Walla Walla Community College culinary arts Student Kristin Swaggart wins ACF’s Be Like "Mike" Contest

Kristin Swaggart of Kennewick, Wash., a culinary-arts student at Walla Walla Community College, Walla Walla, Wash., was named winner of the American Culinary Federation’s (ACF) Be Like “Mike” contest and will shadow ACF National president Michael Ty, CEC, AAC, at the 2011 ACF National Convention, July 22-26, in Dallas. Airfare, accommodations and a full registration to the convention will be provided.

Swaggart was selected as winner of the Be Like “Mike” contest from four other semifinalists. Eligible applicants had to be either a first-, second- or third-year full-time culinary student enrolled in a degree-granting culinary program at a university or college, or an apprentice in an American Culinary Federation Education Foundation apprenticeship program; an ACF member; and at least 18 years old. Entrants had to submit a signed letter of endorsement from their department chair and/or school/apprenticeship director, as well as a 500-word essay describing why they aspire to be a culinary leader and how shadowing Ty at the 2011 ACF National Convention would help them reach their goal.

Swaggart, a member of ACF Northwest Wine Country Chapter, is pursuing her Associate in Applied Arts and Sciences Degree in Culinary Arts from Walla Walla Community College. She recently participated in ACF’s Western Regional Baron H. Galand Culinary Knowledge Bowl as a member of the Walla Walla Community College team. While the team did not claim the regional title of this “Jeopardy”-style tournament that tests students’ culinary knowledge, they represented their school and ACF chapter well against the other six competing teams.

The following applicants were semifinalists in the contest: Sierra Grden of Walla Walla, Wash., a student at Walla Walla Community College, and a member of ACF Northwest Wine Country Chapter; Ryan Manning of Burke, Va., a student at J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College, Richmond, Va., and apprentice at Colonial Williamsburg Foundation, Williamsburg, Va., and a member of ACF Virginia Chefs Association; Alijose Prieto of Davie, Fla., a student at McFatter Technical Center, Davie, and a member of Fort Lauderdale ACF Inc.; and Amy Ramirez of Roseville, Calif., a student at Institute of Technology, Citrus Heights, Calif., and a member of ACF California Capital Chefs Association.

Visit www.acfchefs.org. 

Women Chefs & Restaurateurs seeks nominations for 2011 Educator of the Year

Madison, Ala.-based Women Chefs & Restaurateurs is now accepting nominations for the annual Educator of the Year Award. Recipients will be honored during the Women Who Inspire Awards Gala on Sunday, November 6, 2011, during the 2011 WCR National Conference in Cambridge, Mass.  

This award recognizes excellence in culinary education and honors a woman whose dedication to teaching is making a difference to the culinary community. Former recipients are Brigid Flanigan (2010), Southern New Hampshire University, Manchester; Peggy Ryan (2009), the Kendall College School of Culinary Arts, Chicago; Louise Hoffman (2008), New York City College of Technology; and Eve Felder (2007), The Culinary Institute of America, Singapore.

A committee of culinary professionals will evaluate all entries and select the finalists for WCR's 2011 Educator of the Year based on the career and accomplishments of each nominee. WCR members will select the award winner from among finalists. Nominees do not have to be members of WCR to be eligible, and anyone may nominate a candidate.  Click here to make a nomination.

For your nomination to receive full consideration, please provide complete and thorough answers to all questions included on the online form. WCR will contact you if additional materials are needed to support your nomination. Materials such as press kits will not be considered. Do not send photos of the nominee; otherwise, she will be disqualified.

All nominations must be received no later than Friday, July 1, 2011, to be considered.

For more information or questions regarding a specific individual's eligibility, contact WCR at (877) 927-7787 or admin@womenchefs.org.

A.C.F. chapter, The Windy City Professional Culinarians, to host Third Annual Summer BBQ & Burger Throwdown

The Chicago chapter of the American Culinary Federation (ACF), The Windy City Professional Culinarians, along with Consumers Packing Company, are co-hosting the Third Annual Summer BBQ & Burger Throwdown on Monday, June 20, 2011 from 6:00pm - 9:00pm.

