2017 ACF Certified Master Chef Exam

The ACF Certified Master Chef exam is being administered at Schoolcraft College, Livonia, Michigan. During this progressive eight-day exam, candidates will verify their skills, professionalism and mastery of cooking.

Members can follow the candidates' journey on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and view additional photos on ACF's Flickr page.

Update on Hurricane Maria Disaster Relief Efforts

Our thoughts and prayers are with each person affected by the devastation caused by Hurricane Maria.  Funds from the American Culinary Federation Education Foundation (ACFEF) Disaster Relief Fund are available to assist ACF members, schools with ACFEF programmatic accreditation and their students affected by catastrophic events and natural disasters. This form is also in the Members Portal.

Please consider donating to the  charity of your choice   or making a donation to the  ACFEF Disaster Relief Fund   to help affected members. Call the ACF national office to make a credit card donation at (904) 484-0220. You may also want to consider fundraising initiatives to support fellow culinarians in need.

CEC®/CEPC® Update

Effective Jan. 1, 2018, the CEC® and CEPC® certification levels will require a 30-hour course in Cost Control Management. No refresher course will be required. For more information, please contact [email protected] or call the Certification Hotline at (888) 817-5344.  

Childhood Nutrition Day Grants Available in October

You can make a life-changing difference in a child's life by hosting a culinary demo or offering healthy treats at a local school or community event.

The ACFEF Chef & Child initiative has grants available at $150 each , provided on a first-come, first-served basis to help implement childhood nutrition programs in your community. Members can also earn continuing education hours by volunteering.

Visit www.acfchefs.org/CND for more information and program toolkits to get your chapter started. Tag @ACFChefs on Facebook or @acf_chefs on Instagram with the hashtag #ChildhoodNutritionDay to share what you're doing in your community!

Online Registration is Open for 2018 ACF Events

ACF events provide professional development opportunities to help build core skills and earn continuing education hours toward ACF certifications while networking with industry leaders, influencers and mentors.

Gather your colleagues and classmates to plan a trip to a regional event in Charlotte, North Carolina, or Newport Beach, California, or attend the national convention in "The Big Easy," New Orleans, next summer.

Discounted hotel blocks are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Pay attention to early registration deadlines to save money. Nonmembers receive a one-year membership with the purchase of registration.

2018 What's Hot Survey

Keep an eye on your inbox for the ACF and National Restaurant Association (NRA) survey this week. ACF and NRA want to know what ACF chefs think about upcoming food trends and techniques for 2018. Please participate and share your opinions.

Click below to learn more and obtain recipes, then complete the quiz to earn one hour of continuing education credit toward ACF certification. 

September Ingredient of the Month Contest Winner

Congratulations to Alex Vasquez Jr., the winner of the September Ingredient of the Month contest! Alex showed us how he uses onions in his kitchen. Pictured here is Pollo fra diavolo: boneless chicken with sausage and vegetables in a spicy red sauce.

Earn CEHs as an ACFEF Apprenticeship Supervising Chef

As an ACFEF apprentice supervising chef, you can earn 12 continuing education hours (CEHs) per calendar year for the entire year you have supervised apprentices. Contact your program director for more information. Click below for the full list of ACF-approved CEHs.

Chef Educators and Industry Chefs Needed

Serve on ACFEF Accrediting Commission and Apprenticeship Committee

All submissions will be reviewed and vetted by the ACFEFAC executive committee. Final candidates will be submitted for election by fellow educators of ACFEF-accredited programs, and newly elected commissioners will begin their term at the January 2018 meeting. Deadline to submit is Oct. 16 .

Your School could be the Next Knowledge Bowl Champion

Register and compete in a "Jeopardy"-style competition with questions that cover nutrition, baking, culinary math, safety and sanitation, and the arts of classical and modern cooking. To compete for the national title, teams must enter and win in their respective regional competitions. Deadline to register is Nov. 30 .

ACF chefs are in the news and make a positive impact in their communities. Share your chapter's news with ACF by sending clips to [email protected] .

JJC Chef Advances in Food Network's 'Best Baker in America'

Chlebana, was named American Culinary Federation's National Pastry Chef of the Year in 2008. Chlebana is one of eight elite bakers to compete for $25,000 in  Food Network's "Best Baker in America" contest , which airs at 9 p.m. Wednesday on the cable channel.

UT Culinary Institute creates Volunteer-themed ice carving

Program Directors have recently purchased two machines that make their own ice blocks to carve, and they are the only culinary school that offers this.

John V. Johnson, CEC, CCE, AAC, Wins Chesapeake Chef's Challenge Culinary Competition

Chef Johnson won the competition at the M id-Atlantic Food, Beverage & Lodging Expo hosted by the ACF Greater Baltimore Chapter. His dish, pictured below, included roasted duck breast wrapped in sausage with Minor's garlic baste; rhubarb sauce; white bean ragu broccolini with crispy lemon bread crumbs; and smoked carrot purée glazed carrots.

Knowledge Bowl Practice Game

A fun and engaging learning tool! Replicate the Knowledge Bowl competition in your school or practice for an upcoming competition with the new Baron H. Galand Culinary Knowledge Bowl 2017 Practice Edition, which features 12 pre-loaded game boards and 12 customizable game boards. Get yours in the ACF store today.