Chefs, students and foodservice professionals gathered for professional development and culinary trend seminars at the 2014 American Culinary Federation (ACF) Southeast Regional Conference, the final regional conference of ACF’s Events Series. The conference took place at Embassy Suites North Charleston—Airport/Hotel & Convention, North Charleston, S.C., April 26-29.
More than 25 chefs, students, foodservice professionals and chapters were presented with American Culinary Federation awards during the conference. Competitions took place to determine ACF Southeast Region Chef of the Year, Pastry Chef of the Year, Student Chef of the Year, Student Team Championship and Baron H. Galand Culinary Knowledge Bowl.
The conference theme was “Embracing a Sustainable Future,” and many of the demonstrations and seminars focused on how to incorporate green and sustainable cooking concepts into restaurant kitchens and onto menus. At general session, attendees enjoyed a panel discussion on Southern cuisine and sustainability with Dave Belanger, owner, Clammer Dave’s Sustainable Gourmet, McClellanville, S.C.; Sean Brock, chef/partner, McCrady’s, Charleston, S.C., and Husk Restaurant, Charleston and Nashville, Tenn.; Glenn Roberts, founder, Anson Mills, Columbia; Dr. David Shields, food historian, University of South Carolina, Columbia, S.C.,and a culinary demonstration from Frank Lee, vice president of culinary development, Maverick Southern Kitchens, Charleston.
The following ACF Southeast Region competition award winners will compete for their respective national titles at the 2014 ACF National Convention in Kansas City, Mo., July 25-29.
ACF Southeast Region Chef of the Year, sponsored by Unilever Food Solutions
Sarah Deckert, CEC, enlisted aide, U.S. Army Medical Command, Washington, D.C., ACF Nation’s Capital Chefs Association
ACF Southeast Region Pastry Chef of the Year, sponsored by Plugrá® European-Style Butter
Leslie Eckert, CEPC, CCE, MBA, academic director of culinary and pastry arts programs, The Art Institute of Raleigh-Durham, Durham, N.C., ACF Tampa Bay Culinary Association, Inc.
ACF Southeast Region Chef Educator of the Year
Jean Yves Vendeville, CEPC, department chair, Savannah Technical College, Savannah, Ga., ACF Chefs of the Low Country
ACF Southeast Region Hermann G. Rusch Chef’s Achievement Award
Reimund Pitz, CEC, CCE, AAC, WGMC, executive chef/owner, Le Coq Au Vin, Orlando, Fla., ACF Central Florida Chapter
ACF Southeast Region Dr. L.J. Minor Chef Professionalism Award, sponsored by MINOR’S®
Thomas Pepka, CEC, AAC, executive chef, Mountain Lake Country Club, Lake Wales, Fla., ACF Central Florida Chapter
ACF Southeast Region Student Chef of the Year, sponsored by Custom Culinary, Inc.
Derek Colglazier, line cook, Cherokee Town and Country Club, Atlanta, ACF Atlanta Chefs Association, Inc.
ACF Southeast Region Baron H. Galand Culinary Knowledge Bowl, sponsored by American Technical Publishers
Students who attend Guilford Technical Community College, Jamestown, N.C.
ACF Southeast Region Student Team Regional Championship, sponsored by R.L. Schreiber, Inc.
Students representing ACF North Carolina Chapter who attend Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College, Asheville, N.C.
The 2014 ACF Southeast Regional Conference award recipients listed below were recognized for their outstanding contributions to ACF, goodwill in their communities and/or culinary excellence.
ACF Southeast Region Chapter of the Year
ACF Southwestern Virginia Chapter, Roanoke, Va.
ACF Southeast Region Chapter Achievement Award
ACF Atlanta Chefs Association, Inc., Atlanta
ACF Central Florida Chapter, Orlando, Fla.
ACF Tampa Bay Culinary Association, Inc., Tampa, Fla.
ACF World of Thanks
ACF Greater Charleston South Carolina Chapter
ACF Southeast Region Cutting Edge Award
Geoffrey Blount, CEPC, baking and pastry arts program chair, Central Piedmont Community College, Charlotte, N.C., ACF North Carolina Chapter
Kimberly Brock-Brown, CEPC, CCA, AAC, executive chef, Culinary Concepts, LLC, Charleston, S.C., ACF Greater Charleston South Carolina Chapter
John Kacala, CEC, AAC, culinary advisor, Sysco Food Services of Columbia, LLC, Columbia, S.C., ACF Greater Charleston South Carolina Chapter
Michael Rigberg, CEC, CCA, chef instructor/executive chef, Land O’ Lakes High School—Pasco County School District, Land O’ Lakes, Fla., ACF Tampa Bay Culinary Association, Inc.