At the event, teams representing Chicago-area culinary schools will compete in a test of creativity and skill. The winning team will be awarded year long bragging rights to the "Best Burger" as decided by a panel of celebrity judges and an award of $500. Past winners are Technology Center of DuPage (2009) and Dominican University (2010). Attendees will vote for their favorite and the winner of the "People's Choice" award will win $250.

In addition to sampling all of the teams' burgers, an assortment of fruit, vegetable and green salads, and light appetizers will be available. And, to cap off this great evening, guests will enjoy a selection of desserts and ice cream.

Water and soft drinks are included, as are an assortment of beers and some unique cocktails for attendees with proof of age.
 
There will also be a 50/50 cash raffle. The owner of the winning raffle ticket will receive 50% of the raffle ticket sales. The other 50% will be used to support the ACF Regional Culinary Team.

Please register at www.acfwindycitychefs.org by June 17. Tickets are $25 for members, professionals and guests who register online by June 17; $15 for students with ID who register online by June 17; and $35 cash-only tickets will be available at the door the day of the event. The location of the event is as follows: Consumers Packing Company, 1301 Carson Drive, Melrose Park, IL 60160.

California sweeps culinary and management competitions at the 10th Annual National ProStart Invitational

Newport Harbor High School set a record by winning both the culinary and management competitions at the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation’s (NRAEF) 10th Annual National ProStart Invitational. The high school student teams from California were crowned champions on May 1, 2011 in Overland Park, Kan. The NRAEF and partner colleges and universities awarded more than $1.4 million in scholarships to the first- through fifth-place teams to pursue their education in foodservice and hospitality programs.

From left: Carlton Curtis, VP, Industry Affairs, Coca-Cola Foodservice and Chair of the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation, the 1st place culinary competition championship team from Newport Harbor High
School in California, and Dawn Sweeney, president and CEO of the National Restaurant Association and NRAEF.

The talented students from Newport Harbor High School beat out 315 other ProStart high school students from 40 states and territories to rise to the top. In the ten years since the National ProStart Invitational debuted, California is the first state to place first in both the culinary and management competitions.

From left: Carlton Curtis, VP, Industry Affairs, Coca-Cola Foodservice and Chair of the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation, the 1st place management competition championship team from Newport Harbor High
School in California, and Dawn Sweeney, president and CEO of the National Restaurant Association and NRAEF.

Olathe District Schools of Kansas earned second place honors, and South Forsyth High School of Georgia came in third place. Fourth place honors were awarded to Wando High School in South Carolina and Puyallup High School of Washington took home fifth place. In the culinary competition, teams prepared a starter, entrée and dessert within 60 minutes using only two butane burners, and were judged on categories including taste, knife skills, safety, sanitation and teamwork.

In the management competition, second place went to Cloudcroft High School of New Mexico. The team from Watauga High School in North Carolina won third place. Fourth and fifth places were awarded to Plymouth-Canton Educational Park of Michigan and Eastside High School in FL, respectively. Teams developed an original restaurant concept, and applied critical thinking skills to challenges restaurant managers face in day-to-day operations.

In 2011, more than $1 million in scholarships will be awarded to winning students on Sunday, May 1st. 

Visit www.prostart.restaurant.org.

Four students receive Faces of Diversity scholarships from National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation and PepsiCo Foodservice

On Tuesday, April 12, the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation (NRAEF) and partner PepsiCo Foodservice awarded four scholarships to future leaders in the restaurant industry as part of the 2011 Faces of Diversity Awards program. The $2,500 Faces of Diversity Scholarships were presented to students who have excelled academically at their respective colleges or universities and are pursuing careers and the restaurant and foodservice industry.

The program, created by the NRA in partnership with PepsiCo Foodservice, celebrates diversity in the restaurant and foodservice industry. The awards and scholarships were presented before hundreds of restaurateurs last week at the Association's annual Public Affairs Conference in Washington, D.C.

