Academy Connection: April, 2017
Volume XVII, Issue 3 April, 2017
2017 SPONSORS
Greetings American Academy of Chefs Fellow Chef,
Grand Platinum "Fore"
Greetings, Chefs and Fellows:
What a great time of year--everything is in bloom, the grass is
getting green, and the golf course looks very inviting. I can't wait to
get out and hit a few!
First and foremost, thank you all for the kind birthday wishes on
Facebook a couple days back; however, it wasn't my birthday! I tried
to remove the incorrect information, but I guess I will need to call an IT guy for some
assistance. Anyway, thank you all very much and I will be looking for the same amount of
greetings in August when my real birthday rolls around (ha!).
Platinum
Our annual Regional Dinners are just memories now, and I must say very fond memories,
as both dinners were superb.
We're now looking forward to our annual Induction and Dinner. This year's dinner, like last
year's, will be held on site and hopefully will be a short walk from our hotel rooms. We will be
reviewing the menu and wine selections very soon, and we will share this information with
you once confirmed. Invitations should be arriving at your homes during the first week of
May. Please don't hesitate to call Faith to get your reservation and tickets as soon as
possible, however, please check our website for other important information about this
year's Academy festivities as well. Once again, we will be playing a nine-hole scramble
event immediately following the Spouses Lunch. After golf and the awarding of prizes, we
will enjoy a casual BBQ to which everyone is invited. Last year we had a great time and
although my foursome took the long way home, we found time to share some laughs and a
have lot of fun.
Gold Silver In other news, thanks goes to those who have made generous donations to our operating
fund. If you have not yet made your tax-deductible donation, please do not hesitate to give
us a call and get the ball rolling. Your generous donation is used to defray the costs
associated with running the office, our regional and annual dinners, and numerous other
expenses. I was thrilled to see so many chapters "step up" at the regional conferences by
donating to the fund. It is a great way for you to support your chapter members and
Academy fellows.
B ronze
Speaking of support, our annual commemorative dinner journal has advertising space and
patron opportunities for you to honor our new inductees. The program is a great way to
thank and congratulate your fellow AAC members, award winners, honorary inductees, and
our newest Academy fellows. Please review the information provided in this issue of the
Connection or call Faith in the office.
Our annual meeting for all Academy fellows will take place in Orlando, Florida. During the
meeting we will be introducing you to our 2017 Inductees and Honorary Inductees, our
annual Award winners, and our newest Hall of Fame members. We were overwhelmed by
the nominations we received this year for the Hall of Fame. It was a fantastic group of
Academy fellows. Selection is taking place as we prepare this issue, and we will have
results very soon to share with everyone.
Our annual Academy Board of Directors meeting will take place on Sunday afternoon, July
9. If you are member of our board, please forward your reports to Faith as soon as possible
and plan on attending the meeting. During the meeting we will continue to review our
Policies and Procedures, budget, and many other pertinent matters.
If you can't make it this year, please contact Faith and she will share the Agenda items with
you - you may want to review them and submit comments to her before the meeting, even
though you are unable to attend.
Congratulations to the St. Louis Chapter on another successful Academy dinner! This year's
dinner was held at the Meadow Brook Country Club where Mike Bush, CEC, is the
Executive Chef. Rico and I were both in attendance, and we enjoyed absolutely everything.
It was especially wonderful to see so many great Chefs in one room, and it's always a thrill
to see the camaraderie ACF Chefs share with one another. The local chapters all over the
U.S. are the backbone of ACF. They provide for local schools, apprentices, competitions,
and much more, all done together as one big happy group. It was a privilege and a pleasure
to be a part of this group for the day.
On June 2, 2017, an Academy Dinner will be held at the University of Southern California.
