American Culinary Federation Press Release For Immediate Release: Jan. 12, 2015
Media Contacts: Chelsea Pillsbury: (904) 484-0226,
[email protected] Jessica Ward: (904) 484-0213,
[email protected]
Regional Chefs to Gather in Baltimore for Culinary Trend Conference, Feb. 15-17 Topics to Include Sustainable Seafood Sources, Vegetarian Cooking and Gourmet Ice Cream Sandwiches St. Augustine, Fla., Jan. 12, 2015—Chefs from the American Culinary Federation’s (ACF) Northeast and Southeast Region’s will gather for hands-on workshops, culinary demonstrations and professional development opportunities during ChefConnect: Baltimore, Feb. 15-17, at Baltimore Marriott Waterfront, Baltimore. The conference is part of ACF’s Signature Series, which provides professional development for chefs and culinary students through educational programs, conferences and competitions. ChefConnect: Baltimore will feature cooking demonstrations and career development seminars, and provide networking opportunities for chefs, students and foodservice professionals. The conference topics will highlight culinary trends for 2015 and include discussions on food pairings, vegetable-based and meat-alternative entrees, gourmet ice cream desserts and how to build relationships with local farmers. In addition, seminars will take place on the topic of sustainable seafood, from the science of oyster aquaculture and wild-caught versus farmed fish to the growing process of mussels. Eleven student teams from the Northeast and Southeast will compete in the Baron H. Galand Culinary Knowledge Bowl, sponsored by American Technical Publishers. The knowledge bowl is a jeopardy-style culinary competition that includes questions on culinary, baking, nutrition, sanitation and math. The winning team from each region will travel to Cook. Craft. Create. ACF National Convention & Show, Orlando, Florida, July 30-Aug. 3, to compete for the national title. Additional regional awards will be announced at ChefConnect: Baltimore, including ACF Chef Educator of the Year, Achievement of Excellence Awards and ACF President’s Medallions. ChefConnect: Baltimore is open to the public. Registration is required on-site and day badges range from $200-250 depending on time of purchase. Press passes are available to the media. Below is a snapshot of the schedule. To view a complete schedule, visit www.acfchefs.org/Events. Monday, Feb. 16 2-3 p.m.: Attendees will learn how to stretch their beef dollar in Power Up Your Menu with Beef with Dave Zino, executive chef, National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, Centennial, Colorado. 3:15-4:15 p.m.: Chefs discover how to add nutrients to their dishes in Reducing Fat Not Flavor with Jeffrey Quasha, CEC, CCA, executive chef, Memorial University Medical Center, Savannah, Georgia. 3:15-4:15 p.m.: Watch Abdellah Aguenaou, executive chef, Washington Marriott Wardman Park, Washington, D.C., pan sear rockfish with lemon beurre blanc while he explains how chefs can adapt to Banquet Trends. 6-7:30 p.m.: Enjoy two 30-minute tastings that showcase regional cuisine before networking during the FlavorConnect Reception. -MORE-
Tuesday, Feb. 17 8:30 a.m.-12 p.m.: Eleven student teams compete in a jeopardy-style culinary competition in the Baron H. Galand Culinary Knowledge Bowl, sponsored by American Technical Publishers. 8:30-9:30 a.m.: Pair old-fashioned ice cream flavors with modern cookie combinations in Gourmet Ice Cream Sandwiches with Melodie Jordan, assistant professor/curriculum coordinator, Keystone College, La Plume, Pennsylvania. 8:30-9:30 a.m.: Paleo, Gluten-free and Other Menu Trends are on the rise. Foodservice professionals will gain knowledge on how to adapt dishes for these lifestyles with John Griffin, CEC, CEPC, corporate chef, Ginsberg Foods, Hudson, New York. 10 a.m.-11 a.m.: Discover the process and techniques for Oyster Aquaculture with Michael Manyak, owner/operator, Sapidus Farms Inc., Wicomico Church, Virginia. 2:15-3:15 p.m.: James Corwell, CMC, executive chef, The Pacific-Union Club, San Francisco will discuss farmed versus wild-caught fish and the vegan alternatives during Conscious Capitalism in the Culinary World. 3:45-4:45 p.m.: Attendees will enjoy an organic food cooking demonstration by Thomas McKeown, executive chef, Grand Hyatt Atlanta in Buckhead, Atlanta, who will share tips on how to Apply Local, Sustainable Cuisine at Large Venues. For information, visit www.acfchefs.org/events or call (800) 624-9458. Follow conference happenings on Twitter @ACFChefs, #ChefConnect or on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/ACFChefs. Sponsors of ChefConnect: Baltimore are: Allen Brothers, Inc.; American Technical Publishers; The Beef Checkoff; Custom Culinary, Inc.; Ecolab®; Gordon Food Service®; Idaho® Potato Commission; Jones Dairy Farm; Lactalis Foodservice, Inc.; MINOR’S®; Mussel Industry Council of PEI; National Pasteurized Eggs, Inc.; NEWCHEF Fashion Inc.; Plugrá® European-Style Butter; Royal Cup Coffee; Sysco®; Unilever Food Solutions; Valrhona; Villeroy & Boch; Vitamix® Corporation; Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board. About the American Culinary Federation The American Culinary Federation, Inc. (ACF), established in 1929, is the standard of excellence for chefs in North America. With nearly 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®, Certified Executive Pastry Chef® and Certified Culinary Educator® designations 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. ### Editor’s note: High-resolution photos and interviews are available upon request.