Xavier Teixido, NRAEF vice chair and owner of Harry’s Savoy Grill, presented the scholarships to the following students at the Faces of Diversity Awards ceremony: 

•  Dylan Flanders started his culinary education in high school as the president of his chapter of Skills U.S.A. and is now currently a freshman at Johnson & Wales. His strong passion for cooking and travel inspires him to travel to gain experience in international cuisine and using that expertise to eventually open his own restaurant in New York City. In addition to maintaining a 3.84 GPA, while in high school, Dylan also gave his time to work with autistic children in a horse riding program. The program supervisor described Dylan as one of those people you meet “once in a lifetime” because of his dedication, confidence and skill. 
• Gabrielle Jenkins is a freshman at Johnson & Wales Culinary Arts, Foodservice Management program. She worked hard in high school to earn her ProStart National Certificate of Achievement and hopes to apply those skills to being a chef and a restaurateur. Gabrielle gets her drive and passion from her father who, despite having multiple surgeries and health concerns, has always demonstrated courage and devotion to living life to the fullest. Her high school teacher speaks highly of Jenkins’ leadership and a tenacious work ethic and her ability to be both creative and organized. While doing an internship at the Rumor Mill in Maryland, Gabrielle was able to contribute menu items that received accolades from staff and was also part of the winning team at an employee cook-off contest.  
• Shantell Liberato is a junior working towards a degree in Restaurant Institutional Management at The Pennsylvania State University. Shantell’s success began in high school as she served as president of her class and exceeded academically. She is building her career in the foodservice industry because she wants to impact the lives of strangers in a positive way. Liberato believes “that understanding different backgrounds, cultures, morals, and beliefs should be the ultimate goal for everyone entering this industry.”
• Marvin Lopez, a freshman at Johnson & Wales, Marvin credits his father, who immigrated to the United States from Mexico, for teaching him the value of hard work and a positive attitude. Marvin has demonstrated that he has the capacity and commitment to be successful in this industry as a participant in the ProStart program, which gave him valuable competition experience on a national level. Someday Marvin hopes to own his own restaurant. 

Left to right: Doug Allison, senior director, PepsiCo Foodservice; Xavier Teixido, owner, Harry Savoy's Grill and vice chair of the Board of Trustees for the NRAEF; Shantell Liberato, scholarship winner from Penn State University; Gabrielle Jenkins, scholarship winner from Johnson & Wales; and Roz Mallet, president/CEO, PhaseNext Hospitality and vice chair of the Board of Directors for the NRA

NRAEF scholarships are made possible through the philanthropic support of individuals and corporations from all sectors of the restaurant, foodservice, hospitality and education industries. Five years after receiving their scholarships, more than 80 percent of NRAEF scholarship recipients are still studying and/or working in the foodservice industry. Visit www.nraef.org/scholarships or call 800.765.2122 ext. 6738.

For more information on the Faces of Diversity Awards program and this year's winners, visit www.restaurant.org/diversity.

Three chefs from Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts inducted into Chaîne des Rôtisseurs

At a dinner hosted at the school on Friday, February 25, three top chefs from the Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts [Orlando] were recently inducted as Professional Chef Rôtisseurs in the renowned French International Gastronomy Association, the Chaîne des Rôtisseurs.

The newly inducted Professional Chef Rôtisseurs include Chef Edward Leonard, CMC, executive chef, an accomplished author of seven culinary books and one of only 72 Certified Master Chefs (CMC) in the U.S; Chef Jean Rene Thiery, a chef instructor who has served as executive chef of three different restaurants in France and in the U.S. and began his culinary career at the age of 18. He received a diploma of French Master Pastry Chef in 1981; and Chef Richard Barth, lead culinary instructor.

Left to right: Chef Barth, Chef Leonard and Chef Thiery

 This is a significant occasion for Le Cordon Bleu as the Chaîne actively encourages the raising of catering standards and the training of future chefs. In addition, the national chapter of Chaîne des Rôtisseurs provided a $1,000 scholarship to the college.

For more information, visit www.Chefs.edu.

The Foundation of the National Association of Catering Executives to award $20,000 in undergraduate scholarships this year

the Foundation of the National Association of Catering Executives (NACE) has expanded its Vince DeFinis Scholarship program for undergraduate students and will award $20,000 in undergraduate scholarships to five students in summer 2011.

 

A total of five presentations will be made at the NACE annual convention, Experience! 2011, in Reno-Tahoe. The Foundation will award the $10,000 Vince DeFinis Scholarship grant, as well as four, $2,500 Foundation Scholarship Awards. Students must maintain a 3.0 GPA and be enrolled as a full-time student to be eligible for the scholarship. The recipient will also receive complimentary student membership in the National Association of Catering Executives.

