2011 ACF National Convention Award Winners & Honorees

Congratulations to the 2011 American Culinary Federation and American Academy of Chefs award recipients and honorees for their outstanding contributions and for a job well done.

ACF Immediate Past President’s Award

Joe Aiello, CEC, AAC, chef/owner, Apropo Catering, Schiller Park, Ill.; ACF Chicago Chefs of Cuisine, Inc.

ACF Industry Partnership Award

Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board, Madison, Wis.

Chapter Communicator of the Year

Jeffrey Rotz, CEC, CCE, AAC, culinary educator, Chefs Helping Chefs, LLC, Eustis, Fla.; ACF Gulf to Lakes Chefs & Cooks Association Inc.

National Chapter of the Year

ACF Pikes Peak Chapter, Inc., Colorado Springs, Colo.

Region of the Year

ACF Central Region

ACF President’s Medallion Recipients

Phil Cragg, CEC, CCE, AAC, culinary educator, Atlantic Cape Community College’s Academy of Culinary Arts, Mays Landing, N.J.; The ACF Jersey Shore Chefs Association
Daniel D’Angelo, CEC, AAC, chef-instructor, The Art Institute of Philadelphia, Philadelphia; ACF Philadelphia Chapter
Phil Learned, CEC, AAC, HOF, retired, Andover, Maine; White Mountain Chapter of the ACF
Damian Martineau, AAC, chef/owner, Damian’s on the River, New Boston, N.H.; ACF Professional Chefs Association of New Hampshire
Michael McGreal, CEC, CCE, CHE, CHA, MCFE, FMP, department chair, Joliet Junior College, Joliet, Ill.; ACF Louis Joliet Chapter
Jill Mora, professor, College of Southern Nevada, North Las Vegas, Nevada; ACF Chefs Las Vegas
Richard Nickless, CEC, CCA, AAC, chef/supply and services director, DDSN Coastal Center, Summerville, S.C.; ACF Greater Charleston South Carolina Chapter
Mary Zappone, CCE, AAC, chef-instructor, Westmoreland County Community College, Youngwood, Pa.; ACF Laurel Highlands Chapter

Cutting Edge Award Recipients

Tim Appleton, culinary-arts instructor, Red River College, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
Jeffrey Bricker, CEC, CCE, hospitality program chair, Ivy Tech Community College, Indianapolis; ACF Greater Indianapolis Chapter
David Chenelle, executive chef, Premier Food Service, San Diego; Chefs de Cuisine Association of San Diego
Desmond D’Souza, CEC, executive chef/owner, Clay Oven Indian Caterers, Longwood, Fla.; ACF Central Florida Chapter
Samuel Kass, White House assistant chef and senior policy adviser for healthy food initiatives, Washington, D.C.
Ricardo Santana, executive chef, Impressions Catering, Ontario, Calif.; ACF Southern California Inland Empire Chefs & Cooks Association
Derek Spendlove, CEPC, CCE, AAC, chair, baking/pastry arts, Sullivan University, Louisville, Ky.; ACF Kentucky Chapter
Bill Sy, CEC, CCE, academic director, The International Culinary School at The Art Institute of Tucson, Tucson, Ariz.; ACF Chefs Association of Southern Arizona Tucson

ACF Achievement of Excellence Awards

Back Door Café, Johnstown, Pa.
Café Cimino Country Inn, Sutton, W.Va.
Canterbury Golf Club, Cleveland
Casola Dining Room at Schenectady County Community College, Schenectady, N.Y.
Eagle Oaks Golf & Country Club, Farmingdale, N.J.
Eat’n Park Hospitality Group, Homestead, Pa.
FishBones, Lake Mary, Fla.
Goodwill Great Lakes at the Naval Station Great Lakes, Great Lakes, Ill.
The Grove Park Inn Resort & Spa, Asheville, N.C.
Hotel du Pont Wilmington, Del.
The Hotel Hershey, Hershey, Pa.
Iridescence, MotorCity Casino Hotel, Detroit
JaCiva’s Chocolates, Portland, Ore.
La Tavola, Sayville, N.Y.
Lilly’s Bistro, Louisville, Ky.
Magnolias, Charleston, S.C.
Pacific Asian Bistro, St. Augustine, Fla.
The Palmer House® Hilton, Chicago
Pier 37 Bar & Grill, Chicago
Premier Food Services, San Diego
Red Rocks Country Club, Morrison, Colo.
Savannah Red, Charlotte Marriott City Center, Charlotte, N.C.
United States Olympic Committee Colorado Springs Olympic Training Center Food & Nutrition Services, Colorado Springs, Colo.

Chef & Child Foundation Awards

True Spirit

Dan Thomas, catering supervisor, JCPS Nutrition Service Center, Louisville, Ky.; ACF Kentucky Chapter

Little Oscar Award

ACF Orange Empire Chefs & Professional Cooks Association, Costa Mesa, Calif.

American Academy of Chefs (AAC) Awards

Chair’s Medal

Stafford DeCambra, CEC, CCE, CCA, AAC, corporate executive chef, PCI Gaming Authority, Atmore, Ala.; ACF Poarch Creek Chapter, Inc.

