2011 ACF Southeast Regional Conference

The 2011 ACF Southeast Regional Conference, hosted by ACF Greater Atlanta Chapter Inc., brought more than 450 chefs, cooks and foodservice professionals to Atlanta, one of the shining culinary cities of the South and home to approximately 500 Zagat-rated restaurants. Attendees not only “Experienced the Power of Connection,” but were provided with numerous opportunities to advance their professional development and enhance their culinary skills through seminars, culinary demonstrations featuring the latest trends and techniques, cooking competitions, meal events, networking and the opportunity to learn about the newest industry products from purveyors from across the U.S. at the trade show. View the photos.

ACF Southeast Region Vice President Jeff Bacon, CEC, CCA, AAC, shared the stage and the stove at General Session with one of the South’s most notable culinary figures, Tom Naito, owner of Tomo Japanese Restaurant in Atlanta, who uses French and Italian ingredients in traditional Japanese offerings. Naito and Bacon filleted a whole fish into perfect portions to create a superior signature sushi meal. Also at General Session, attendees heard from candidates running for the 2011–2013 national board of directors.

The American Academy of Chefs Dinner, held at Cherokee Town and Country Club, Atlanta, featured culinary delights by executive chef/2007 U.S.A.’s Chef of the Year™ Kevin Walker, CMC, AAC.

Proceeds from ACF Greater Atlanta Chapter’s Casino Night benefitted the ACF Greater Atlanta Charitable Trust, which distributes funds to organizations such as ACF Culinary Team USA, Operation Chefs Unite and TOT’s Kitchen, a program that helps to educate nutritionally at-risk children about healthy eating.

A sincere thank-you to our sponsors and exhibitors, whose support was instrumental to our success, and to the AAC for donating $1,000 to the ACF Southeast Region Student Team winner to assist with national convention travel expenses.

Congratulations to all the award recipients and honorees for their outstanding contributions and goodwill, and to all the competitors for a job well done.

Chef of the Year | Pastry Chef of the Year | Chef Educator of the Year | Student Chef of the Year | Chef Professionalism Award | Hermann G. Rusch Chef’s Achievement Award | ACF Student Team Regional Championship | Baron H. Galand Culinary Knowledge Bowl | Chapter of the Year | Chapter Achievement Awards | President’s Medallions | Cutting Edge Awards | Joseph Amendola Outstanding Member Award | Paella, Please!

Chef of the Year, Sponsored by Unilever Food Solutions

ACF Southeast Region Chef of the Year Award Winner

Keith Armstrong, executive chef, Greenwich Country Club, Greenwich, Conn.; ACF Greater Atlanta Chapter Inc.

Competitors

Bryan Cozzi, country club executive chef, Cherokee Country Club, Atlanta
Jamie Keating, CEC, CEO/executive chef, JK Culinary Inc./RiverMill Event Centre, Columbus, Ga.; ACF Greater Atlanta Chapter Inc.
James “Tim” Thomas, CEC, AAC, executive chef, Mountain Brook Club, Birmingham, Ala.; ACF Birmingham Alabama Chapter

Pastry Chef of the Year, Sponsored by Splenda®

ACF Southeast Region Pastry Chef of the Year Award Winner

Kyongran “Alex” Hwang, assistant pastry chef, Cherokee Town and Country Club, Atlanta; ACF Greater Atlanta Chapter Inc.