 

Applicants must be currently enrolled as a full-time student (12 credits or more) in an accredited hospitality, culinary or related program. Students must have completed 60 credits to be eligible. Judging will be based on an essay and two letters of reference, which must be included in the application. All applications must be submitted by May 1, 2011. The winners will be announced at the NACE Experience! conference, July 24-27, in Reno-Tahoe.

 

Students who are interested in applying for the scholarship may find more information at http://www.nace.net/galleries/education-documents/2011%20Application.pdf. DeFinis, who died in December 2007, was one of the co-founders of NACE and a visionary in the field of catering and special events. On June 3, 1958 in New York City, DeFinis helped found the Banquet Managers Guild, which would grow to become the National Association of Catering Executives. He spent his entire career dedicated to the profession and to seeing that NACE properly reflected and served its members. The scholarship honoring DeFinis was launched in 2008.

 

For more information, call 410-290-5410 or visit www.nace.net.

Allen High School and Prosper High School win Texas ProStart Invitational

On March 5, nine culinary arts teams and 14 restaurant management teams met in Austin at Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts to compete in the state finals of the Texas ProStart Invitational. Allen High School took first place in the culinary competition and Prosper High School placed first in the restaurant management competition.

The Texas ProStart Invitational was hosted by the Texas Restaurant Association Education Foundation. Only students enrolled in high school culinary arts programs utilizing the Texas ProStart program and curriculum were eligible to compete in the Invitational. 

The state competition capped off a month of competitions held across the state. Thirty-four culinary teams participated in regional culinary competitions in Dallas, Houston and San Antonio. The top three teams from each regional competition participated in the state competition.  Fourteen management teams competed at the same time, making for a very exciting day in high school culinary arts!

Winning culinary team, Allen High School

The Allen High School culinary team of Lucas Trahan, Matthew Konrad, Samantha March and Hillary Scott, led by their instructor Jordan Swim took first prize. Judges were impressed by their tasty cuisine and excellent team work. Their menu featured Thai Tortilla Soup with Lime Poached Shrimp; Spiced Flat Iron Steak with a Sweet Potato Jalapeno Gallete; and Crepe Gateau with Texas Grapefruit, Pineapple Mint Mousse and a Black Raspberry Reduction. Teams participating in the culinary competition were required to demonstrate their creative abilities through the preparation of a three-course meal in only 60 minutes. Others areas they were judged on were knife skills, chicken fabrication and safety and sanitation.

Restaurant management winning team, Prosper High School

Prosper High School’s restaurant management team of Jessica Ford, Sara Nichols, Kelli Smith and Kristi Stiles, led by instructor Katie Garms, placed first in the restaurant management competition with their 50’s-themed Jivin’ Jukebox diner concept. Teams participating in the restaurant management competition demonstrated their knowledge of the restaurant and foodservice industry by developing a restaurant proposal, delivering a verbal presentation and applying critical thinking skills to challenges managers face in day-to-day operations.

More than $125,000 in scholarships was awarded to the winning teams courtesy of the International Culinary Schools at the Art Institutes, the Culinary Institute of America, Le Cordon Bleu and Johnson & Wales University.

Now the two teams will travel to Kansas to compete in the National ProStart Invitational April 29.

State Competition Results

Culinary

First Place             Allen High School, Allen, Texas

Second Place        Jefferson Davis High School, Houston, Texas

Third Place            Westside High School, Houston, Texas

Management

First Place             Prosper High School, Prosper, Texas

Second Place        Plano East High School, Plano, Texas

Third Place            Allen High School, Allen, Texas

The Texas ProStart Invitational competition was sponsored by: Auto-Chlor, Texas Beef Council, Texas Gas Service and US Foodservice. For more information, visit www.restaurantville.com.

Regional president of The Chef's Academy, Jayson M. Boyers, joins N.C. Hospitality Education Foundation

The Chef’s Academy, the Culinary Division of Harrison College, has announced that regional president Jayson M. Boyers has joined the North Carolina Hospitality Education Foundation (NC HEF). The nonprofit organization was established in 2003 by the North Carolina Restaurant and Lodging Association (NCRLA) to provide the resources necessary to build an educated, strong and committed workforce for the state’s hospitality and tourism industry. The NC HEF provides scholarships and grants to assist individuals who are pursuing educational programs in the hospitality and tourism fields.