Joseph Amendola Award

Derek Spendlove, CEPC, CCE, AAC, chair, baking/pastry arts, Sullivan University, Louisville, Ky.; ACF Kentucky Chapter

Chef Good Taste Award

J. Kevin Walker, CMC, AAC, executive chef, Cherokee Town and Country Club, Atlanta; ACF Greater Atlanta Chapter Inc.

Sharing Culinary Traditions Award

Frank Leake, CCC, CCE, AAC, professor of culinary arts, Culinary Institute of the Pacific, Honolulu, Hawaii; Chefs de Cuisine Association of Hawaii Honolulu

Lt. General John D. McLaughlin Award

William J. Tillinghast, CEC, AAC, MBA, director, culinary/pastry programs, The International Culinary School At The Art Institute of Philadelphia, Philadelphia; ACF Philadelphia Chapter

Lawrence A. Conti, CEC, AAC, HOF, Chair’s Achievement Award

Donal Weaving, CEC, AAC, Indianapolis; ACF Greater Indianapolis Chapter

American Academy of Chefs Culinary Hall of Fame

Anthony Graffeo, CEC, AAC, retired executive chef, Saugus, Mass.; ACF Epicurean Club of Boston
John Kaufmann, CEC, AAC, retired chef/owner, Antoich, Ill.; ACF Chicago Chefs of Cuisine Inc.
William “Bill” Lyman, CEC, AAC (posthumous), Johns Creek, Ga.; Central Maryland Chefs & Cooks Association
Bruce Riddell, CEC, AAC, retired executive chef, Colorado Springs, Colo.; ACF Pikes Peak Chapter Inc.

American Academy of Chefs Honorary Culinary Hall of Fame

Jim Doherty, HAAC, HBOT, executive vice president, Lebhar-Friedman, Inc., New York

2011 American Academy of Chefs Academy Fellows

Jeffrey Bricker, CEC, CCE, program chair, hospitality, Ivy Tech Community College, Indianapolis; ACF Greater Indianapolis Chapter
Nancy Burback, CEC, CCE, assistant professor, Delgado Community College, New Orleans; ACF New Orleans Chapter
Janet Crager, CEC, director, culinary services, Avamere Health Service, Medford, Ore.; ACF Southern Oregon Chapter
Carl Deutsch, CCC, CCE, Philadelphia; ACF Philadelphia Chapter
Scott Erwin, CEC, research and development manager culinary innovation, Tyson Foods, Inc., Fort Worth, Texas; ACF South Bend Chefs and Cooks Association
Thomas Hannum, CEC, safety manager, DuPont Hospitality, Wilmington, Del.; ACF First State Chefs Association
Peter Hodgson, CEC, executive chef, Salt Lake City Marriott University Park, Salt Lake City; ACF Beehive Chefs Chapter Inc.
Robert Hudson, CEC, CCE, culinary-arts department chair, Pikes Peak Community College, Colorado Springs, Colo.; ACF Pikes Peak Chapter Inc.
Mark Kent, CEC, operations manager, University of Akron, Akron, Ohio; ACF Akron-Canton Area Cooks and Chefs Association
John Kukucka, executive chef, Essex Golf & Country Club, LaSalle, Ontario, Canada; ACF Michigan Chefs de Cuisine Association
Lawrence Matson, CEC, CCE, culinary director, The International Culinary School at The Art Institute of Dallas, Dallas; Texas Chefs Association
Michael Osborne, CEC, general manager/executive chef, Manchester Coffee County Conference Center, Manchester, Tenn.; ACF Middle Tennessee Chapter
Douglas Patten, CEC, CCA, corporate executive chef, Flik International/Compass Group, Rye Brook, N.Y.; ACF Epicurean Club of Boston
Brian Peffley, CEPC, CCE, pastry-arts instructor, Lebanon County Career and Technology Center, Lebanon, Pa.; ACF Harrisburg Chapter
Steven Pollack, CEC, executive chef, The Pepper Pike Club, Cleveland, Ohio; ACF Akron-Canton Area Cooks and Chefs Association
Garrett Sanborn, CEC, CCE, Ed.D., chef-instructor, Oldham County Board of Education, Buckner, K.y.; national ACF member
Andrea Schrenk, CEPC, CCE, pastry chef-instructor, Le Cordon Bleu Institute of Culinary Arts in Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh; ACF Pittsburgh Chapter
Samuel Sears, CEC, CCA, executive chef, South-Van Events, Lexington, Ky.; Bluegrass Culinary Association ACF
Michael Smith, CEC, corporate executive chef, Custom Culinary, Inc., Lombard, Ill.; ACF Northern New Jersey Chapter
Mark Wilson, CEC, executive chef, Sodexo Senior Services, Allentown, Pa.; ACF Philadelphia Chapter

2011 American Academy of Chefs Honorary Fellows

Blaise Alan Dente, CCC, chef/owner, Dente’s Catering Service, Pittston, Pa.; ACF Professional Chefs of Northeast Pennsylvania
Mary Huebner, marketing director, Canada Cutlery, Inc., Pickering, Ontario, Canada
Peter Huebner, president, Canada Cutlery, Inc., Pickering, Ontario, Canada
Noreen Kinney, president, Cordon D’Or - Gold Ribbon, Academy of Culinary Arts, St. Petersburg, Fla.
Christopher Koetke, CEC, CCE, executive director, Kendall College School of Culinary Arts, Chicago; vice president, Laureate International Universities Center for Excellence in Culinary Arts; ACF Windy City Professional Culinarians Inc.
Cindy Komarinski, CCC, CCE, associate professor, Westmoreland County Community College, Youngwood, Pa.
Kathleen Mancini, business development, Allen Brothers, Dallas
David Smith, CC, retired, Nashua, N.H.
Michael Zappone, academic director, culinary and hotel/restaurant management, The International Culinary School of Art Institute of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh; ACF Philadelphia Chapter