Hundreds Of Chefs Gather In North Carolina For American Culinary Federation Southeast Regional Conference, Feb. 20-22

Chinese cuisine, nutrition and heritage poultry are some of the topics that will be discussed during the American Culinary Federation's (ACF) Southeast Regional Conference at Winston-Salem Marriott, Winston-Salem, N.C., Feb. 20-22, 2012. Hosted by ACF Triad Chapter Inc., the conference brings together hundreds of foodservice professionals, chefs and students from across the Southeast for networking, educational opportunities, cooking competitions and demonstrations from the region's best chefs and speakers.

Feb. 19, a day before the conference officially begins, chefs will enjoy a series of hands-on workshops on sugar molding and chocolate. Cooking competitions (noted with an asterisk below) take place off-site at Guilford Technical Community College, 601 High Point Road, Jamestown, NC 27282. Regional winners will advance to their respective national competitions in Orlando, Fla., July 14-17.

Several renowned guests will speak at the conference, including Dr. Maya Angelou, poet, civil-rights activist, author, historian and actress, producer and director. Angelou will present the keynote address Feb. 21. Following, area chefs will prepare recipes from her cookbooks, Great Food, All Day Long and Hallelujah: The Welcome Table. Here is a look at each day's events:

Monday, February 20:
8:30-9:30 a.m.: "Lighten Up Your Menu" explores how to balance flavor and nutrition.
8:30-9:30 a.m.: "Coffee Shop Solutions" seminar
8:30-9:30 a.m.: "The Rich-Tasting Experience of Heritage Poultry" looks into commercial/industrialized chickens and turkeys and how genetics affect growth, welfare and taste.
10:15-11:15 a.m.: "World Flavors and Your Menu: China," sponsored by Unilever Food Solutions, gives attendees a taste of Chinese cuisine.
10:15-11:15 a.m.: "Moravian Cooking" demo
*10:15-11:40 a.m.: Two pastry chefs compete for the regional title of "Pastry Chef of the Year."
*12:15-1:55 p.m.: Three chefs, including two from North Carolina, compete for the regional title of "Chef of the Year."
*1-2 p.m.: A Florida student demonstrates his skills for the regional "Student Chef of the Year" award.
1-5 p.m.: Five teams of students compete in the Baron H. Galand Culinary Knowledge Bowl, a "Jeopardy"-style competition sponsored by American Technical Publishers.
2:45-3:45 p.m.: "Sodium: A Little Goes a Long Way" examines how much salt is too much.
4:30-5:30 p.m.: "The Primer on Fat" seminar
4:30-5:30 p.m.: "The Science of Tasting & Smelling: How We Sense What We Eat" looks at the role the senses play in the appreciation of food.

Tuesday, February 21:
*8 a.m.-3 p.m.: Five student teams, including one from North Carolina, compete in the hot-foods portion of the ACF Student Team Regional Championship, sponsored by R.L. Schreiber, Inc.
8:30-11 a.m.: Angelou gives the General Session keynote address and two Carolina chefs prepare recipes from her cookbooks. Additionally, several awards will be presented.
1-5:30 p.m.: Educational demos and seminars will take place throughout the afternoon.

Wednesday, February 22:
8-9 a.m.: An educational demo will take place during this time.
9:45-10:45 a.m.: "Parfait, Shooters and Shakes" pastry demo
2-3 p.m.: "Working with Glucose" compares the use of powered and liquid glucose for sugar decorations and sugar cookery.
3:45-4:45 p.m.: In "The Croquembouche Craze," attendees will learn about this uniquely French-style wedding cake.
3:45-4:45 p.m.: Additional sessions will take place during this time.
7-9 p.m.: All regional winners are announced at the Regional Awards Gala, a formal ticketed event.

The conference is open to food professionals and enthusiasts. Registration is required. Daily badges are $125 and includes breakfast or brunch. Guests can