Jayson M. Boyers

“I am proud to join the N.C. Hospitality Education Foundation,” said Boyers. “I have devoted much of my professional career to the advancement of education in the hospitality industry, and this new opportunity will allow me further involvement in improving education for this workforce.”

For more information regarding the NC Hospitality Education Foundation, visit http://www.ncrla.biz/displaycommon.cfm?an=2. For more information about The Chef’s Academy, visit http://www.thechefsacademy.com.

Calling all culinary students: InsPEARational recipe competition now accepting entries

USA Pears has issued a challenge to all post-secondary culinary school students to enter an insPEARational recipe competition. Students must create an original recipe using any fresh USA Pear variety (Bartlett, Anjou, Comice, Seckel, Concorde, Forelle, Bosc, Starkrimson) in the following categories: breakfast, salad, soup, appetizer, side dish, entrée, dessert. Enter online by March 31, 2011 at www.usapears.org/students.aspx

All entries will be judged based on prominent use of fresh USA Pears, originality, creativity, taste/texture, and appearance. Three semi-finalists will receive an all-expense paid trip to Portland, Oregon to prepare their dish for a panel of professional judges. Grand prize is $2,500 cash for the student, plus the student’s culinary department will receive $250 for supplies or scholarship fund. Second place winners will receive $1,000 cash and third place, $500 cash.

The goal of the contest is to reward future culinary professionals for their creativity and demonstrate the versatility of fresh pears across all menu and day parts. The 2010 winner, Keith Paugh of The Texas Culinary Academy was chosen for his savory “Pear and Scallops” creation.

 

For more information, visit www.usapears.org.

The French Pastry School's For the Love of Chocolate gala raises $70,000 in scholarships

The 6th annual For the Love of Chocolate Gala welcomed over 900 guests and raised over $70,000 in scholarships to benefit the students of The French Pastry School of Kennedy-King College at the City Colleges of Chicago. 

Dancing through the main entrance the DJ’s beats, guests were immediately greeted with a drink served by charming ladies in dresses made of lipstick-red cocktail napkins. This was Cocoa Candy Land, decorated with Willy Wonka colors, populated by delightfully quirky performers, and featuring the delectable Barry Callebaut chocolate bar.

Mouthwatering desserts in Cocoa Cuisine

Setting out to explore, the guests in Cocoa Candy Land would find chef contributors including Sara Lee Corporation, Boka, Whimsical Candy, Rare Bird Preserves, Nick’s Fishmarket & Grill, Julius Meinl, Le Flour Bakery, Marriott Hotel, and Hotel Sofitel.
 

Redmoon Theater's Marie Antoinette serves chocolate cake to guests

Also wandering through the event were two women fashioned as Marie Antoinette serving the guests chocolate cake from their magnificently-draped, table-sized dresses. The indulgent cake was made by Chef Sherry Yard of Spago, Wolfgang Puck’s famous Beverly Hills restaurant.
 

Just a step away was Cocoa Cuisine, a palace-like room sparkling with culinary jewels like Rick Bayless of Frontera Grill, Blackbird’s Paul Kahan and Patrick Fahy, Vie’s Paul Virant, Everest’s Jean Joho, Jason McLeod of Ria and Balsan, Graham Elliot’s Graham Elliot Bowles, Dave Danielson of Behind the Scenes Catering, the Peninsula’s Kai Lermen, and many others. Venturing on to the Cocoa Lounge, guests were entranced by the beguiling tones of a jazz chanteuse, the wildly popular Grand Marnier concoctions and sweet treats from Sweet Vee’s Laboratory.

Upon entering the exotic confines of Cocoa Sutra, guests were able to admire a grand culinary tapestry woven together by everything from Zarlengo’s Italian Ice to Labriola Bakery to Sweet Whimsy Pastry Shop. These gastronomic sensations were enhanced by hypnotizing Indo-Arabic rock that played while some guests sampled the fare, others relaxed in the hookah lounge and still others had their fortunes told by psychics.
 

