November 3 & 4th,
Malvern, PA: Desmond Hotel & Convention Center: Chef Tom Macrina CEC, AAC hosted the Fourth Annual N.E. Regional Education FORUM, Chef Jim Taylor, CEC, AAC, Regional Vice President presiding.

The next two years will be entered into the history books of the ACF as the James Taylor Era. This veteran chef/educator will blend his many years of on-the-job experience and love for the ACF and the Federation’s professionals will brings fresh new ideas and achievable goals to his constituents. Vice President Taylor will be open to all input, positive and negative as he believes there is something to be learned from either if offered in the right spirit of construction and innovation. In his remarks Jim invited and challenged us, all of us, to offer our opinions for progress, asked us to recruit members, and develop and share ideas to retain all levels of membership, Active, Junior, Senior, Associate and to look outside the traditions “box” for people & potential members who have something to do with what ACF represents. As always New York was well represented. Eight of our 15 NYS ACF chapters were represented offering ideas and asking all kinds of questions that encouraged conversation and focus on education.
Cooking was over 50% of what was happening at this FORUM. Unlike the Conferences and Conventions where one could choose from many programs, we all sat and learned together. Nobody missed out. We all shared in the education and seminar subject matter together allowing for diverse observation and opinion to be absorbed and questioned. Cooks/educators from all venues of our industry interacted in the seminars. Younger culinary personnel working at the Desmond Hotel presented demonstrations in the many faceted of Vegetarian Cooking & Today’s Chef. Neil Saks, CC and Marc Winans, CCC presented this outstanding look into the intense arena of vegetarian cuisine. I tried to “rattle” the young cooks and failed! They were well prepared (as Neil is himself a vegetarian) and did not waver from their intended message. Bravo and congratulations! (I’m sure you’ll soon hear about the “can” issue…….I sure did, all week end long.)

Barbara Sanders, CEC, CCE, AAC and her husband, Dr. Richard Sanders, Ph.D. introduces a program of Diversity and included their research in their seminar. Some of their investigation took place during the ACF National FORUM 2001 in Las Vegas at the MGM. The numbers of employees and applications taken for employment are greater in numbers than most American Up and Down the road towns and villages! Awesome. Given the political correctness expected in today’s workplace and given the diverse population in the workplace, we must be sensitive to people and situations that are not only hurtful, but insulting, rude and uncalled for ingrained prejudices. Feeling we many times are unaware of because they’ve been “a part” of our mind-set since our early days. Dr. Sanders pointed out in some “roll playing” scenarios just what it looks and sounds like to casually go about insulting someone and not even recognizing that you have. WOW! An eye opener and mind invasion, indeed.

Our New York State’s Chef Tom Recinella, CEC stepped up to the “demo kitchen” and definitely demonstrate what real passion for competing was all about. “Thought on how to approach a One Hour Competition.” After talking some about the “what and how’s” Tom proceeded to show us what he was talking about by actually doing a one hour competition. Was it the best? You bet you boopie it was!
FYI: Chef Tom is an instructor at Delhi CC in New York State and coach of the Delhi Jr. member team and they went forward to win the NYS competition, prevail as N.E Regional Champions and go on to the National ACF Convention representing the North East Region.

Chef James Decker, CEC, AAC, current Columbus, OH Chapter president offered a very informative seminar on “Sugar Alternatives.” From an ACF perspective it proved to be educational (imagine that, dah!) and informative. We even sampled desserts made using sugar alternatives.

On Sunday, Dr Noel Cullen, CMC, Ed D, immediate past National ACF president shared some of the ideas from his book. What a man. Chef Cullen pointed out many ways to recognize our personal short comings and sometimes weak management skills by bulleting subjects such as: problem-solving, decision making, approaches to discipline and to borrow a term used by my friend, Phil Craigg, New Jersey State Rep, “unhiring as opposed to firing” techniques and procedures. A very interesting hour….we could have sat through more, but schedules needed to be met with so much going on……exit stage left, Dr. Cullen.

Chef Gunther Heiland, CMPC, AAC concluded the formal program with discussion and a super demonstration on “Plated Desserts.” Chef Gunther woke up our food cost/labor cost sensitive minds by pointing out that “time really is money!” If we are not aware of the labor and the time it takes to perform tasks and build that factor into the formula, we “dead in the water before we begin the journey.” Not only was this a program that stimulated the brain, it was aesthetically beautiful, tasty and doable. Chef Manfred Bast, SMPC, CCE, AAC stepped in to demonstrate “how to (correctly) make a paper cone.” Thank you to the Master from Philadelphia….we needed that little bit of technique and the humor that accompanied it. Of course, Chef Pierre Rausch, CEPC, AAC was commentator through out the pastry demo. He was helpful in explaining a lot of stuff while the Master Pastry Chef, Gunther, a quiet man of few words made it all look easy.

Pierre Rausch. A brilliant character among chefs “did a little” live performance of: “Do You Look Professional.” While alluding to much of what was discussed during the Sanders’ and Cullen seminars, Pierre showed us live and up front what it looks like to behave poorly and look sloppy in the work place. He, in the course of his performance, stripped layer after layer of clothing off as he “showed” us the right way and the wrong way to look and behave toward fellow employees. Great performances; eat you hearts out!

Lastly, let me refer to the hospitality Chef Tom presented. The accommodations were first class. Every meal was prepared, presented and planned perfectly. Enough food? Yeah. Outstanding service from well trained servers and dining room staff shone brightly during our stay. Tom even planned for the weather….he offered a Saturday “on-the-patio” barbeque….chicken, ribs, shrimp and a million home made salads.

It all came sadly to an end with a get away luncheon of braised lamb shanks, cooked perfectly. During lunch we held a New York Chapters meeting and shared common concerns and established some goals. I’ll share these ideas with you under a separate cover. For now, I’ll tell you that the ACF North East Region is in the good and capable hands of Chef Jim Taylor and look for great things to come forward. Good cooking everyone.

I’m new to this but not to ACF. I am available from anything you might want to address or to help solve some of the problems that come up now and then.. Write, call or e-mail me with just about anything.

And, remember, I would like to see every cook in New York State a member of ACF and on their way to some level of certification. HELP ME ACHIEVE THIS GOAL.
Chef Don in Rochester