Kendall students win regional Culinary Knowledge Bowl

On March 26 a five-student team from the School of Culinary Arts at Kendall College, Chicago, won the Baron H. Galand Culinary Knowledge Bowl and earn gold medals at the American Culinary Federation's (ACF) 2010 Central Regional Conference in Indianapolis on March 26.

The Kendall team, consisting of Allison Chikos, Erika Giffin, Sarah Roberts, Jacquie Wallner and Edward Whitney, beat out 11 teams from foodservice-training programs at schools throughout ACF's Central Region. The team will compete for the title of national ACF Baron H. Galand Culinary Knowledge Bowl winner against three other winning regional teams at the 2010 ACF National Convention in Anaheim, Calif., Aug. 2 to 5.

The Baron H. Galand Culinary Knowledge Bowl tests culinary students' knowledge through a "Jeopardy"-style subjects grid that includes culinary, baking, nutrition, sanitation and math questions as well as sensory perception. For more information, visit www.acfchefs.org.

RCA announces '10 award winners

The Research Chefs Association (RCA) announced its 2010 award winners at the RCA Annual Luncheon on March 20, during the association’s Annual Conference & Culinary Expo. Each year, the RCA presents awards that recognize the industry's most dedicated and influential members.

President's Awards

• Darryl L. Holliday, Louisiana State University
• Robin Schempp, Right Stuff Enterprises
• Robert Danhi, Chef Danhi & Co., Mortar & Press
• Chef Kurt Stiles, Pure Living
  

Pioneer Award
Michael Lonteen, CEC, Custom Culinary Inc.

Lifetime Achievement Award
Dr. Jerald Chesser, CEC, FMP, CCE, AAC, The Collins College of Hospitality Management at California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, Calif.

This year the RCA also held a Student Culinology Competition, in which six student teams competed for first prize and $5,000 cash. Each team developed a frozen, restaurant-quality gourmet vegetarian meal for a fictional retail grocery chain, which had to be inspired by Southwestern cuisine. The winning team prepared a blue corn tortilla stuffed with black beans and quinoa accompanied by chipotle roasted potatoes and Southwestern succotash with a roasted red pepper and chimichurri sauce.

The winners were:

First place
Johnson & Wales University--Providence, R.I.

Second place
University of Cincinnati

Third place
University of Guelph, Ontario, Canada

The 2011 RCA Annual Conference and Culinology Expo is scheduled to take place next March in Atlanta. For more information, visit www.culinology.org.

IBIE '10 launching comprehensive education program

The International Baking Industry Exposition (IBIE) 2010, which takes place in Las Vegas Sept. 26 to 29, is launching a comprehensive educational conference to take place during the expo. The seminar program now includes 57 sessions on such topics as baking technology, food safety and security, business management and marketing, cake and cooking decorating, artisan bread making and healthy baking. More than 700 exhibitors will showcase new technologies, equipment and products to help attendees from the grain-based foods industry strengthen their competitive position and find new opportunities to maximize profits.

IBIE is sponsored by AIB International, the Retail Bakers of America, The Bread Bakers Guild of America, the Tortilla Industry Association, the American Bakers Association and Bakery Equipment Manufacturers and Allieds. Visit www.bakingexpo.org for more information.

JWU dean addresses Food Protection Conference

At the 2010 Conference for Food Protection in Providence, R.I., local, state and federal regulatory officials, food industry representatives, academia and consumer groups convened on April 10 to address critical issues impacting food in the United States and established recommendations to be submitted to the FDA.

As a host for part of the conference, Johnson & Wales University (JWU) dean of culinary education Karl Guggenmos, CMC, presented the keynote address. His topic was "Behavior-Based Food Safety Issues." Priority issues addressed at the conference included: grocery seafood advisory for women of childbearing age and children, notification for consumers of packaged food recalls and provisions for greater guidance regarding food allergens.

In collaboration with Rep. Patrick Kennedy's (D--R.I.) office, JWU received a grant in 2009 from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for its Gold Standard for Food Safety initiative, aimed at educating food service professionals, consumers and children on minimizing their risk of food-borne illness.

For more information about the Conference for Food Protection 2010, visit www.foodprotect.org.

NRAEF's 2010 Ted J. Balestreri Leadership Classic benefits scholarship program

The National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation (NRAEF) raised more than $115,000 at its 18th annual Ted J. Balestreri Leadership Classic to benefit the NRAEF Scholarship Program, which provides scholarships for more than 800 students each year. At this year's sold-out event, held on the Monterey Peninsula in California, March 10 to 13, 125 leading restaurant and foodservice operators and suppliers came together for golf and a live wine and lifestyles auction, which was hosted by the Monterey Wine Educational Foundation.

Chef David Duron (second from right) from The Inn at Spanish Bay gets help from Pacific Grove high school ProStart students in preparing a meal for attendees of the NRAEF Ted J. Balestreri Leadership Classic

Among the event highlights, four ProStart students from Pacific Grove High School, Pacific Grove, Calif., joined the executive chef team of The Inn at Spanish Bay Pebble Beach resort to prepare a three-course meal that was served during the event's live auction.

Pastry Chicago announces third annual Amateur Cookie Contest

Pastry Chicago will hold its third annual Amateur Cookie Contest on May 1 at Whole Foods Market. This year's theme is "California Raisins." The French Pastry School will provide a presentation and demonstration by one of its chef-educators for the educational seminar, which takes place during the judging portion of the event.

Culinary students and amateur bakers can submit entries through April 23. Only the first 25 entries will be accepted for the competition. The rules and registration form are available in PDF form here.

Chef-instructor selected for ACF Culinary Team USA

After successfully competing in the hot-food and cold-food competitions, six chefs were selected for American Culinary Federation (ACF) Culinary Team USA for savory. Among them is Timothy Bucci, CEC, CCE, CHE, chef/professor at Joliet Junior College, Joliet, Ill., and 2009 ACF Chef Educator of the Year.

The six chefs will represent the United States at the Culinary World Cup in Luxembourg this November and the 2012 International Culinary Art Exhibition (IKA) in Erfurt, Germany. Judges evaluated presentation and layout, composition and harmony of ingredients, correct preparation and craftsmanship and serving methods and portions. The following chefs will join chef Bucci on ACF Culinary Team USA:

• Anthony “Ben” Grupe, sous chef at the St. Louis Country Club, St. Louis
• Joseph Leonardi, CEC, executive chef at the Somerset Club, Boston
• Timothy Prefontaine, CEC, executive chef at the Fort Worth Club, Fort Worth, Texas
• James “Kevin” Storm, CEC, CCA, AAC, executive chef at Bellerive Country Club, St. Louis
• Eddie Tancredi, sous chef at New Albany Country Club, New Albany, Ohio