2010 ACF Western Regional Conference

The 2010 ACF Western Regional Conference, which was hosted by ACF Rio Grande Valley Chapter and took place in Albuquerque, N.M., Feb. 6–8, was a spectacular representation of Southwest culture and food, professional development, networking and camaraderie. A sincere thank you to our sponsors and exhibitors whose support was instrumental to our success, and to the American Academy of Chefs for awarding $1,000 to the winner of the ACF Western Region Student Team Regional Championship to assist with expenses to convention. You can view photos from the conference.

Congratulations to the award recipients and honorees for their outstanding contributions and goodwill, and to all the competitors for a job well done. Please wish the best of luck to our Western Region competition winners as they prepare to face off against their regional counterparts for the national title at our ACF National Convention in Anaheim, Calif., Aug. 2–5.

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

Chef of the Year, Sponsored by Unilever Foodsolutions

ACF Western Region Chef of the Year Award Winner

Brandon Parry, CEC, PCEC, ACE
Executive Chef, United States Navy, San Diego
ACF Chefs & Culinarians of San Diego

Competitors

Robert Meitzer, CEC, AAC
Executive Chef, Red Rocks Country Club, Morrison, Colo.
ACF Colorado Chefs Association

Ressul Rassallat
Chef de Cuisine, The Lodge at Pebble Beach, Club XIX, Pebble Beach, Calif.
ACF Chefs de Cuisine Association of California

Pastry Chef of the Year, Sponsored by Splenda®

ACF Western Region Pastry Chef of the Year Award Winner

Tracy DeWitt
Lead Pastry Chef-Instructor, Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts, Scottsdale, Ariz.
ACF Chefs Association of Arizona, Inc.

Competitors

Adalberto Diaz
Chef-Instructor, Utah Valley University, Orem, Utah
ACF Beehive Chefs Chapter, Inc.

Janet Shaffer, CWPC
Baking Instructor, Lake Washington Technical College, Kirkland, Wash.
ACF Washington State Chefs Association

Chef Educator of the Year

ACF Western Region Chef Educator of the Year Winner

Jeffrey Brown, Ed.D., CEC, CCE
Associate Professor, California State Polytechnic University Pomona, Pomona, Calif.
ACF Southern CA Inland Empire Chefs & Cooks Association

Competitors

Alicia Boada, CEPC, CCE, CCA
Chef-Instructor, Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts-Los Angeles, Pasadena, Calif.
California School of Culinary Arts

Daniel Drumlake, CEC, CCE, CCA, AAC
Assistant Culinary Chair, The International Culinary School at The Art Institute of CA–Los Angeles, Santa Monica, Calif.
ACF Chefs de Cuisine Association of California

Joseph LaVilla, CEC, CCA, CCE
Academic Director, The International Culinary School at The Art Institute of Phoenix, Phoenix
ACF Chefs Association of Arizona, Inc.

Bobby Moghaddam, CEC, CCE
Director, Hospitality Management/Culinary Arts, Riverside City College Culinary Academy, Riverside, Calif.
ACF Southern CA Inland Empire Chefs & Cooks Association

Scott Smith, Ph.D., CEC, CCE
Director, Foodservice Management Programming, Johnson & Wales University, Denver
ACF Colorado Chefs Association

Garry Waldie, CEC, CCE, CEPC, AAC
Program Chair, Scottsdale Culinary Institute–Le Cordon Bleu, Scottsdale, Ariz.
ACF Chefs Association of Arizona, Inc.

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

ACF Western Region Student Chef of the Year Award Winner

Emily Wallace
Renton Technical College, Renton, Wash.
ACF Washington State Chefs Association

Competitors

Andrew Corrao
Utah Valley University, Orem, Utah
ACF Beehive Chefs Chapter, Inc.

Jeffrey Dietzler
Johnson & Wales University, Denver
ACF Colorado Chefs Association

Julie Fiedler
The International Culinary School at The Art Institute of Phoenix, Phoenix
ACF Chefs Association of Arizona, Inc.

