2012 ACF Western Regional Conference

Reno, known as “The Biggest Little City in the World,” was the backdrop for the 2012 ACF Western Regional Conference, March 12–14, at John Ascuaga’s Nugget. The conference, attended by 400 culinarians and foodservice professionals, provided attendees with numerous opportunities for professional development and platforms to enhance their culinary skills.

Officially launching the conference March 11 was the Best Chefs of the West Rib Cook-Off presented by the host chapter, ACF High Sierra Chefs Association, to benefit the Chef & Child Foundation, Western Regional Youth Culinary Team and select local charities. The evening featured 10 teams going head-to-head preparing 100 pounds of St. Louis-style pork ribs, other BBQ fare, micro brews and boot-stompin’ tunes. It was a great start to the conference, and $1,500 was raised for charity. Missing the festivities were the eight student teams participating in the ACF Student Team Regional Championship. They worked through the night to meet the 8 a.m. deadline for their cold-food displays, which were amazing.

Thank goodness for daylight savings time, as the next three days of the conference were jam-packed with seminars and culinary demonstrations featuring the latest trends and techniques, competitions, networking functions and the tradeshow. ACF Western Region Vice President David Goodwin, CEC, CCA, AAC, shared the stage with many, as reports were given on ACF and ACF Education Foundation programs. He then proudly turned the microphone over to Rahman “Rock” Harper, season three winner of Fox’s “Hell’s Kitchen” with Gordon Ramsey and author of 44 Things Parents Should Know About Healthy Cooking For Kids (Turner Pub Co., 2010). Harper inspired attendees with his life story and how his determination and focus on the fundamentals helped him achieve success. He also discussed how he is dedicate to helping families develop healthy eating habits and teaching parents approaches to cooking healthy for children.

The festivities continued into the night with the ACF High Sierra Chefs Association holding another fundraiser Monday night at Peppermill Casino Resort, featuring dishes made by local culinary students. It was fun for all who attended and an additional $3,500 was raised for charity. The American Academy of Chefs dinner held Tuesday night at John Ascuaga’s Nugget was an evening of fine dining provided by fellow Academy member and Executive Chef Michael Norton, CEC.

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

Congratulations to all the award recipients and honorees for their outstanding contributions, 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 | What’s in Your Wok: A Fried Rice Competition | Galbani® Mozzarella Caprese Challenge

Chef of the Year, Sponsored by Unilever Food Solutions

ACF Western Region Chef of the Year Award Winner

Percy Whatley, CEC, executive chef, The Ahwahnee, Yosemite, Calif.; Delaware North Companies Parks and Resorts Inc.

Competitors

Eric Kopelow, CEC; vice president/corporate executive chef, NBC Universal Studios Hollywood, Universal City, Calif.; ACF national member
Peter Sproul, executive chef/co-owner, Chef’s Table, Orem, Utah; ACF Beehive Chefs Chapter Inc.
Chad Tiboni, CEC, food service director, Eurest Dining Services, San Diego, Calif.; ACF Chefs & Culinarians of San Diego

Pastry Chef of the Year

ACF Western Region Pastry Chef of the Year Award Winner

Adalberto Diaz Labrada, CEPC, executive chef/instructor, Harmons Grocery Educational Center, Salt Lake City; ACF Beehive Chefs Chapter, Inc.

Competitors

Hilde Korsmo, CWPC, CCE, chef-instructor, Bellingham Technical College, Bellingham, Wash.; ACF Washington State Chefs Association
Alison Murphy, bakery team trainer, Whole Foods Market, San Ramon, Calif.; Santa Clara Valley Chapter

Chef Educator of the Year

ACF Western Region Chef Educator of the Year Winner

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

Competitors

Bobby Moghaddam, CEC, CCE, AAC, director of hospitality/culinary arts, Riverside City College Culinary Academy, Riverside, Calif.; ACF Southern CA Inland Empire Chefs & Cooks Association
Christopher Plemmons, CEC, AAC, chef-Instructor, Olympic College Culinary Arts, Bremerton, Wash.; ACF Washington State Chefs Association

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

ACF Western Region Student Chef of the Year Award Winner

Reilly Meehan, graduate, Oregon Coast Culinary Institute, Coos Bay, Ore., private events chef, San Francisco Bay Area, Calif.; ACF national member

Competitors

Lyndsay Burginger, student, Cascade Culinary Institute at Central Oregon Community College, Bend, Ore.; ACF Central Oregon High Desert Chapter
Megan Carroll, pastry chef, Ciaò Thyme/In the Kitchen, Bellingham, Wash.; ACF Washington State Chefs Association
Robert Lilly, student, Utah Valley University, Orem, Utah; ACF Beehive Chefs Chapter Inc.