Our hosts will be Chef Robert Philips and Chef Eric Ernst. We've been in contact with both
of these gifted Chefs, and they're in the planning stages of a wonderful dinner and
fundraising gathering for the Academy. See below for details. As Rico and I are running uncontested, our Nominations and Elections Chair, as well as our
Academy Board have made a cost-effective decision to release our ballots through the
national office as opposed to a very costly third party. This will, in effect, will save a
considerable amount of money. Ballots will be forwarded by our AAC administrator and then
returned and tallied by our Finance Team. We shall address these issues at our next Board
Meeting and adjust our policies and procedures accordingly. I'd like to take this opportunity
to sincerely thank you for the great faith you have placed in Rico and me to lead for another
two years.
I'm looking forward to seeing you all very soon.
Respectfully,
Friends
All Regional Conferences Empire Merchants
Heritage Wine
Cellars
M Slavin & Sons
Mark Mark Wright, CEC®, AAC® Chair, American Academy of Chefs 2017 Tentative American Academy of Chefs Inductees
NORTHEAST
Gloria M. Cabral, CWPC, CCE
ACF Rhode Island Chapter
Sponsored by: Linda S. Musch, CCE, AAC; Michael J. Harants, CEC, CCE, AAC
MaryAnn P. Kiernan, CCC, CCE, MBA
ACF Syracuse New York Chapter
Sponsored by: Fritz Sonnenschmidt, CMC, AAC; Mark A. Mistriner, CEC, AAC
Thomas Kiernan, CEC
ACF Syracuse New York Chapter
Sponsored by: Scott E. Steiner, CCE, AAC; William J. Tillinghast, CEC, AAC,
MBA
Richard A. Panzera, CEC, CCE
ACF Pittsburgh Chapter
Sponsored by: Byron J. Bardy, CMC, AAC; Arthurs S. Inzinga, CEC, CCE, AAC
Gerard A. Prevost, CEC, CCE
White Mountain Chapter of the ACF
Sponsored by: Wilfred R. Beriau, CEC, CCE, AAC; Brian M. Coffey, AAC
SOUTHEAST
Bruce R. Christensen, CEC, CCA
ACF Chefs of the Low Country
Sponsored by: Ronald L. Andrews, CEC, AAC; Jean Yves A. Vendeville, CEPC,
AAC
Nancy L. Geddes, CEC
ACF Virginia Chefs Association
Sponsored by: Hans J. Schadler, CEC, AAC; Ted Kristensen, CEC, AAC
Gary R. Klinefelter, CEC
ACF Virgin Island Chefs and Cooks Association
Sponsored by: James T. Thomas, CEC, AAC; Roland E. Schaeffer, CEC, AAC,
HOF
Lisa M. Ramsey, CEC, CEPC
ACF Middle Tennessee Chapter
Sponsored by: Stafford T. DeCambra, CEC, CCE, CCA, AAC; Michael R. Osborne,
CEC, AAC.
Donald E. Sedivy, Jr., CEC
ACF Palm Beach County Chefs Association
Sponsored by: Dominick Laudia CEC, AAC; Roderick G. Smith, AAC
Denny Trantham, CEC, CCA, MBA
ACF North Carolina Chapter
Sponsored by: Thomas J. Macrina, CEC, CCA, AAC; Jeff Bacon, CEC, CCA, AAC
Peter F. Vossenberg, CEC, CCE, CCA
ACF Central Florida Association
Sponsored by: Roger W. Newell, CEC, CCE, CCA, AAC; Joseph J. Hardiman,
HAAC
CENTRAL
Anthony D. Haacke, CEC
Chefs de Cuisine Association of St. Louis Inc
Sponsored by: Brian A. Hardy, CEC, CCA, AAC; Christopher A. Desens, CEC,
CCA, AAC
John Reed, CEC, CCA
Chefs & Culinary Professionals of Chicagoland
Sponsored by: Michael H. Garbin, CEC, AAC; John Kaufmann, CEC, AAC, HOF
Jim M. Tinkham, CEC
ACF Greater Kansas City Chefs Association
Sponsored by: Mark E. Webster, CEC, CCE, AAC; Paul Santaularia, CEC, CCE,
AAC
WESTERN
Richard A. Reilly, CEC, CCA
ACF Orange Empire Chefs & Professional Cooks Association
Sponsored by: Michael L. Minor, CEC, AAC; Murat Day, CEC, AAC
2017 American Academy of Chefs Honorary Candidates for Induction
