Once again it is September. I just went back and read some of the presidents' messages from years past. They talk about change. The change of seasons, the changes in chapter officers and the change in Chef of the Year. This letter will say a lot of those things too. We accomplished a major change at the August meeting. We will no longer hold a Chef of the Year Dinner. This year's event honoring Earnie Miller will be the last. Next Year a President's Ball will be the order of business. We may well enter the evening not knowing who our 2007 Chef of the Year will be. All those nominated and proved eligible will be honored. The companies that support our association will be honored. Those who have helped the chapter and our industry will be honored. I believe it will make the evening more exciting. I hope you all embrace the change a few of us were left to decide.

When I joined ACF some fifteen years ago and was first granted the right to vote for a Chef of the Year, I asked weather the criteria was to elect the best cook or the best member. I grant that was a different time, and for that matter a different chapter, But I believe the idea is still the same at least at the chapter level. We ask or candidates to cook but that is just one part of the process. We are looking to honor one member who has been an asset to the chapter. We look for someone who cares about ACF Rochester and goes that extra step to help it prosper. I am of the opinion that as a chapter we selected such a Chef of the Year this year. Earnest Miller, CEC, CCE has been a member of the ACF since 1994. He has always been at the general meetings. He has served as both an elected and as an appointed member of the Board of Directors. During his time at Canapés Restaurant he opened his kitchen to some of the most successful Chef and a Child events this chapter has done. With his ever-present camera he hasrecorded the recent history of ACF Rochester. Earnie spends his time teaching young and not so young people the basics of our profession. At a stage in life when most have folded their toque and allowed the youngsters to take over Earnie continues to guide and direct the careers of young culinarians.  Isn't that what being our chapter Chef of the Year is about. The industry is completely different than it was when Chef Miller started cooking in service of his country. The products we use come from more sources and are of a vastly larger variety than in the Eisenhower years. But a sauté is still the same as is poaching, braising, or cutting a fine dice or turning a potato. Earnie has spent two careers helping train those who feed us.  Congratulations to Chef Miller and to ACF Rochester for a fine selection.

Just as a reminder there is still time to purchase tickets to the September 17 event. As members you are entitled to a discount on your first two tickets. I particularly would like to remind the former Chef's of the Year of ACF Rochester that just as others welcomed you into this elite group you should be there for our newest member. Let's make our 'last' Chef of the Year Dinner memorable.

Now onto further changes… At the September meeting we will again elect new officers for our chapter. While the by-laws allow some of us to stay in office, others are forced to relinquish their post. As always now a trustee position is open. The offices of Treasurer and Corresponding Secretary must see a change. If I am to remain as your President or am the next Chair of the Board I would like to see new, really new, faces at the monthly board meetings. With new faces come new ideas. Being an officer only takes a few extra hours a month. If ACF Rochester is an organization you care about, consider running for office. The only stipulation to being electable is that "All officers of Association must be active members at least one year prior to being nominated or elected to any office." So if you joined before October of 2005 you can throw your toque into the ring. Our current Chair of the Board is acting as nominations chair for this election. If you are willing to place in nomination see or e-mail Chef Don. Thanks.

See you at the September meeting, remember we changed the usual last Monday to Sept 11, 2006 because of our COTY Dinner. And I really hope to see you at the Hospitality House for our Chef of the Year Dinner.

Chef Paul

Non-cooks think it's silly to invest two hours' work in two minutes' enjoyment; but if cooking is evanescent, so is the ballet.
Julia Child 1912-2004