2012 Team

The journey for ACF Culinary Team USA 2012, the official representative team of the United States in major international culinary competition, began in May 2009 when Steve Jilleba, CMC, CCE, AAC, corporate executive chef at Unilever Food Solutions, Lisle, Ill., was named team manager of ACF Culinary Team USA for the 2009–2012 term. In the months following his appointment, Jilleba assembled and announced the managers, coaches and advisers, the team behind the team: Alex Darvishi, CEC, AAC, youth team manager; Russell D. Campbell, CEC, military team manager; Thomas Macrina, CEC, CCA, HGT, AAC, business manager; Keith Keogh, CEC, AAC, advisor; George McNeill, CMC, advisor; Ferdinand Metz, CMC, WGMC, AAC, HOF, advisor; Darrin Aoyama, CEPC, coach; Joachim Buchner, CMC, coach; Charles Carroll, CEC, AAC, coach; Patricia Nash, coach; Gilles Renusson, coach; Richard Rosendale, CMC, coach; and Daniel Scannell, CMC, coach.

The tryout process began in November 2009 when chef candidates submitted their applications. Their applications, résumés, biographies, competition experience and work history were carefully evaluated to determine who was qualified to try out in the first of two culinary competitions. The selected candidates then participated in cold-food, hot-food and pastry elimination competitions.

Chefs were selected for ACF Culinary Team USA based on their performances at these competitions. Judges evaluated presentation and layout, composition and harmony of ingredients, correct preparation and craftsmanship, and serving methods and portions. Each chef had to display a high level of craftsmanship based on solid classical cooking principles and a variety of cooking disciplines incorporating current and modern trends in presentation, technique and taste. Their overall skill sets, personality, attitude and the ability to excel and work cohesively in a team setting were assessed before making the final decision.

On April 26, after a long and intense tryout process, final selections were made and the chefs to represent ACF Culinary Team USA at the Expogast-Villeroy & Boch Culinary World Cup 2010 in Luxembourg and the 2012 International Culinary Art Exhibition (IKA), commonly referred to as the “culinary Olympics,” in Erfurt, Germany, were announced. There was no time to breathe for the new team members, as the Culinary World Cup was approximately six months away in November. A rigorous training schedule was established with practices taking place at Johnson & Wales University campuses and ACF national convention.

Competition at the Culinary World Cup was fierce, as this international competition ranked second on the worldwide scale behind IKA. ACF Culinary Team USA was among the 25 national teams competing. Their performance was stellar, as were third overall and won gold medals in the hot-food portion and cold-food display.

The journey continues for the team, as they are now focused on bringing home the gold at 2012 IKA.

Meet the team:

Timothy Bucci, CEC, CCE, CHE, Oak Forest, Ill., is a chef/professor at Joliet Junior College, Joliet, Ill. Before joining the college, he taught at The Cooking and Hospitality Institute of Chicago (now Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts). Previously, Bucci had worked in restaurants and hotels for 14 years, including as executive chef for House of Hughes, Crestwood, Ill. He graduated from Joliet Junior College’s culinary-arts program and has a bachelor’s degree in restaurant, hotel and institutional management from Purdue University Calumet, Hammond, Ind. Bucci earned an individual gold medal at the 2008 IKA. He has been an ACF member since 1984, and is a member of ACF Louis Joliet Chapter. He was the 2009 ACF Chef Educator of the Year.

Anthony “Ben” Grupe, St. Louis, is sous chef at Old Warson Country Club, St. Louis. In December 2009, he completed a three-year apprenticeship at The Greenbrier, White Sulphur Springs, W.Va., which followed a one-year apprenticeship at The Racquet Club Ladue, St. Louis. He studied culinary arts/restaurant management at St. Louis Community College–Forest Park, from 2001 to 2005. He is a member of Chefs de Cuisine Association of St. Louis Inc., and in 2005, competed as a member of the chapter’s junior hot-food team.

Joseph Leonardi, CEC, Johnston, R.I., is executive chef at Somerset Club, Boston. He joined the club’s staff after eight years on the faculty of Johnson & Wales University, Providence, R.I. Previously he had been a research and development chef for Rich’s Sea-Pak, St. Simon’s Island, Ga. He has associate, bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Johnson & Wales University. Leonardi was a member of the 2008 ACF Regional Team USA that earned a gold medal in the cold-food salon and was ranked No. 1 in the world out of 62 regional teams at the IKA. He is a member of ACF Rhode Island Chapter, and was the 2009 U.S.A.’s Chef of the Year™.

James “Kevin” Storm, CEC, CCA, AAC, Ballwin, Mo., has been executive chef at Bellerive Country Club, St. Louis, since 1996. Before that, he held executive chef positions at Indian Hills Country Club, Mission Hills, Kan., and the University Club, St. Louis. He has a grand diploma from LaVarenne Ecole de Cuisine, Paris, and an associate degree from Johnson County Community College, Overland Park, Kan. Storm was a coach for ACF Culinary Youth Team USA, which placed fourth overall in the world among youth teams at the 2008 IKA. He is a member of Chefs de Cuisine Association of St. Louis Inc.

Eddie Tancredi is sous chef at The Greenbrier, White Sulphur Springs, W.Va. Before that, he was sous chef at New Albany Country Club, New Albany, Ohio, and chef de cuisine at Rosendales, Columbus, Ohio. In 2003, he graduated from Pennsylvania Culinary Institute, Le Cordon Bleu Program in Culinary Arts, Pittsburgh, with an associate degree in specialized technology. He graduated from a three-year apprenticeship program at The Greenbrier, White Sulphur Springs, W.Va., in 2007. Tancredi is a member of ACF Columbus Chapter.

High resolutions photos of the team members are available in the Media Photo Gallery.