American Culinary Federation Announces its 2013 National Award Winners

News provided by

The American Culinary Federation, Inc.

Jul 26, 2013, 08:00 ET

ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla., July 26, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The American Culinary Federation, Inc. (ACF) honored chefs, culinary industry professionals and foodservice establishments at the 2013 ACF National Convention, hosted by ACF Chefs Las Vegas, at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas, Las Vegas, July 21-25.

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More than 1,500 chefs, cooks, students and foodservice professionals attended the annual event. The 2013 ACF National Convention provided attendees with opportunities to advance their professional development and enhance their culinary skills through informative workshops and seminars, cutting-edge demonstrations, a trade show featuring more than 115 exhibitors, national competitions and ACF's annual national awards.

This year's presenters included Ming Tsai, chef/owner of Blue Ginger, Wellesley, Mass., who discussed how Asian cooking influences today's healthier eating; Mary Sue Milliken and Susan Feniger, chefs/owners of Los Angeles-based Border Grill restaurants and Border Grill Truck, who inspired chefs with a demonstration that illustrated sustainability and eco-friendly trends; and Rick Moonen, chef/owner of Rick Moonen's rm seafood, Las Vegas, and Farmer Lee Jones, owner of The Chef's Garden, Huron, Ohio, who examined the farmer/chef collaborative.

Chefs competed in competitions throughout the convention, demonstrating their culinary skills and leadership. ACF also presented numerous awards to chefs and establishments for advancing the profession. Below are the 2013 ACF award winners and honorees:

U.S.A.'s Chef of the Year™, sponsored by Unilever Food Solutions
Eddie Tancredi, CEC, corporate chef, Cleveland Restaurant Group, Cleveland; ACF Cleveland Chapter Inc.

ACF Pastry Chef of the Year, sponsored by Plugra® European-Style Butter
Alison Murphy, pastry chef, The Vintage Club, Indian Wells, Calif.; ACF national member

Chef Educator of the Year
Leslie Eckert, CWPC, CCE, MBA, culinary-arts instructor, The International Culinary School at The Art Institute of Tampa, Tampa, Fla.; ACF Tampa Bay Culinary Association, Inc.

Student Chef of the Year, sponsored by Custom Culinary, Inc.
Jaclyn Adamonis, Joliet Junior College, Joliet, Ill.; ACF Louis Joliet Chapter

Chef Professionalism Award, sponsored by MINOR'S^®James Connolly, CEC, CCA, AAC, divisional director of culinary services for New England, Atria Senior Living Group, Louisville, Ky.; ACF Epicurean Club of Boston

Hermann G. Rusch Chef's Achievement Award
Klaus Friedenreich, CMC, AAC, chef-instructor, Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts in Orlando, Orlando, Fla.; ACF Central Florida Chapter

Student Team National Championship, sponsored by R.L. Schreiber, Inc.
Joliet Junior College, Joliet, Ill.; ACF Louis Joliet Chapter; Timothy Baran, Jacob Bernard, Joseph Biskie, Vince Cassidy and Amy Gutierrez; Timothy Bucci, CEC, CCE, CHE, coach

Baron H. Galand Culinary Knowledge Bowl, sponsored by American Technical Publishers
Westmoreland County Community College, Youngwood, Pa.; Nicole Cervone, Christina Crouse, Tonia Eisaman, Ryan Moore and Courtney Nalevanko; Carol Baier, CC, coach

ACF National Championship Collegiate Dining Challenge
University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Ind.; Charu Chandra Pant, CEC, ACE, test kitchen chef, and Greg Larson, CEC, unit chef, North Dining Hall

ACF Southeast Region Flavors of the Mediterranean—A Minute® Rice Competition, Sponsored by Riviana® Foods
Cyril Ortigosa-Liaz, third cook, Yale University Catering, New Haven, Conn.; Connecticut Chefs Association

ACF Humanitarian Award
Rick Moonen, chef/owner, Rick Moonen's rm seafood, Las Vegas

ACF Immediate Past President's Award
Mary "Betsy" LaSorella, CEPC, pastry chef-instructor, Midwest Culinary Institute, Cincinnati; Midwest Culinary Institute Faculty Chapter

