Chefs Face Off In Toque To Toque Challenge At 2008 ACF Northeast Regional Conference In Cincinnati

The American Culinary Federation (ACF), Inc., will hold its Toque to Toque Chefs Challenge during the 2008 ACF Northeast Regional Conference in Cincinnati, Ohio. The event takes place Sunday, April 6, at the Midwest Culinary Institute at Cincinnati State, Cincinnati, where ACF National President, John Kinsella, CMC, CCE, AAC, is senior chef instructor.

The Toque to Toque Chefs Challenge, sponsored by The American Lamb Board, takes place from 10:30 a.m. until noon in the Midwest Culinary Institute Demo Theater. ACF Northeast Region Vice President Mark Wright, CEC, AAC, will go "toque to toque" against Norman Hart, CEC, CCE, AAC, the reigning ACF Chef Educator of the Year, for the title of 2008 Toque to Toque Champion.

"The Toque to Toque Chefs Challenge is sure to attract a large audience as these talented chefs face off for the 2008 title," said Kinsella. "This will be a high energy, exciting event for both the competitors and the audience. We are eager to see the competition and the outcome."

Competitors will utilize two identical studio kitchen stations and a common pantry of seasonings, bases, sauces and produce. They will have one hour to complete three dishes featuring a common entr?e item, provided by the American Lamb Board. A three-person panel selected by the ACF will judge the dishes. Rules of the competition will loosely follow the popular Ready! Set! Cook! format, including one apprentice per chef, a minimum of three separate dishes prepared and a strict timeline. Judges will score taste, presentation and creativity.

Chosen for its big city vibrancy and small-town charm, Cincinnati is the location of the 2008 ACF Northeast Regional Conference hosted by ACF Greater Cincinnati Chapter. Bringing more than 500 chefs, cooks and foodservice professionals to the city, the conference will provide attendees with numerous opportunities to advance their professional development and enhance their culinary skills through informative business seminars, forums, clinics and cutting-edge demonstrations. In addition, the conference will offer participants the opportunity to learn about the latest cooking trends and techniques.

Sponsors of the 2008 ACF Northeast Regional Conference and national award sponsors include: American Lamb Board; Barber Foods; Badia Spices; Beef Information Center; Buckhead Beef Company; Butterball Farms, Inc.; Canada Cutlery Inc.; The Cheesecake Factory Bakery, Inc.; Contessa Premium Foods; Custom Culinary, Inc.; GFF, Inc./Girard's Dressings; John Morrell & Co.; La Brea Bakery; Lactalis Foodservice, Inc; Lobster Select; Maker's Mark Distillery, Inc. ; Mann's Fresh Vegetables; MARS Foodservices; Mind's Eye Resource Management, LLC; Nestl? Professional; NEWCHEF Fashions; Nueske's Applewood Smoked Meats; Pearson Prentice Hall; Queensgate Foodservice ; RC Fine Foods, Reinhart Foodservice; R.L. Schreiber, Inc., Rubbermaid Commercial Products; Snake River Farms; Splenda?; SYSCO Food Services of Cincinnati; Tyson Food Service; Unilever Foodsolutions and Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board.

The American Culinary Federation, Inc., established in 1929, is the premier professional organization for culinarians in North America. With 20,000 members spanning more than 230 chapters nationwide, ACF is the culinary leader in offering educational resources, training, apprenticeship and accreditation. In addition, ACF operates the most comprehensive certification program for chefs in the United States. 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 8 million members globally. For more information, please visit www.acfchefs.org.

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