Jim Binner
National Director of Sales
Lactalis Culinary
Buffalo, New York
Sponsored by Louis Venezia, CEC, AAC, HOF
Jorge F. Estela
Southeast Division Manager
Zonin 1821
North Miami Beach, Florida
Sponsored by: Rene Marquis, CEC, CCE, CCA, AAC
Paul S. Haar, JD
Jurisconsult des États-Unis, La Confrérie de la Châine des Rôtisseurs
Immigration Counsel, PLLC
Washington, DC
Sponsored by: Michael Ty, CEC, AAC
Johan T. Meinke, CEC
Executive Chef - Retired
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Sponsored by: Richard R. Chene, CEC, AAC,
and Timothy E. Tain, CEC, CCE, AAC
Claude D. Mongeau, CEC
Senior Chef - Retired
Saint Albans, Vermont
Sponsored by: Thomas J. Macrina, CEC, CCA, AAC
Jan Osipowicz Executive Chef
Tucson,Arizona
Sponsored by: Michael H. Garbin, CEC, AAC
and Elizabeth B. Mikesell, CEC, AAC
Steven Senick
Retired Executive Chef
Winter Springs, Florida
Sponsored by: Reimund D. Pitz, CEC, CCE, AAC
2017 Academy of Chefs Awardees
Chair's Medal
Rajeev V. Patgaonkar, CEC, AAC
Executive Sous Chef - Kellogg Hotel &
Conference Center at Michigan State University
East Lansing, Michigan
ACF Capital Professional Chefs & Cooks Association of Greater Lansing
Joseph Amendola Award
Gerard M. Molloy, CEPC, AAC
Pastry Chef Instructor, Monroe College
New Rochelle, New York
ACF Long Island Chapter
Chef Good Taste Award
Ewart G. Jones, CEC, AAC, PhD
Executive Chef - Retired
League City, Texas
ACF Texas Chefs Association
Sharing Culinary Traditions Award
Jacqueline L. Hamilton, CEC, AAC
Senior Executive Chef - U.S. Olympic Committee
Colorado Springs, Colorado
ACF Pikes Peak Chapter, Inc.
Lt. General John D. McLaughlin Award
Brandon W. Parry, CEC, AAC
Executive Chef, Lasher Co.
Las Vegas, Nevada
ACF Chefs Las Vegas
Lawrence A. Conti, CEC, AAC, HOF, Chair's Achievement Award
Roger W. Newell, CEC, CCE, CCA, AAC
Retired Senior Chef
Saint Cloud, Florida
ACF Central Florida Chapter
Culinary Hall of Fame ™ Celebrated Chef
TBD
ACF Culinary Team USA DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS EXTENDED
The deadline for Chef and Pastry Chef applications has been extended to April 15,
2017. If you know of any potential candidates, would you please let them know.
The application can be found at:
Chefs: Please Click Here
Pastry Chefs: Please Click Here
Enquiries to: [email protected] 2017 ACF & AAC Event Dates - Mark your calendars!
Cook. Craft. Create. Orlando
July 9th to 13th, 2017 Disney's Coronado Springs Resort
Details of the Fellows' Meeting and the
AAC Gala Induction Dinner to follow.
The Cook. Craft. Create. Convention
schedule is now available on the ACF Website (click here).
AAC events are as follows:
Sunday, July 9th:
1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. --- AAC Board of Directors Meeting
Tuesday, July 11th:
9:15 a.m. to 11:45 a.m. --- AAC Fellows Meeting
6:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. --- AAC Reception & Dinner - on site
Wednesday, July 12th:
11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. --- AAC Spouses' Brunch
Late afternoon: Golf Tournament (time and venue to be
determined)
Faith Rose, Academy Administrator, at the Academy office, (904)
484-0202, [email protected], if you have any questions. AAC Regional Dinner, New York City, 2017. Left to right: Rico DiFronzo, CEC, CCA, AAC,
Academy Vice Chair; Philip DeMaiolo, CEC, AAC, Executive Chef; and Mark Wright, CEC, AAC,
Academy Chair.