Chefs Jacquy Pfeiffer and Sebastian Canonne, M.O.F. with Joe Trummer of Sara Lee Corporation, a sponsor of For the Love of Chocolate Foundation

The event was filled with local celebrities like Ginger Zee of NBC, Mai Martinez of CBS, Rochelle Vayo Adknison of WGN-TV, and Mrs. Illinois, all decked out in chocolate dresses designed by such Chefs as Chris Thielman from College of Dupage, Brady Braden of B True Bakery, Cheryl Brookhouzen of The Marriott, and Norm Miller of Normy’s Confection Connection.
 

The foundation and gala could not exist without the many generous sponsors and donors that make these grants possible for future students of the pastry arts. The seventh annual For the Love of Chocolate Gala, already in the planning process, will take place on February 4, 2012: mark your calendars now, and keep current with details on next year’s amazing event and the work of the eponymous foundation by visiting www.fortheloveofchocolatefoundation.org.

NRAEF launches fundraising for ProStart program

The National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation (NRAEF) has launched a fundraising initiative for its ProStart program – a two-year, culinary arts and restaurant management education program for high school students – with the goal of raising $3 million in 2011. Donations will provide the essential funds needed to strengthen this unparalleled, industry-driven program, and establish a solid foundation upon which to grow the program significantly in the next five years from its current base of 90,000 students.

Fundraising efforts, under the leadership of Carlton Curtis, Vice Chair of the NRAEF Board of Trustees and an executive at The Coca-Cola Company, have made significant progress, with more than $1 million in donations secured to-date. Supporters across the industry, from operators and manufacturers to distributors and service providers, have made their commitments to ProStart for 2011.

“I encourage the industry to join us in supporting the ProStart program. It is a proven, high-impact program that has changed the lives of countless students and the industry at large,” said Doug Brooks, Chairman of the Board, President and CEO, Brinker International, Inc. “No other program so effectively brings the restaurant industry and the classroom together to provide students and teachers with access to relevant, real-world educational opportunities.”

If you are interested in supporting the program, please contact the NRAEF at 800-765-2122 or visit www.prostart.restaurant.org.

National Restaurant Association partners with Aspen University for online restaurant management degree

Building on its range of career-building training programs, the National Restaurant Association (NRA) has partnered with Aspen University on a new undergraduate degree in foodservice operations and management. This collaboration provides undergraduate degree-seeking individuals an affordable education that focuses on restaurant business administration and front-of-house operations. The NRA is committed to developing careers for the industry's nearly 13 million employees.

"The comprehensive restaurant operations and management degree at Aspen University was developed specifically to fit the workforce characteristics of our industry," Mike McCallum, NRA's chief strategy officer, said in a press release. "The degree is flexible, entirely online, very affordable, and incorporates the association's existing educational programs, including ServSafe and ManageFirst. By obtaining this degree, students and restaurant workers can build strong foundations for their foodservice careers in our industry of opportunity."

Employees at NRA member organizations receive a 50 percent discount on tuition and pay only $90 per credit hour when seeking a bachelors of science in foodservice operations and restaurant management at Aspen University. Additionally, federal financial aid is available for students who qualify.

Aspen will donate 15 percent of all collected tuition to the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation (NRAEF) to support scholarships to students, professional development for teachers and mentorship.

The degree incorporates the NRA's well-established training programs and certifications--ServSafe Food Safety, ServSafe Alcohol, ManageFirst and the Foodservice Management Professional--transferred into the degree as credit, or earned as requirements of the degree program. Association member organizations with their own training programs will be able to submit their curricula to Aspen for evaluation of course credits.

Aspen University is accredited by the Accrediting Commission of the Distance Education and Training Council (DETC). The Accrediting Commission of the DETC is listed by the U.S. Department of Education as a nationally recognized accrediting agency and is a recognized member of the Council for Higher Education Accreditation. For more information, visit www.restaurant.org/careers/education/schools/aspen or www.aspen.edu.

Chefs prepare for test of a lifetime

Twelve chefs from across the country will convene in the kitchens at The Culinary Institute of America (CIA), Hyde Park, N.Y., Oct. 23 to 30 for the American Culinary Federation's (ACF) eight-day Certified Master Chef (CMC) exam.