Competitors

Geoffrey Blount, CEPC, program chair and baking/pastry-arts instructor, Central Piedmont Community College, Charlotte, N.C.; ACF Inc. Charlotte Chapter
Malka Espinel, pastry-arts instructor, The International Culinary School at The Art Institute of Fort Lauderdale, Fort Lauderdale, Fla.; Fort Lauderdale ACF Inc.
Stephanie Steliga, executive pastry chef, Cafe L’Europe, Palm Beach, Fla.; ACF Palm Beach County Chefs Association

Chef Educator of the Year

ACF Southeast Region Chef Educator of the Year Winner

Michael Carmel, CEC, CCE, department head, Culinary Institute of Charleston, Trident Technical College, Charleston, S.C.; ACF Greater Charleston South Carolina Chapter

Competitors

Lauren Cooke, CEPC, program director/chef-instructor, Mid Florida Tech, Orlando, Fla.; ACF Central Florida Chapter
Keith Gardiner, CEC, CCE, CCA, AAC, chef-instructor, Guilford Technical Community College, Jamestown, N.C.; ACF Triad Chapter NC
Travis Herr, CEC, CCE, associate professor, Pensacola State College, Pensacola, Fla.; ACF national member
Germaine Leonard, CCA, chef-instructor/department chair, Lorenzo Walker Institute of Technology, Naples, Fla.; ACF Caxambas Chapter of Naples & Marco Island
Michael Riggs, Ph.D., CEC, FMP, assistant professor-culinary arts/executive chef, Bowling Green Technical College, Bowling Green, Ky.; ACF national member
Jean Vendeville, CEPC, department chair, Culinary Institute of Savannah, Savannah Technical College, Savannah, Ga.; ACF Chefs of the Low Country

Student Chef of the Year, Sponsored by Custom Culinary, Inc.

ACF Southeast Region Student Chef of the Year Award Winner

Keith Schwock, line cook, Cherokee Town and Country Club, Atlanta; ACF Greater Atlanta Chapter Inc.

Competitors

Marc Castillo, student, Hillsborough Community College, Sun City Center, Fla.; ACF Tampa Bay Culinary Association Inc.
Charles Gardiner, cook, The Inn on Biltmore Estate, Asheville, N.C.; ACF Triad Chapter NC
Wendy Lopez, line cook, Isleworth Golf & Country Club, Windermere, Fla.; ACF Central Florida Chapter
Jeremy Salamon, student, West Boca High School Culinary Academy, Boca Raton, Fla.; ACF Palm Beach County Chefs Association

Chef Professionalism Award, Sponsored by Minor’s®

ACF Southeast Region Chef Professionalism Award Winner

Russell Scott, CMC, WGMC, executive chef, Isleworth Golf & Country Club, Windermere, Fla.; ACF Central Florida Chapter

Competitors

Ronald Andrews, CEC, executive chef, Brays Island Plantation, Sheldon, S.C.; ACF Chefs of the Low Country
Travis Dale, CEC, CCA, executive chef/F&B director, The Point Lake and Golf Club, Mooresville, N.C.; ACF Inc. Charlotte Chapter
Donald McMillan, CEC, AAC, chef-instructor, The Stocked Pot Cooking School, Winston-Salem, N.C.; ACF Triad Chapter NC
Richard Nickless, CEC, CCA, AAC, chef/supply and services director, Department of Disabilities and Special Needs, Coastal Regional Center, Summerville, S.C.; ACF Greater Charleston South Carolina Chapter

Hermann G. Rusch Chef’s Achievement Award

ACF Southeast Region Hermann G. Rusch Chef’s Achievement Award Winner

Costa Magoulas, CEC, CCE, CCA, AAC, dean, School of Hospitality and Culinary Management, Daytona State College, Daytona Beach, Fla.; ACF Daytona Beach Chefs Association

Competitors

Roger Newell, CEC, CCE, CCA, culinary-arts instructor, Technical Education Center Osceola, Kissimmee, Fla.; ACF Central Florida Chapter
Dallas Parrish, CEC, corporate executive chef, Food Sales East, Inc., Nashville, Tenn.; ACF Middle Tennessee Chapter
Derek Spendlove, CEPC, CCE, AAC, chair, Baking and Pastry Arts, Sullivan University, Louisville, Ky.; ACF Kentucky Chapter
Gary Spitnale, CEC, chef-instructor, Miami Lakes Educational Center, Miami Lakes, Fla.; Fort Lauderdale ACF Inc.