ACF Industry Partnership Award
NEWCHEF Fashion Inc., Los Angeles

ACF Communicator of the Year
Joseph Gonzales, retired, Beaverton, Ore.; ACF Chefs de Cuisine Society of Oregon

ACF National Chapter of the Year
ACF Philadelphia Delaware Valley Chefs Association, Philadelphia

ACF Region of the Year
ACF Central Region

ACF Heroes Award Recipients
Americo DiFronzo, CEC, CCA, AAC, executive chef, Union Oyster House, Boston; ACF Epicurean Club of Boston
Lynn Krause, CEPC, AAC, chef, St. Louis; Chefs de Cuisine Association of St. Louis Inc.
Jill Mora, professor, College of Southern Nevada, North Las Vegas, Nev.

ACF Leadership Award
Steve Jilleba, CMC, CCE, AAC, corporate executive chef, Unilever Food Solutions, Lisle, Ill.

ACF President's Medallion Recipients
Joseph Amabile, CCC, culinary-arts teacher, Newark Public Schools, Newark, N.J.; ACF Northern New Jersey Chapter
Gerald Bolton, executive chef, The Oncenter, Syracuse, N.Y.; ACF Syracuse New York Chapter
Mark Brown, CEC, CCA, executive chef, The Sanctuary Golf Club, Sanibel Island, Fla.; The Southwest Florida Chapter of the ACF
Christopher Koetke, CEC, CCE, MBA, HAAC, vice president, school of culinary arts, Kendall College, Chicago; ACF Windy City Professional Culinarians Inc.
Joseph Leonardi, CEC, executive chef, Somerset Club, Boston; ACF Rhode Island Chapter
Hubert Schmieder, AAC, retired, Lafayette, Ind.; ACF Greater Indianapolis Chapter
Tene Shake, owner, Tene Shake Signature Restaurants, Monterey, Calif., ACF Monterey Bay Chapter
George Sideras, CEC, corporate executive chef, Nestle Professional, Solon, Ohio; ACF Greater Dayton Chapter

Cutting Edge Award Recipients
Claude Buzon, HAAC, owner, Chef's Hat Inc., Edmonton, Alberta
Salvatore Campagna, CEC, HAAC, retired, San Carlos, Calif.; ACF San Francisco Chapter
Ronald DeSantis, CMC, AAC, MBA, director of culinary excellence, Yale Dining at Yale University, New Haven, Conn.; Mid Hudson Culinary Association
Joseph Hardiman, HAAC, president, Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts in Orlando, Orlando, Fla.; ACF Central Florida Chapter
Mary Louise Huebner, HAAC, marketing director/vice president, and Peter Huebner, HAAC, president, Canada Cutlery, Inc., Pickering, Ontario; ACF of Greater Buffalo New York
Farmer Lee Jones, owner, The Chef's Garden, Huron, Ohio
Donald Miller, CEC, CCE, AAC, executive chef, University of Notre Dame Food Services, Notre Dame, Ind.; ACF South Bend Chefs and Cooks Association
Ming Tsai, executive chef/owner, Blue Ginger, Wellesley, Mass.

ACF Achievement of Excellence Awards
The Bears' Steakhouse; Duanesburg, N.Y.
Chop Stix Restaurant; Brooklyn, N.Y.
Detroit Athletic Club; Detroit
Gibsons Bar & Steakhouse; Chicago
Le Coq Au Vin; Orlando, Fla.
Old Town Club; Winston-Salem, N.C.
Orchids at Palm Court; Cincinnati
Portland Marriott at Sable Oaks; South Portland, Maine
Spiedini Ristorante; Las Vegas
Spring House Restaurant, Kitchen & Bar; Winston-Salem, N.C.
Todd's Unique Dining; Henderson, Nev.