The last CMC exam was held four years ago. There are currently 60 CMCs and 12 Certified Master Pastry Chefs (CMPC) in the United States. In order for chefs to apply for the CMC exam, they must show documentation that they are a Certified Executive Chef or Certified Culinary Educator, provide two letters or recommendation from current CMCs and meet rigorous education and experience requirements. The practical exam is administered in eight segments: healthy cooking, buffet catering, classical cuisine, freestyle cooking, global cuisine, baking and pastry, continental and northern Europe cuisines and market basket. Each category is graded in two parts: kitchen skills and presentation, and tasting. The minimum passing score for the entire exam is 75 points out of 100.

The 2010 CMC candidates are:

• Brian Beland, CEC, executive chef, Country Club of Detroit, Grosse Pointe Farms, Mich.; ACF Michigan Chefs de Cuisine Association
• Daniel Dumont, CEC, vice president of culinary/corporate chef, Ocean Properties Ltd. Hotels and Resorts, Portsmouth., N.H.; ACF Piscataqua Chapter
• Randall Emert, CEC, CCA, executive chef, Great Oaks Country Club, Rochester, Mich.; ACF Michigan Chefs de Cuisine Association
• Jason Hall, CEC, executive chef, Hammock Dunes Club, Palm Coast, Fla.; ACF St. Augustine Chapter
• Shawn Hanlin, CEC, executive director, Oregon Coast Culinary Institute, Coos Bay, Ore.; ACF Bay Area Chefs Association of Oregon
• Shawn Loving, CEC, CCA, department chair/instructor, Schoolcraft College Culinary Arts Department, Livonia, Mich.; ACF Michigan Chefs de Cuisine Association
• Robert Mancuso, CEC, executive chef, The Country Club, Chestnut Hill, Mass.; ACF Epicurean Club of Boston
• Jonathan Moosmiller, CEC, executive chef, Genesee Valley Club, Rochester, N.Y.; ACF Professional Chef/Cooks Association of Rochester
• Alan Neace Sr., CEC, AAC, culinary instructor, Midwest Culinary Institute, Cincinnati
• Richard Rosendale, CEC, executive chef, The Greenbrier, White Sulphur Springs; ACF National Chapter
• Brian Sode, CEC, AAC, executive chef, The Bear's Club, Jupiter, Fla.; ACF National Chapter
• John Thompson, CEC, executive chef, Minneapolis Club, Minneapolis; ACF Minneapolis Chefs Chapter
  

For more information about the 2010 CMC exam, visit www.acfchefs.org/cmcexam. ACF will announce which chefs earned the CMC designation on its website Oct. 30.

NRA seeking speakers for '11 Show and IWSB

The National Restaurant Association (NRA) is calling on restaurant and hospitality industry experts to submit speaker proposals for the 2011 NRA Restaurant, Hotel-Motel Show and International Wine, Spirits & Beer Event (IWSB). The events will feature more than 80 education sessions on industry hot topics aimed at helping foodservice professionals grow their businesses.

Those interested can send proposals under five categories: jobs and careers, profitability and entrepreneurship, food and healthy living, sustainability and social responsibility and technology. Proposals are due before Dec. 1 and may be submitted online at www.restaurant.org/show or at www.winespiritsbeer.org.

NRA Show 2011 will take place May 21 to 24 at Chicago's McCormick Place. IWSB will be held in conjunction with the NRA Show May 22 to 23.

Healthy Dining launches restaurant nutrition resource

In partnership with the National Restaurant Association (NRA) and founding sponsor American Express, Healthy Dining launched an online nutrition resource for foodservice called "Restaurant Nutrition: News & Insights for the Foodservice Industry."

"Restaurant Nutrition: News & Insights" features a variety of content on nutrition issues affecting the industry today, with topics such as complying with new menu labeling regulations, reducing sodium, calories and fat, improving the healthfulness of kids' meals, offering a gluten-free menu, and capitalizing on growing wellness trends. The new resource also features weekly interviews with industry executives and marketing and culinary leaders. The first interview is with NRA president and CEO Dawn Sweeney.

"Restaurant Nutrition: News & Insights" can be found at www.healthydiningfinder.com/operators and at www.restaurantnutrition.com.