ACF Student Team Regional Championship, Sponsored by R.L. Schreiber, Inc.

ACF Southeast Region Student Team Regional Championship Winner

ACF Western North Carolina Culinary Association; Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College, Asheville, N.C.; Charles deVries, CEPC, coach

Competitors

ACF Central Florida Chapter; Orlando Culinary Academy, Orlando, Fla.; Klaus Friedenreich, CMC, AAC, coach
ACF Chefs of the Low Country; Culinary Institute of Savannah at Savannah Technical College, Savannah, Ga.; Jean Vendeville, CEPC, coach
ACF Classic City Chefs & Cooks Association; Athens Technical College, Athens, Ga.; Scott Howard, coach
ACF Kentucky Chapter; Sullivan University, Louisville, Ky.; Derek Spendlove, CEPC, CCE, AAC, coach

Baron H. Galand Culinary Knowledge Bowl, Sponsored by American Technical Publishers

ACF Southeast Region Baron H. Galand Culinary Knowledge Bowl Winner

Culinary Institute of Savannah at Savannah Technical College, Savannah, Ga.; ACF Chefs of the Low Country; Jocelyn Brantley, Cassandra M. Gillmore, Claudia C. Harper, Joshua A. Lopez, Angela N. Real and coach Valarie Barnes

Competitors

ACF First Coast Chapter; The International Culinary School at The Art Institute of Jacksonville, Jacksonville, Fla.; Michael Baskette, CEC, AAC, coach
The International Culinary School at The Art Institute of Atlanta; ACF Greater Atlanta Chapter Inc.; Joseph Costa, CEC, CCE, coach
Keiser University Center for Culinary Arts, Tallahassee, Fla.; ACF Tallahassee Area Chefs Association; Matrell Hawkins, CC, coach

ACF Southeast Region Chapter of the Year

ACF Central Florida Chapter, Orlando, Fla.

ACF Southeast Region Chapter Achievement Awards

ACF Central Florida Chapter
ACF Greater Atlanta Chapter Inc., Atlanta
ACF Inc. Charlotte Chapter, Charlotte, N.C.
ACF Midlands Chapter, Lexington, S.C.
ACF Palm Beach County Chefs Association, Palm Beach, Fla.
ACF Tampa Bay Culinary Association, Tampa, Fla.

ACF Southeast Region President’s Medallions

Chief Warrant Officer 4 (CW4) Russell Campbell, CEC, chief for the Advanced Food Service Training Division, U.S. Army, Fort Lee, Va.; Old Dominion ACF Chapter
Keith Gardiner, CEC, CCE, CCA, AAC, chef-instructor, Guilford Technical Community College, Jamestown, N.C.; ACF Triad Chapter NC
Patricia Lucardie, chapter administrator, ACF Tampa Bay Culinary Association, Inc., Tampa; ACF Tampa Bay Culinary Association, Inc.
Michael Osborne, CEC, general manager/executive chef, Manchester Coffee County Conference Center, Manchester, Tenn.; ACF Middle Tennessee Chapter

Cutting Edge Awards

Clyde “Jay” Christmas, executive chef, Hope Valley Country Club, Durham, N.C.; ACF Triangle Chefs
Delores “Dee” Lennox, executive chef/owner/vice president, Lennox Catering, Sunrise, Fla.; Fort Lauderdale ACF, Inc.
Garrett Sanborn, CEC, CCE, Ed.D., chef-instructor, Oldham County Board of Education, Bucknor, N.Y., ACF national member

Joseph Amendola Outstanding Member Award

Bryan Frick, CEC, AAC, corporate executive chef, Nestlé Professional, Orlando, Fla.; ACF Central Florida Chapter

Paella, Please! Sponsored by Riviana

Christopher McCook, CEC, AAC, executive chef, Athens Country Club, Athens, Ga.; Classic City Chefs and Cooks Association