A Message From your Western Region
Vice President
What a great time we had at Cook. Craft. Create. ACF National Convention & Show. Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort was a very gracious host. I would like to thank all the members who attended; without your support for ACF, this could not have happened. We had an amazing increase in attendance this year. I would also like to thank the 228 first-time attendees who came to Orlando and enjoyed the educational seminars, meetings and food events. The ACF staff did a great job planning the 2017 convention. I look forward to seeing Western Region members at ChefConnect: Newport Beach, California, March 18-20, at the Newport Beach Marriott Hotel and Spa.

Thank you all for making this past year fantastic. Because of you, the Western Region won the Region of the Year award and ACF Chefs de Cuisine Association of California won ACF Chapter of the Year.
Western Region Award Winners
Accepting the Region of the Year Award on behalf of Western Region members from Chef Thomas Macrina, CEC, CCA, AAC, at Cook. Craft. Create.
Robert Phillips, CEC, CCA, AAC, chapter president, ACF Chefs de Cuisine Association of California, accepts the ACF Chapter of the Year Award from Chef Thomas Macrina, CEC, CCA, AAC, at Cook. Craft. Create.
I would like to congratulate all Western Region winners and regional competitors who participated in the many events that were held throughout the week. Photos from the entire week are posted on ACF's Flickr page and available for you to download.
Dan Boman, CEPC, Pastry Chef of the Year
The 2017 Pastry Chef of the Year is Dan Boman, CEPC, a chef instructor at The International Culinary School at The Art Institute of Phoenix.
Boman and his apprentice Brittany Goldberg pose with their final plated dishes and showpiece in the theme of Pirates of the Caribbean.
Madeline Black, Student Chef of the Year
The 2017 Student Chef of the Year is Madeline Black, a first-year student at Utah Valley University, Orem, Utah.
Black's winning plate: truffle scented duck roulade finished in duck fat, with honey lacquered duck thigh, iron seared foie gras with port and morel mushroom sauce, potatoes gratin, celeriac and pea purée, rhubarb chutney and summer vegetable medley
You first elected me as your Western Region Vice President two years ago and I appreciate being elected to a second two-year term, an honor I truly appreciate. In the past year, I fielded many emails, I tried to resolve many issues and I attempted to find out what members desire from ACF. I have brought many of your suggestions to the Board that have been considered and acted upon. Thank you all for your input and please keep it coming.
 
This year I traveled and met with many chefs, went to ACF chapter events, visited many secondary and postsecondary schools, ACFEF-accredited and non-accredited programs, and talked to many ACF members. What a great experience to visit you all. If you have a special function in your chapter and want me to attend, please let me know. I will try to work it into my schedule.
Hurricane Harvey
The well-being of our members is very important to us and we want to lift the financial burden of those without food, shelter, power or employment. ACF members may be eligible for support from the American Culinary Federation Education Foundation (ACFEF) Disaster Relief Fund.
 
If you know a member who is in need of immediate financial assistance, please fill out the ACFEF Disaster Relief Fund Assistance Request, also located on the ACF Members Portal, and return it by email to [email protected] , fax to 904-940-0741 or mail to ACFEF Disaster Relief Fund Assistance Request at the address on the form. For additional information, please call (904) 484-0220 .
ACF Young Chefs Club
ACF is continuing the ACF Young Chefs Club (ACFYCC) to connect young chefs (18- to 25-year-olds) across the nation and even the world. New chapter officers were inducted at the national convention:
  • Shayne McCrady, President, Chefs de Cuisine Association of St. Louis Inc.
  • Ashton Garrett, Vice President, Northeast and Southeast regions, ACF Akron-Canton Area Cooks and Chefs Association
  • Isaac Dominguez, Vice President, Central and Western regions, ACF Greater Kansas City Chefs Association
  • Idaliana Medina, Secretary and Treasurer, ACF Rhode Island Chapter

If you’re a young chef, get involved by answering the form below and then get with your chapter to discuss ways you can contribute to start networking. If you’re a culinary educator, get your young chefs involved as an ACFYCC member to connect them with networking, mentors and educational opportunities to keep them engaged and interested.
Follow the group on social media for updates on connecting with other young chefs around the world:
Facebook: @acfycc
Instagram: @acfycc
Snapchat: ACFYCC
ACFEF-Accredited Apprenticeship Programs
Many areas have revived or are attempting to establish apprenticeship programs. Everyone I spoke with praised the ACF staff for assisting with their apprenticeship programs. Please send me your thoughts about apprenticeship programs so I may share them with the Board.

Here are the Western Region statistics as of June 30:
 
  • 7 Junior Culinarian members (secondary 16- to 18-year-olds)
  • 446 Student Culinarian members
  • 10 ACFEF-certified secondary schools (high school), with 1,161 students enrolled.
  • 60 ACFEF-accredited postsecondary schools (college), with 12,431 students enrolled.
 
Are you currently involved in an apprenticeship program or were you involved with one in the past? If so, please share your experience with ACF. National Apprenticeship Week, Nov. 13-19 is a nationwide event in which apprenticeships are recognized as a valuable career pathway. ACF will be celebrating this as part of a month-long event and publish members’ apprenticeship stories.
As a membership organization, we must promote all avenues of education. We need to get more schools certified and accredited, and encourage students to understand the value of ACF membership. As the leader in professional development and continuing education for chefs across America, ACF can provide both established and up-and-coming chefs with opportunities to help them advance in their careers and within their communities.
 
Contact Lori Weber , Director of Education and Programs, for apprenticeship information, and Leigh Slayden , Director of Membership Development, for membership materials.
 
Through social media, things can change in an instant. In order for the industry and ACF to move forward, members must be aware of all the avenues to which they have access. Follow ACF on Facebook , Instagram and Twitter for industry updates, news and to see what other chapters are doing.
 
Signup for The Culinary Insider to get bi-weekly updates from the ACF national office on important deadlines, competitions, events, membership and other important news.
 
Remember you are not alone. The ACF staff is here to help you.
Carlton W. Brooks, CEPC, CCE, AAC
ACF Western Region Vice President
Important Dates and Announcements
ACFEF, through the Chef & Child initiative, will award a total of 30 grants at $150 each to support ACF chapters and chefs hosting nutrition outreach activities in celebration of Childhood Nutrition Day on, or around, Oct. 16 . Apply today at www.acfchefs.org/CND .
Speaker proposals are being accepted for the 2018 ACF event series. All proposed sessions must demonstrate innovative trends, information or techniques of interest to the culinary profession. Submit your proposed session title, description, learning objectives, preferred conference and a brief bio by Sept. 30 for consideration.
American Culinary Federation, 180 Center Place Way, St. Augustine, FL 32095
(904) 824-4468 | Fax: (904) 940-0741

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