AMERICAN CULINARY FEDERATION PRESS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: MEDIA CONTACT: Leah Craig or Patricia Carroll July 16, 2009 (800) 624-9458, ext. 113 or ext. 147 [email protected]; [email protected]

American Academy of Chefs Announces 2009 Award Winners and Inductees

St. Augustine, Fla., July 16, 2009—The American Academy of Chefs (AAC), the honor society of the American Culinary Federation (ACF), inducted 13 members and six honorary members, and presented the following awards during a formal ceremony and dinner at the 2009 ACF National Convention held at the Orlando World Center Marriott, Orlando, Fla., July 10.

Chair’s Medal John Minniti, CEC, AAC, HBOT; retired, Treasure Island, Fla.; ACF Professional Chefs Association of South Jersey

Joseph Amendola Award Gunther Heiland, CMPC, AAC; retired, Pottstown, Pa.; ACF Philadelphia Chapter

Chef Good Taste Award John Bogacki, CEC, CCE, AAC; executive chef, Westwood Country Club, St. Louis; Chefs de Cuisine Association of St. Louis, Inc.,

Sharing Culinary Traditions Award L. Timothy Ryan, CMC, AAC; president, The Culinary Institute of America, Hyde Park, N.Y.; Mid Hudson Culinary Association

Lt. General John D. McLaughlin Award Brigadier General Jesse Cross; commanding general, U.S. Army Quartermaster Center and School, , Va.

Lawrence A. Conti, CEC, AAC, HOF, Chair’s Achievement Award Harry Hoffstadt, CEC, AAC, HOF; retired, Niles, Ill.; ACF Chefs of Cuisine, Inc.

-MORE- American Academy of Chefs Culinary Hall of Fame Michel Escoffier; president, Foundation Auguste Escoffier, Villeneuve-Loubet, France Gerhart Koennecke, AAC; posthumously, Deptford, N.J.; ACF Philadelphia Chapter Phil Learned, CEC, AAC; retired, Andover, ; ACF Chapter of Northern New Hampshire John Minniti, CEC, AAC, HBOT; retired, Treasure Island, Fla.; ACF Professional Chefs Association of South Jersey Michael Rand, HAAC; director of hospitality sales, Barber Foods, Portland, Maine; ACF Greater Atlanta Chapter, Inc.

American Academy of Chefs Culinary Hall of Fame Celebrated Chef Patrick O’Connell; chef/proprietor, The Inn at Little , Washington, Va.

2009 American Academy of Chefs Academy Fellows Scott Daniels, CEC, CCA; senior manager of dining and culinary services, Sodexo Senior Services Division, Wilmington, Del.; ACF First State Chefs Association Urs Emmenegger, CEC; executive chef, Entrée Preneur, San Diego; ACF Chefs & Culinarians of San Diego John Farris, CEC; food consultant, Lansing Entertainment and Public Facilities Authority, Lansing, Mich.; ACF Capital Professional Chefs & Cooks Association of Greater Lansing Gary Leach, CEC; executive chef, Centerplate at Roland E. Powell Convention Center, Ocean City, Md.; Delmarva Chefs & Cooks Association Charles Mattocks, CEC, CCA; food service director, Carolinas Hospital System, Florence, S.C.; ACF Pee Dee Chapter Mark Prece Sr., CEC; corporate executive chef, American Italian Pasta , City, Mo.; ACF Greater Kansas City Chefs Association Kyle Richardson, CEC, CCE; professor of culinary arts, Joliet Junior College, Joliet, Ill.; ACF Louis Joliet Chapter Brian Sode, CEC; executive chef, The Bear’s Club, Jupiter, Fla.; ACF National Chapter J. Kevin Storm, CEC, CCA; executive chef, Bellerive Country Club, St. Louis; Chefs de Cuisine Association of St. Louis Inc. James Thomas, CEC; executive chef, Ocean Forest Golf Club, Sea Island, Ga.; ACF Golden Isles of Georgia Chapter Mark Warren, CEC; chief food management sergeant , U.S. Army European headquarters; Old Dominion ACF Chapter James White, CEC; director of dining services, Our Lady of the Angels Convent, Enfield, Conn.; Connecticut Chefs Association John Zelko, CEC; executive chef, Genesys Regional Medical Center, Grand Blanc, Mich.; ACF Flint/Saginaw Valley Chapter

2009 American Academy of Chefs Honorary Fellows Patrick Diethelm; director/head chef-instructor, DCT European Culinary & Pastry Chocolate Arts Center, Lucerne, Switzerland Robert Kinkead; executive chef/owner, Kinkead’s, Washington, D.C. Robert Nograd; dean emeritus, Johnson & Wales Unviersity, Miami Arthur Ritt; retired, Deerfield, Ill. Lucien Salama; president, NEWCHEF Fashion, Inc., Los Angeles Dawn Sweeney; president/chief executive officer, National Restaurant Association, Washington, D.C.

The AAC, which recognizes those individuals who have made significant contributions to both the culinary profession and ACF, was established in 1955 at the ACF National Convention in Pittsburgh. Those credited with its founding include the legendary Pierre Berard, Peter Berrini and Paul Laesecke, AAC, HOF.

Out of more than 22,000 ACF members, approximately 800 belong to the AAC. Demanding criteria must be met to be elected to the AAC, including: certification at a level of executive chef/pastry chef or higher; no less than 15 years culinary experience; an ACF member in good standing for a minimum of 10 consecutive years or more; and sponsorship by two AAC members.

Sponsors of AAC events at the 2009 ACF National Convention are: Allen Brothers; American Lamb Board; Barber Foods; BelGioioso Cheese Inc.; Buckhead Beef; Butterball Farms; The Chef's Garden; CleanFish; Contessa Premium Foods; The Crystal Cave; Desserts International; Ecolab; Harbor Seafood; Hudson Valley Foie Gras; Ice Caterers; Icon Estates; Jennifer Garant; Labriola; Lactalis; Les Chateaux de France; Marky's; Nestle Waters North America; New Chef Fashion; PinSource; Revol; The Schwan's Food Company; Shucks Maine Lobster; Tito's Hand Made Vodka; Valrhona; and Villeroy & Boch.

The American Culinary Federation, Inc., established in 1929, is the premier professional organization for culinarians in North America. With more than 22,000 members spanning 230 chapters nationwide, ACF is the culinary leader in offering educational resources, training, apprenticeship and accreditation. In addition, ACF operates the most comprehensive certification program for chefs in the United States. 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.

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TO ARRANGE AN INTERVIEW OR FOR A HIGH-RES PHOTO, CONTACT LEAH CRAIG AT (800) 624- 9458 EXT. 113, OR PATRICIA CARROLL AT EXT. 147. EMAIL [email protected] OR [email protected].