AAC Regional Dinner, Chicago, 2017. Presentation of AAC Service Awards. Left to right: Rico DiFronzo, CEC, CCA, AAC, Academy Vice Chair; Steven Jilleba, CMC, CCE, AAC; Robert
W. Phillips, CEC, CCA, AAC, and Mark Wright, CEC, AAC, Academy Chair.
AAC Gala Dinner, New York City, 2017. Table setting at " The Current" at Pier Sixty.
Local Academy Dinners. One local dinner has been scheduled so far; it is
The American Academy of Chefs Dinner
Hosted by the Chef De Cuisine Association of California & the American Academy of Chefs,
with the University of Southern California Hospitality & Mission Community Hospital
Partnership,
in support of the 27th Annual Chef De Cuisine of California Scholarship Fundraiser in Los
Angeles June 2, 2017
Day: Friday Date: June 2nd, 2017
Place: Historic Ballroom at the Town and Gown, Los Angeles, California Chef: Eric Ernest of USC
Reception: 5:30 p.m.
Dinner Time: 6:30 p.m.
Price: $135.00 per person. Black Tie
Contact: Chef Martin Gilligan, CEC, CEPC (562) 728-3108 [email protected]
American Academy of Chefs Board 2017 Scholarships & Grants
The American Academy of Chefs gave a $1,000 grants to the following Student
Team Regional Champions to assist the team with expenses to travel to
Cook. Craft. Create. Orlando 2017 to compete in the National competition.
Central Region
ACF Chefs de Cuisine Associationof St. Louis, Inc
Central Region Student Culinary Team
Western Region
ACF Honolulu Chapter/Kapi'olani
Community College
Western Region Student Culinary Team
Northeast Region
ACF Cooks and Chefs of the Catskill Mountains
SUNY Student Culinary Team American Academy of Chefs Board, Officers and Committees.
For a listing of the AAC Board and Committee members, please click here This notable group consists of some new diverse members and some of our
incumbents. Their expertise, experience and enthusiasm is heartfelt and we are
sure they will represent you well and the Academy in all their endeavors.
Please
Directors for assistance, they can answer questions about upcoming events and
dinners, and help with your chapters, and with Academy applications from your
colleagues.reach out to your Regional PHOTO GALLERIES OF PAST EVENTS
ACF Culinary Team USA at IKA, 2016 The 2016 Internationale Kochkunstausstellung (IKA) was held in
Erfurt, Germany, in October, 2016. For photos of the ACF Culinary Team USA,please click here
Cook. Craft. Create 2016 Photo Gallery
For a large selection of photographs of this event, please click here
ENJOY! TAX DEDUCTIBLE DONATIONS
Donations made to the American Academy of Chefs (AAC), the ACF
Culinary Team USA, and Scholarship and Memorial Funds are tax
deductible, as these entities are part of the American Culinary Federation
Education Foundation (ACFEF), a 501(c)3 organization.
