ACF Culinary Team Usa -- National And Regional Members Announced

American Culinary Federation Team USA
National and Regional Culinary Team Members Announced

ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla., May 24, 2006 - After a grueling tryout process, the new members of the American Culinary Federation (ACF) Culinary Team USA were announced at the National Restaurant Association Restaurant, Hotel-Motel Show. in Chicago.

Four members were named to the internationally acclaimed ACF Culinary Team USA National Team, the official representative team of the United States in major international culinary competitions. Ten finalists were chosen for two ACF Culinary Team USA Regional Teams, often considered a training ground for future national team members.

ACF Culinary Team USA National Team:
Edward G. Leonard, CMC, AAC - ACF Culinary Team USA Team Manager
Richard Rosendale, CC - ACF Culinary Team USA Team Captain
Joachim Buchner, CMC - Chevy Chase Club, Chevy Chase, MD
Jamie Keating, CCC - Milliken and Company, LaGrange, GA
Daniel Scannell, CMC - Cherry Hills Country Club, Cherry Hills Village, CO
Patricia Nash - Westchester Country Club, Rye, NY

ACF Culinary Team USA Regional Teams:
Christopher Desens, CEC - Racquet Club Ladue, St. Louis
Scott Fetty - Pennsylvania Culinary Institute, Pittsburgh
Drew B. Garms - The Greenbrier Resort, White Sulphur Springs, WV
Jennifer A. Kopp, CPC - Chevy Chase Club, Chevy Chase, MD
Joseph M. Leonardi - Johnson & Wales University, Providence, RI
Michael Matarazzo - The Greenbrier Resort, White Sulphur Springs, WV
Craig Peterson - Hallbrook Country Club, Leawood, KS
Timothy Prefontaine, CSC - River Oaks Country Club, Houston
Mellisa K. Root - River Oaks Country Club, Houston
Daryl L. Shular, CCC - The Art Institute of Atlanta, Roswell, GA

ACF Culinary Team USA won the world championship in hot-food cooking at the Internationale Kochkunst Ausstellung, or "Culinary Olympics" in Germany in 2004, and took home two gold medals in the cold and hot food portions of the 2005 Salon Culinaire Mondial in Switzerland. Both competitions are known as the most prestigious in the culinary industry. Currently, the team is ranked third in the world.

Sponsors of ACF Culinary Team USA are Kraft Foods Global, Inc., Tyson Foods Inc., Uncle Ben's, Unilever Foodsolutions, Chef Revival, Chef's Hat, Club Managers Association of America, Fortessa and Westchester Country Club.

The American Culinary Federation, Inc., established in 1929, is the premier professional organization for culinarians in America. With over 18,000 members spanning 240 chapters nationwide, ACF is the culinary leader in offering educational resources, training, apprenticeship and accreditation. In addition, ACF operates the only comprehensive certification program for chefs in the U.S. ACF is home to ACF Culinary Team USA, the official representative for the United States in major international culinary competitions, and also holds the presidium for the World Association of Chefs Societies, the largest international network of chef associations with more than eight million members globally. For more information, please visit www.acfchefs.org.

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