Chef Professionalism Award, Sponsored by Minor’s®

ACF Western Region Chef Professionalism Award Winner

Urs Emmenegger, CEC, AAC, executive chef, Point Loma Nazarene University, San Diego; ACF Chefs & Culinarians of San Diego

Hermann G. Rusch Chef’s Achievement Award

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

Walter Bronowitz, CCC, CCE, AAC, executive chef/dietary manager, Seattle Children’s Hospital, Seattle; ACF Washington State Chefs Association

Competitors

Murat Day, CEC, WCC, AAC, culinary arts instructor, The International Culinary School at The Art Institute of California–San Diego; ACF Orange Empire Chefs & Professional Cooks Association
O. Siegfried Krauss, CEC, AAC, retired, Colorado Springs, Colo.; ACF Pikes Peak Chapter Inc.

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

ACF Western Region Student Team Regional Championship Winner

Orange Coast College, Costa Mesa, Calif.; ACF Orange Empire Chefs & Professional Cooks Association; Coach Bill Barber, CEC

Competitors

Alaska Culinary Academy at AVTEC–Alaska’s Institute of Technology, Seward, Alaska; ACF Alaska Culinary Association; Coach Kevin Lane, CEC
Bellingham Technical College, Bellingham, Wash.; ACF Washington State Chefs Association; Coach Michael Baldwin, CCE
College of Southern Nevada, North Las Vegas, Nev.; ACF Chefs Las Vegas; Coach John Metcalfe
Johnson & Wales University, Denver; ACF Colorado Chefs Association; Coach Michael Angelo
Kapi’olani Community College, Honolulu; Chefs de Cuisine Association of Hawaii Honolulu; Coaches David Brown and Grant Sato
Pima Community College, Tucson, Ariz.; ACF Chef’s Association of Southern Arizona, Inc.; Coach Elizabeth Mikesell, CEC, AAC
Utah Valley University, Orem, Utah; ACF Beehive Chefs Chapter Inc.; Coach Peter Sproul, CEC

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

ACF Western Region Baron H. Galand Culinary Knowledge Bowl Winner

Lake Washington Institute of Technology, Kirkland, Wash.; ACF Washington State Chefs Association; Coaches Matthew DiMeo and Janet Shaffer, CWPC

Competitors

ACF Midnight Sun Chefs Association; Coach Michael Roddey, CEC, CCE, M.S.Ed., CDM
The International Culinary School at The Art Institute of California–Los Angeles, Santa Monica, Calif.; ACF Chefs de Cuisine Association of California; Coach Daniel Drumlake, CEC, CCE, CCA, AAC
The International Culinary School at The Art Institute of California–Sacramento, Sacramento, Calif.; ACF California Capital Chefs Association; Coaches Kathie Griley and Carol Thomas
Pueblo Community College, Pueblo, Colo.; ACF Pike Peak Chapter, Inc.; Coaches Chuck Becker and Benjamin Bedard
Walla Walla Community College, Walla Walla, Wash.; ACF Northwest Wine Country Chapter; Coach Gregory Schnorr

What’s in Your Wok: A Fried Rice Competition, Sponsored by Riviana Foods®

Kristin Swaggart, CC, chef/culinary director, J. Bookwalter Winery & JBistro, Richland, Wash.; ACF Northwest Wine Country Chapter

Galbani® Mozzarella Caprese Challenge, Sponsored by Lactalis Foodservice and Galbani® Mozzarella

Mike Sabella Jr., cook, City Forest Catering, San Francisco

ACF Western Region Chapter of the Year

ACF Idaho Chefs de Cuisine, Boise, Idaho

ACF Western Region Chapter Achievement Awards

ACF Chefs de Cuisine Society of Oregon, McMinnville, Ore.
ACF Idaho Chefs de Cuisine, Boise, Idaho
ACF Washington State Chefs Association, Seattle

ACF Western Region President’s Medallions

Alan Anderson, CEC, executive chef, Rogue Valley Manor, Medford, Ore.; ACF Southern Oregon Chapter
Murat Day, CEC, WCC, AAC, culinary-arts instructor, The International Culinary School at The Art Institute of California–San Diego; ACF Orange Empire Chefs & Professional Cooks Association
Webb Evans, CEC, CCA, AAC, (posthumous), ACF Chefs Association of Arizona, Inc.

Cutting Edge Awards

Debora Aragon, CCC, CCE, educator, Sierra Nevada Job Corps Center, Reno, Nev.; ACF High Sierra Chefs Association
Todd Bull, teacher, El Cajon Valley High School, El Cajon, Calif.; Chefs de Cuisine Association of San Diego
Bert Cutino, CEC, AAC, HBOT, HOF, retired COO/co-founder, The Sardine Factory/Cannery Row Company, Monterey, Calif.; ACF Monterey Bay Chapter
Joseph Gonzales, FMP, retired, Beaverton, Ore.; ACF Chefs de Cuisine Society of Oregon