Chef Professionalism Award, Sponsored by Minor’s®

ACF Western Region Chef Professionalism Award Winner

Aran Essig, CEC, CCA
Executive Chef, University of Northern Colorado, Greeley, Colo.
ACF Colorado Chefs Association

Hermann G. Rusch Chef’s Achievement Award

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

Jean Hull, CCE, AAC
Owner, Hospitality Consulting By Jean, Kailua Kona, Hawaii
ACF Kona-Kohala Chefs Association

Competitor

G. Eric Laqua, AAC
Retired, Goodyear, Ariz.
ACF Chefs Association of Arizona, Inc.

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

ACF Western Region Student Team Regional Championship Winner

Santa Clara Valley Chefs, Professional Culinary Institute; Girija Kaushik, Patricia Liu, Reilly Meehan, Khoung Nguyen, Tiffany Young and coach Randy Torres, CEC

Competitors

ACF Bay Area Chefs Association, Oregon Coast Culinary Institute
Coach: Tina Powers, CEPC, CCE

ACF Beehive Chefs Chapter, Utah Valley University
Coach: Peter Sproul, CEC

ACF Chefs Association of Arizona, Inc., The International Culinary School at The Art Institute of Phoenix
Coach: Francine Marz, CEC

ACF Chefs Las Vegas, College of Southern Nevada
Coach: John Metcalfe

ACF Colorado Chefs Association, Mesa State College
Coach: Jonathan St. Peter, CEC

ACF Washington State Chefs Association, Renton Technical College
Coach: John Fisher, CEC, CCE, AAC

Chefs de Cuisine Association of Hawaii, Kapiolani Community College
Coach: Alan Tsuchiyama

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

ACF Western Region Baron H. Galand Culinary Knowledge Bowl Winner

The International Culinary School at The Art Institute of California–San Diego: Carlos Esparza, Lorian Koller, Megan Leppert, Evan Rossman, Virginia Vermeulen, and coaches Kelly Funes and Michael Zonfrilli, CEC

Competitors

ACF California Capital Chefs Association, The International Culinary School at The Art Institute of California–Sacramento
Coach: Carol L. Thomas

ACF Chefs de Cuisine Association of California, The International Culinary School at the Art Institute of California–Los Angeles
Coach: Daniel Drumlake, CEC, CCE, CCA, AAC

ACF Chefs de Cuisine of the Inland Northwest
Coaches: Julie Litzenberger and Curtis Smith

ACF Midnight Sun Chef’s Association
Coach: Michael Roddey, CCC, CCE, MsEd., CDM

ACF Pikes Peak Chapter Inc., Pikes Peak Community College
Coach: Heidi Block

Inland Northwest Culinary Academy at Spokane Community College
Coaches: Julie Litzenberger and Curtis Smith

Bellingham Technical College Culinary Arts Program, ACF Washington State Chefs Association
Coach: Michael S. Baldwin, CCE

Walla Walla Community College, ACF Northwest Wine Country Chapter
Coach: Gregory S. Schnorr

ACF Western Region Chapter of the Year

ACF Washington State Chefs Association

ACF Western Region Chapter Achievement Awards

ACF Chefs & Culinarians of San Diego
ACF High Sierra Chefs Association
ACF Washington State Chefs Association

ACF Western Region President’s Medallions

Richard Burr, CEC, executive chef, Spirit Mountain Casino, Grand Ronde, Ore.; ACF Chefs de Cuisine Society of Oregon
John Hui, CEPC, AAC, corporate pastry chef, Pebble Beach Resorts, Pebble Beach, Calif.; ACF Chefs Las Vegas
Richard Schneider, CMC, AAC, retired, Las Vegas; ACF Philadelphia Chapter

Cutting Edge Awards

Gary Fuller, CEC, CCE, AAC, program manager, West Sound Technical Skills Center, Bremerton, Wash.; ACF Washington State Chefs Association
Jason Morse, CEC, executive chef, Valley Country Club, Aurora, Colo.; ACF Colorado Chefs Association
Eric Watson, CCC, CCE, instructor, The International Culinary School at The Art Institute of Phoenix, Phoenix; ACF Chefs Association of Arizona, Inc.