September 'Culinary Nutrition News' examines organic claims

Organic. Natural. Local. Sustainable. These terms are ubiquitous in the foodservice industry today, though there is still plenty of confusion about what they truly mean. The September issue of "Culinary Nutrition News: Organic, Natural, Local and Sustainable: Trends or Mainstays?" helps define the terms, explains the different types of organic classification and offers examples of restaurants leading the movement. The article, presented by the American Culinary Federation Chef & Child Foundation (CCF) and Clemson University, Clemson, S.C., is now available for download at www.acfchefs.org/CNN.

In the article, author Dr. Margaret Condrasky, R.D., CCE, of Clemson University, discusses the pros and cons of conventional vs. organic farming and gives examples of organic fruits and vegetables that you should consider purchasing, including bell peppers and celery, because they have little or no protective skin, and apples, nectarines and peaches because they are plagued with pests and are exposed to more pesticides.

The American Culinary Federation's Chef & Child Foundation and Clemson University partnered in May 2009 to offer a series of monthly articles designed to bridge the nutrition gap for chefs by providing up-to-date research information. Upcoming topics include genetically modified foods, medicinal herbs and spices and quality carbohydrates.

National Food Safety Education Month kicks off with training tools and posters

September is National Food Safety Education Month. This campaign from the National Restaurant Association focuses on the importance of food safety education for the restaurant and foodservice industry, while raising awareness of the industry's commitment to food safety. The theme of this year's National Food Safety Education Month is "High-Risk Customers: Serve Your Fare with Extra Care."

The program offers five weeks of free training materials, available for download at www.servsafe.com/nfsem. The weekly training activities and posters can be used to supplement existing in-unit food safety training. All materials reinforce the theme and focus on the special needs of children, pregnant women, the elderly and people with weak immune systems.

The curriculum for National Food Safety Education Month is broken down into five weekly themes, with each theme stressing a different aspect of food safety and high-risk customers. These themes cover topics such as recognizing high-risk customers, children and food safety risk, foods to avoid, minimum internal cooking temperatures and food safety risk factors.

All NFSEM materials are based on the National Restaurant Association's ServSafe food safety training and certification program. The materials communicate food-safety concepts efficiently and all the activities can be completed in less than 10 minutes.

ACF presents Russman with True Spirit Award

The American Culinary Federation's (ACF) Chef and Child Foundation selected Nancy Russman, director of culinary arts at Jefferson Community and Technical College, Louisville, Ky., to receive the 2010 True Spirit Award. The award is presented once a year to a person or ACF chapter that has demonstrated extraordinary efforts to aid children.


Russman (pictured, above) received the True Spirit Award in recognition of her dedication to educating children about healthy eating. When she isn't teaching, Russman works at local nonprofit organizations such as the Family Scholar House, New Directions Housing and Home of the Innocents. She recently published a cookbook for children entitled Chef Nancy's Kids' Club Cookbook (2009, Butler Books).

"I feel so honored to receive this award, but there is still much work to be done," Russman said in a statement. "Our children are facing an epidemic which we must face head on. I've seen firsthand that teaching children to eat healthy not only benefits their health, but also their self esteem and self worth. I consider it my mission to make sure that happens."

ACF selects Culinary Youth Team USA

After several days of hot- and cold-food competitions, the American Culinary Federation (ACF) has selected a team of students from the Oregon Coast Culinary Institute at Southwestern Oregon Community College, Coos Bay, Ore., to represent the U.S. in international culinary competitions as ACF Culinary Youth Team USA. The tryouts took place during the 2010 ACF National Convention in Anaheim, Calif., Aug. 2 to 5.

ACF Culinary Youth Team USA (l to r): Maddie Cutts, Brittney Cummings, Edalyn Garcia, Reilly Meehan and Alfonso Mendoza

ACF Culinary Youth Team USA--which is made up of students Maddie Cutts, Brittney Cummings, Edalyn Garcia, Reilly Meehan and Alfonso--will represent the U.S. through 2012 in international competitions, including the 2012 Internationale Kochkunst Ausstellung or "Culinary Olympics," taking place in Erfurt, Germany. The team will be managed by Alex Darvishi, CEC, AAC, executive chef at Houston Country Club.