AMERICAN CULINARY FEDERATION PRESS RELEASE

For Immediate Release: Media Contacts: April 30, 2013 Patricia Carroll: (904) 484-0247, [email protected] Jessica Ward: (904) 484-0213, [email protected]

Lyn Wells, Student at Utah Valley University, Wins Western Region Student of the Year Award at 2013 ACF Western Regional Conference

St. Augustine, Fla., April 30, 2013—Lyn Wells of Wellington, Utah, a student at Utah Valley University, Orem, Utah, recently received the American Culinary Federation’s (ACF) Western Region Student Chef of the Year Award, sponsored by Custom Culinary, Inc., following a competition during the 2013 ACF Western Regional Conference, Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, April 12-15.

The ACF Student Chef of the Year Award, sponsored by Custom Culinary, Inc., was established in 1987, and recognizes an up-and-coming student who possesses a high degree of professionalism, culinary skill and passion for the culinary arts. As the regional competition winner, Wells advances to the national competition in Las Vegas in July, to compete for the national title and $1,000.

“Winning a regional title means a lot to me,” said Wells. “I have wanted to compete for ACF Student Chef of the Year since joining Utah Valley University’s student culinary team. Competing for this award would not have been possible without the support of the university, Peter Sproul, CEC, and the chefs who have supported me and stood by me from the start. I love competing because it gives me the opportunity to push myself. I want to thank ACF for making this possible.”

Wells is a line at Cowboy Club in Wellington. She has an associate degree in culinary arts and will graduate with a bachelor’s degree in hospitality management from Utah Valley University spring of 2013. Wells’ culinary career began at her family’s where she was a and busser, and worked her way up to line cook by high school. As a teenager, she started competing in ProStart competitions, which led to her decision to attend culinary school. Since attending Utah Valley University, Wells has competed in three hot-food competitions as a member of the university’s culinary student team. She has received four gold medals, two silver medals and one bronze medal in ACF-sanctioned competitions. In July 2012, she served as an apprentice during the 2012 ACF National of the Year competition for Adalberto Diaz Labrada, CEPC, the winning chef. After graduation, Wells wants to hone her culinary skills by working with various chefs across the nation and open her own restaurant. Wells is a member of ACF Beehive Chefs Chapter Inc. . The 2013 ACF Western Regional Conference, hosted by ACF Chefs de Cuisine of the Inland Northwest, brought hundreds of chefs, cooks and foodservice professionals to Coeur d’Alene. The conference provided attendees with opportunities to advance their professional development and enhance their culinary skills through business seminars, cooking demonstrations featuring the latest trends and techniques, cooking competitions and awards.

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National and regional sponsors of the 2013 ACF events series are: Alabama Gulf Seafood; Allen Brothers; American Lamb Board; American Roland Food Corporation; American Technical Publishers; Barry Callebaut; The Beef Checkoff; BelGioioso Cheese, Inc.; California Avocado Commission; Campbell Soup Company; Canada Cutlery Inc.; Central Region State Beef Councils; Clemens Food Group; Custom Culinary, Inc.; Ecolab®; Gerharz Restaurant Equipment, Inc.; Gordon Food Service®; Idaho® Potato Commission; Idaho Preferred®; Irinox USA; Jim Beam American Stillhouse; Jones Dairy Farm; Johnson & Wales University; JTM Food Group; Kentucky Beef Council; Lactalis Foodservice; Maines Paper & Food Service, Inc.; McCormick For Chefs; MINOR’S®; Mississippi Beef Council; Mississippi Seafood Marketing; NEWCHEF Fashion Inc.; North Carolina Beef Council; Plugrá® European-Style Butter; PreGel AMERICA; R.L. Schreiber, Inc.; RC Fine Foods; Riviana® Foods; S&D Coffee; Sysco®; Tennessee Beef Industry Council; Tyson Food Service; Unilever Food Solutions; Victorinox Swiss Army, Inc.; Villeroy & Boch; Virginia Beef Industry Council; Vitamix® Corporation; Winston Industries, LLC; and Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board.

About the American Culinary Federation The American Culinary Federation, Inc. (ACF), established in 1929, is the premier professional organization for culinarians in North America. With more than 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 Pasty 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.

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Editor’s note: To arrange interviews or request high-resolution photos, contact Jessica Ward at [email protected] or 904-484-0213, or Patricia Carroll at 904-484-0247 or [email protected].