2009 ACF Central Region Baron H. Galand Culinary Knowledge Bowl™ Winner
Chefs de Cuisine Association of St. Louis Inc.: Jeremy Brown; Meredith Frank; Erin Hoffmann; Amanda Losh; and Richard Mueller. The team is coached by Vicki Davenport.

ACF Blackhawk Chapter of Professional Chefs, Blackhawk Technical College
Coach: Katie L. Thomas, CEPC

ACF Fox Valley Chapter, Nicolet College
Coach: Vicki Mendham, CEC, CCE

ACF Greater Kansas City Chefs, Johnson County Community College
Coach: Jerold Marcellus, CCC, CCE

ACF Louis Joliet Chapter, Joliet Junior College
Coach: Frederick N. Ferrara, CHE

ACF New Orleans Chapter, John Folse Culinary Institute at Nicholls State University
Coach: Donald Kasten

ACF New Orleans Chapter, Delgado Community College
Coach: Nancy J. Burback, CEC, CCE

ACF Professional Chefs and Culinarians of the Heartland, Metropolitan Community College
Coach: Michael T. Roddey, CCC, CCE

The Cooking & Hospitality Institute of Chicago, Le Cordon Bleu Program
Coach: Judy Lizars

El Centro College
Coach: Beth Sonnier