World of Thanks Award
ACF Chefs Las Vegas

Chef & Child Foundation Awards
True Spirit Award
Jacob Williams, CEC, ACF Michigan Chefs de Cuisine Association

Little Oscar Award
ACF Southwestern Virginia Chapter

ACF 10K Challenge
ACF North Carolina Chapter

American Academy of Chefs (AAC) Awards
AAC Chair's Medal
William C. Franklin, CMC, WGMC, AAC, corporate executive chef, Nestlé Professional, Centennial, Colo.; ACF Colorado Chefs Association

Lawrence A. Conti, CEC, AAC, HOF, Chair's Achievement Award
Fawzi A. Ottman, CEC, AAC, executive chef, Odyssey Country Club, Palos Park, Ill.; ACF Chicago Chefs of Cuisine Inc.

Joseph Amendola Award
Wolfgang A. Bierer, CMPC, CEC, CCE, AAC, retired, Hilton Head Island, S.C.; ACF Chefs of the Low Country

Chef Good Taste Award
John Kukucka, AAC, executive chef, Essex Golf and Country Club, LaSalle, Ontario; ACF Michigan Chefs de Cuisine Association

Lt. General John D. McLaughlin Award
Mark Warren, CEC, AAC, The Joint Culinary Center of Excellence SGM, U.S. Army, Fort Lee, Va.; Old Dominion ACF Chapter

Sharing Culinary Traditions Award
Bill Sy, CEC, AAC, academic direct, culinary arts and management, The International Culinary School at The Art Institute of Tucson, Chandler, Ariz.; ACF Chefs Association of Southern Arizona Tucson

Celebrated Chef
Alan Wong, chef/owner, Alan Wong's Restaurant, Honolulu

2013 American Academy of Chefs Culinary Hall of Fame
John Kinsella, CMC, CCE, WGMC, AAC, HOF, Ph.D., D.B.A. (honorary); president/CEO, Smart Chefs LLC, Cincinnati; ACF Greater Cincinnati Chapter
Louis Perrotte, CEC, AAC, HOF, chef/owner, Le Coq Au Vin, Orlando, Fla; ACF Central Florida Chapter
Robert Lippert, CEC, CCE, AAC, HOF, retired; ACF Capital Professional Chefs & Cooks Association of Greater Lansing
Norman Myerow, CEPC, CCE, AAC, HOF, posthumous, (1938-2010)
Robert Hatoff, HAAC, HOF, posthumous, (1942-2010)