ACF Southeast Region President’s Medallion
Jeffrey Bacon, CEC, CCA, AAC, executive chef/program director, Triad Community Kitchen, Winston-Salem, N.C., ACF North Carolina Chapter
Keith Esbin, corporate executive chef, Bar Harbor Seafood Corporation, Orlando, Fla., ACF Central Florida Chapter
Philip Lloyd, CEC, executive chef/owner, Certified Chef’s Cuisine Inc., Huntersville, N.C., ACF North Carolina Chapter
Jeffrey Nordman, CEC, food and beverage director, Marsh Landing Country Club, Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla., ACF First Coast Chapter
Clayton Sherrod, AAC, president, Chef Clayton’s Food Systems, Birmingham, Ala., ACF Birmingham Alabama Chapter
ACF Southeast Region Achievement of Excellence Awards
5Church, Charlotte, N.C.
A1A Ale Works, St. Augustine, Fla.
Bonita Bay Club, Bonita Springs, Fla.
El San Juan Resort & Casino—A Hilton Hotel, Carolina, Puerto Rico
Mama Ricotta’s, Charlotte, N.C.
Mozelle’s Fresh Southern Bistro, Winston-Salem, N.C.
The Potter’s House Soul Food Bistro, Jacksonville, Fla.
The theme of ACF’s Southeast Regional Conference, hosted by ACF Greater Charleston South Carolina Chapter, was “Embracing a Sustainable Future.” During the conference, foodservice professionals were able to advance their professional development through business seminars, cooking demonstrations focused on how to incorporate green and sustainable cooking concepts into restaurant kitchens, culinary competitions and awards. Learn more about the conference at www.acfchefs.org/Southeast, or at Facebook.com/ACFChefs or on Twitter @ACFChefs.
Regional and national sponsors of the 2014 ACF events series are: Alabama Gulf Seafood; Allen Brothers; American Technical Publishers; Barilla Foodservice; Barry Callebaut; BelGioioso Cheese, Inc.; California Avocado Commission; Campbell’s Culinary & Baking Institute; Central Region State Beef Councils; Custom Culinary, Inc.; Ecolab; Evo, Inc.; Fabbri USA 1905, LLC.; Fortune Fish Company; Ghirardelli Chocolate Company; Gordon Food Service; Idaho Potato Commission; J.R. Simplot Company; JTM Food Group; Johnson & Wales University; Jones Dairy Farm; Kern Meat Co., Inc.; Lactalis Foodservice; Lang Manufacturing Company; Maines Paper & Food Service, Inc.; Mercer Cutlery;MINOR’S; Monini North America, Inc.; Mooney Farms; Moore Food Distribution; National Pasteurized Eggs, Inc.; NEWCHEF Fashion Inc.; Northeast Beef Promotion Initiative; Ole Tyme Produce Inc.; Par-Way Tryson, makers of Vegalene; Performance Foodservice; Plugrá European-Style Butter; Publix Super Markets; RC Fine Foods; R.L. Schreiber, Inc.; Rosenthal Sambonet USA Ltd; S&D Coffee; Saint Louis Chefs de Cuisine Education Foundation; Sartori Company; Sysco; The Beef Checkoff; Tyson Food Service; Unilever Food Solutions; US Foods; Valrhona; Villeroy & Boch; Vitamix Corporation; Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board.
About the American Culinary Federation
The American Culinary Federation, Inc. (ACF), established in 1929, is the standard of excellence for chefs in North America. With nearly 20,000 members spanning 200 chapters nationwide, ACF is the culinary leader in offering educational resources, training, apprenticeship and programmatic accreditation. In addition, ACF operates the most comprehensive certification program for chefs in the United States, with the Certified Executive Chef, Certified Sous Chef and Certified Executive Pastry Chef designations the only culinary credentials accredited by the National Commission for Certifying Agencies. ACF is home to ACF Culinary Team USA, the official representative for the United States in major international culinary competitions, and to the Chef & Child Foundation, founded in 1989 to promote proper nutrition in children and to combat childhood obesity. For more information, visit www.acfchefs.org. Find ACF on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ACFChefs and on Twitter @ACFChefs.