Donations, as many as you choose to make in any given year, are
welcome at
any time. On behalf of the entire Academy family, we thank you again
for your generous support. Donations may be made by check mailed directly to
the Academy Office, online, or via credit card by contacting Faith Rose,
Academy Administrator, at the Academy office, (904) 484-0202. Please
contact Faith if
you have any questions. CHANGES TO AAC POLICIES & PROCEDURES Please go to the AAC website ( click here), to see the AAC policies and
procedures document which was revised by the AAC Board of Directors in July,
2016. This new version will be effective January 1st, 2017, with one exception:
the
deadline for nominations of national AAC officers is now December 1st, to fall
in
line with ACF election policies and procedures. See "Nominations for Elected
AAC Office 2017-2019" section below, and in recent issues of the Academy
Connection. Content and wording of the AAC policies and procedures document are regularly
reviewed by the AAC Board of Directors. Changes are made as necessary at the
annual Board meeting in July. A merican Academy of Chefs Candidates for office - term 2017-2019 AMERICAN ACADEMY OF CHEFS CHAIRMAN Mark Wright, CEC, AAC
Department Chair
Hospitality Management,
Erie Community College
Williamsville, New York
ACF of Greater Buffalo New York
I am honored by the re-nomination for AAC chairman. It is with pleasure that I accept the challenge to continue to work on behalf of the Academy and our Academy fellows, and to
represent the Academy within the American Culinary Federation. I look forward to continuing
to work with the AAC Vice Chair, Rico DiFronzo, on key AAC programs and to increasing
awareness among ACF members that induction to the Academy is a worthy goal, and a lifetime
culinary achievement. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ AMERICAN ACADEMY OF CHEFS VICE-CHAIRMAN Americo (Rico) S. DiFronzo, CEC, CCA, AAC Executive Chef
Union Oyster House Boston, Massachusetts
ACF Epicurean Club of Boston
It is with great honor and pride that I accept the re-nomination of vice chairman of the American Academy of Chefs, the prestigious honor society of the American Culinary Federation. I look forward to continuing my service and working closely with Chef Mark Wright and all of the Academy fellows and continuing the programs which are key to building a strong and
contributing honor society. American Academy of Chefs
INDUCTION APPLICATION - NEW DEADLINE in 2017 FOR INDUCTION IN 2018
Effective January 1st, 2017, the new deadline for submission of AAC Induction applications will
be December 1st, for induction into the Academy the following year. This deadline will apply for
applications for induction into the Academy in 2018.
Also, two new criteria have been added to the Elective Goals section of the application form:
A host practical exam site administrator who successfully administers six local, regional or
state certification exams.
Responsible for bringing into the ACF within the last 10 years at least 10 new professional
culinarians who are active national and chapter members. The revised 'Elective Attainable Goals' list is already on the website. Click here
In line with past practice, the full AAC induction application form will not appear on the
website. For the process of obtaining a copy of the new application form, please go to the website
please click here - or contact the Academy office at [email protected], or the Foundation
Administrator, Faith Rose, at [email protected], direct line (904) 484-0202.
PLEASE UPDATE YOUR PROFILE!
46 Academy Fellows do not receive birthday cards, because our database system does not have a note of their birth dates.
In addition, the Academy office has over 30 returned letters and membership cards and, despite attempts to contact these individuals via telephone and email, it appears we have lost
touch.
On average, one out of every 5 Fellows with whom we speak has changed a home or work
address, an email address or a phone number during the last 2 years. Please go online to the ACF website, log in to your account and check
and update your profile. If you have difficulty accessing it, please do not hesitate to contact
Faith Rose at (904) 484-0202 for assistance. 2017 American Academy of Chefs Applications Membership - Connection - Involvement
The "Prestigious Honor Society" of the American Culinary Federation offers a unique way to
honor those who have worked hard and risen through the ranks of the culinary field. A
successful
application for acceptance as an AAC Fellow will serve as the culmination of years of
involvement
in the grand profession, and as an ACF member. For guidelines on how to obtain an application form for a potential nominee, go to the
acfchefs.org
website: AAC Application ( please click here)
An Academy Fellow must request an application for an individual potential inductee. Candidates
will need two sponsor letters/letters of recommendation from voting Academy Fellows. An
Academy Fellow is permitted to sponsor one new applicant per year, as is a Regional Director.
Applications must be returned by December 1st, 2017 (the new deadline date), for induction in
2018; timely and well documented applications are greatly appreciated.
Contact your Regional Academy Directors, Chapter Academy Committee Chairs, or the
Academy Administrator, Faith Rose at [email protected], or at direct line: (904) 484-0202,
if you have any questions.
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