2013 American Academy of Chefs Academy Fellows
Alan L. Anderson, CEC, AAC, executive chef, Rogue Valley Manor, Medford, Ore.; ACF Southern Oregon Chapter
Ronald L. Andrews, CEC, AAC, executive chef, Brays Island Plantation, Sheldon, S.C.; ACF Chefs of the Low Country
Leslie T. Bender, CEC, AAC, executive chef, Trump Plaza Hotel and Casino, Atlantic City, N.J., ACF Professional Chefs Association of South Jersey
Jay Christmas, CEC, CCA, AAC, Winston-Salem, N.C..; ACF North Carolina Chapter
Keith Coughenour, CEC, AAC, executive chef, The Duquesne Club, Pittsburgh; ACF Pittsburgh Chapter
Rebecca Formwalt, CSC, CCE, AAC, chef educator, Emerson School of Hospitality, Buffalo, N.Y., ACF of Greater Buffalo New York
Jacqueline L. Hamilton, CEC, AAC, senior executive chef, U.S. Olympic Committee, Colorado Springs, Colo., ACF Pikes Peak Chapter Inc.
James A. Lauser, CEC, AAC, executive chef, chef consultant/ice sculptor, Smyrna, Del., ACF First State Chefs Association
James Burton McAfee, CEC, AAC, club house manager and executive chef, Pine Bluff Country Club, Pine Bluff, Ark., ACF Central Arkansas Chapter
Michael K. McCombe, CEC, CCE, AAC, culinary-arts instructor, Middle Bucks Institute of Technology, Jamison, Pa., ACF Philadelphia Delaware Valley Chefs Association
Mark A. Mistriner, CEC, AAC chair, business and hospitality division/coordinator of culinary arts, Niagara Falls Culinary Institute (Niagara County Community College), Sanborn, N.Y., ACF of Greater Buffalo New York
Gerard M. Molloy, CEPC, AAC, pastry chef instructor, Monroe College, New Rochelle, N.Y., ACF Long Island Chapter
Greg M. Paulson, CEC, CCE, CCA, AAC, program director/instructor for culinary arts, Georgia Northwestern Technical College, Rome, Ga., ACF Greater Atlanta Chapter Inc.
Ricardo Perez, CEC, AAC, corporate chef, R&D Culinary Consulting, Jamestown, N.C., ACF Gulf to Lakes Chefs & Cooks Association, Inc.
Daniel Pliska, CEC, AAC, executive chef, The University Club of Missouri University, Columbia, Mo., ACF Central Missouri Chapter
Bruce Thomas Reinecke, CEC, AAC, executive chef/manager, Aramark Healthcare Services–Duke Raleigh Hospital, Raleigh, N.C., ACF North Carolina Chapter
Michael D. Rosen, CEC, AAC, sales manager, Neomonde Baking Company, Morrisville, N.C., ACF North Carolina Chapter
Scott Ryan, CEC, AAC, executive chef, The Country Club, Pepper Pike, Ohio, ACF Cleveland Chapter Inc.
Stefan Ryll, CEC, CCE, AAC, assistant professor, Southern New Hampshire University, Manchester, N.H.; ACF Professional Chefs of New Hampshire
Mark R. Schneider, CEC, CCE, AAC, culinary-arts department chair, Texas State Technical College Waco Culinary Arts, Waco, Texas, Texas Chefs Association
Casey E. Shiller, CEPC, AAC, program coordinator, baking and pastry arts, St. Louis Community College–Forest Park, St. Louis, Chefs de Cuisine Association of St. Louis Inc.
Scott E. Steiner, CCE, AAC, chef instructor, Niagara Falls Culinary Institute (Niagara County Community College), Sanborn, N.Y., ACF of Greater Buffalo New York

2013 American Academy of Chefs Honorary Fellows
Soeren Billhardt, HAAC, culinary department chair, TBZ Eisenach, Eisenach, Germany
Brian F. Lorge, HAAC, president/CEO, Lorge Marketing Services, LLC, Bolingbrook, Ill.; ACF Michigan Chefs de Cuisine Association
Vernon Wong, CEC, HAAC, retired executive chef/consultant, Kailua Kona, Hawaii; ACF Kona-Kohala Chefs Association
Dale "Shag" Shigenaga, HAAC, kitchen manager/assistant executive chef, Department of Food & Beverage Management, University of Nevada at Las Vegas, Las Vegas; ACF Chefs Las Vegas
Steve Howard, HAAC, national sales director, Casa Vinicola Zonin–USA, Barboursville, Va.

National sponsors of the 2013 ACF National Convention were: Acosta; Alabama Gulf Seafood; Albert Uster Imports; Allen Brothers; American Public University System; American Roland Food Corporation; American Technical Publishers; Acqua Panna^® Natural Spring Water; Barry Callebaut; BelGioioso Cheese, Inc.; California Avocado Commission; Campbell Soup Company; Canada Cutlery Inc.; CaterSource^® Magazine; Custom Culinary, Inc.; Ecolab^®; Heritage Food Service Group; Hobart Corp.; illy caffe; Irinox USA; J.R. Simplot Company; Johnson & Wales University; Lactalis Foodservice; McCormick For Chefs; Michelman & Robinson, LLP; MINOR'S^®; Mississippi Seafood Marketing; Monterey Bay Aquarium; NEWCHEF Fashion Inc.; Nueske's Applewood Smoked Meats; Oneida; Plugra^® European-Style Butter; PreGel AMERICA; R.L. Schreiber, Inc.; RATIONAL; Riviana^®Foods; S.Pellegrino^® Sparkling Natural Mineral Water; The Schwan Food Company; Southern Wine & Spirits of Nevada; StarKist^®; Tyson Food Service; US Foods; Unilever Food Solutions; Valrhona; Victorinox Swiss Army; Villeroy & Boch; Vitamix^® Corporation; Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board; and Wusthof.

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 Pastry 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.