Award Winners Announced At 2010 Acf Northeast Regional Conference

The American Culinary Federation (ACF), Inc., the largest association of professional culinarians in North America, held its 2010 ACF Northeast Regional Conference at the Hershey Lodge, Hershey, Pa., March 13-15.

At the conference, the American Academy of Chefs (AAC), ACF's honor society, gave a $1,000 grant to the Northeast Region Student Team Regional Champions, ACF Chefs & Cooks of the Catskill Mountains, to assist the team with expenses to travel to the national competition in August. AAC also presented ACF Culinary Team USA, the official representative of the U.S. in national and international competitions, with a $2,500 check.

ACF honored members and chapters at the conference. The 2010 ACF Northeast Regional Conference award recipients listed below will compete for national titles against their winning regional counterparts at the 2010 ACF National Convention in Anaheim, Calif., Aug. 2-5.

Chef of the Year, sponsored by Unilever Foodsolutions
Michael Matarazzo, executive chef, Bear Mountain Inn, Bear Mountain, N.Y.; ACF National Chapter

Pastry Chef of the Year, sponsored by Splenda�
Jennifer Kopp, CEPC, pastry chef, Chevy Chase Club, Chevy Chase, Md.; ACF Nations Capital Chefs Association

Chef Educator of the Year
Maureen Costello-Garfolo, CEC, CCE, chef-instructor, Le Cordon Bleu Institute of Culinary Arts in Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh; ACF Pittsburgh Chapter

Hermann G. Rusch Chef's Achievement Award
Americo DiFronzo, CEC, AAC, executive chef, American Food Systems, Inc., Burlington, Mass.; ACF Epicurean Club of Boston

Chef Professionalism Award, sponsored by Minor's�
Douglas Patten, CEC, CCA, corporate executive chef, Flik International/Compass Group, Rye Brook, N.Y.; ACF Epicurean Club of Boston

Student Chef of the Year, sponsored by Custom Culinary, Inc.
Corey Siegel, CC, student, The Culinary Institute of America, Hyde Park, N.Y.; ACF of Greater Buffalo New York

Baron H. Galand Culinary Knowledge Bowl, sponsored by American Technical Publishers
Westmoreland County Community College, Youngwood, Pa.: Carol Baier, Ellen Cervone, Rebecca Hawk, Allison Yeagley and Dianne Palmieri. The team is coached by Cindy Komarinski, CCC, CCE.

Student Team Regional Championship, sponsored by R.L. Schreiber, Inc.
ACF Chefs & Cooks of the Catskill Mountains, students from State University of New York at Delhi, Delhi, N.Y.: Julie Hernandez, Kenneth Liranzo, Joseph Michaud, Mike Specioso and Sarah Thurgood. The team is coached by Victor Sommo, CSC.

The 2010 ACF Northeast Regional Conference award recipients listed below were recognized for their outstanding contributions and goodwill.

Chapter of the Year
ACF Rhode Island Chapter, Providence, R.I.

Chapter Achievement Award
ACF Capital District-Central New York, Albany, N.Y.
ACF Columbus Chapter, Columbus, Ohio
ACF Epicurean Club of Boston, Boston
ACF Pittsburgh Chapter, Pittsburgh
ACF Rhode Island Chapter

Cutting Edge Award
Maria Campbell, CEC, chef-instructor, The International Culinary School at The Art Institute of Philadelphia, Philadelphia; ACF Philadelphia Chapter
Mark Kent, CEC, operations manager, University of Akron, Akron, Ohio; ACF Akron-Canton Area Cooks and Chefs Association
Linda Musch, CCE, AAC, chef-instructor, Chariho Area Career and Technical Center, Wood River Junction, R.I.; ACF Rhode Island Chapter

ACF President's Medallions
Robert Forquer, CEC, AAC, culinary arts instructor, Commonwealth Technical Institute at the Hiram G. Andrews Center, Johnstown, Pa.; ACF Conemaugh Valley Culinary Association
Thomas Hannum, CEC, safety manager, DuPont Hospitality, Wilmington, Del.; ACF First State Chefs Association
Brian Peffley, CEPC, CCE, pastry-arts instructor, Lebanon County Career and