2013 ACF Southeast Regional Conference

After a year of planning by the ACF KY Chapter, it's almost time for us to get ready to welcome the chef attendees of the 2013 ACF Southeast Regional Conference to our fair city! The conference will be held March 1st-4th at the Downtown Marriott and the culinary competitions (a big part of the conference) will be hosted by Sullivan University.
We feel as the host chapter, that we have set the bar high for ourselves and have included as much local flair as well as tapping into our local talent pool, to show what an exciting culinary community we live in.

While the conference is certainly geared toward the culinary professional, everyone is welcome as you do not have to be an ACF member to attend conference events. However, there is a registration fee and many events can be purchased by the either by the day or "ala carte".
We encourage any local chefs and culinarians that aren't ACF members to try to make it for at least one day to see what our professional organization is all about and how membership can benefit you.

Here's a link to the conference page on the ACF website that includes registration forms, the schedule of events and other information.

http://www.acfchefs.org/Content/Navigat ... efault.htm

Wow, what a weekend! From what I could tell, everyone really seemed to enjoy what our local chapter had in store and most were very surprised how much Louisville has to offer the out-of-town visitor and were quite impressed with our local dining scene.

I would like to congratulate Kendall Knies for winning the Southeast Region Student Chef of the Year award. Good luck at National in July! Also the student team from Sullivan University on their Bronze Medal in the team competitions.

Myself and Brown-Forman Chef Mark Williams won the Double Trouble-Freebird Challenge against Dallas McGarity and KY Chapter President William Szenay.
We will be competing in the World Championships at the KY State Fair against former Oakroom chefs and Georgia Champions, Todd Richards and Duane S.Nutter.

Thanks goes out to all of our local presenters: Dean Corbett, Josh Moore, Matt Jamie, Joy Perrine, Barbara Turner, Allan Akmon, Albert Schmid, David Woolums, Barry Yates, Billy Webb, Rodger Baylor, Mark Williams, Patrick Roney and the staff at the Oakroom and all of the local volunteers from Sullivan University, Jefferson Community and Technical College and the Louisville Convention and Visitor's Bureau.

And finally very special thanks goes out to Sullivan University for hosting the culinary competitions and really putting out the red carpet in a big, big way! Also to our friends at Gordon Food Service who also really came through with their support. Chef Graham Weber and Mary Hepditch and all of the staff at the Marriott Downtown. Everyone remarked and was very happy about the level of service you guys provided us. The conference would not have been the success it was without your help!

Dan, thanks for having me. I had a great time on Saturday with the potato people.

A couple links to photos from the Flicker page.

This group of local chefs are competing in the Gimme Back My Skillet- Double Trouble Freebird Challenge. From L to R- ACF KY President William Szenay, Marketplace Executive Chef Dallas McGarity, ME, Brown-Forman Executive Chef Mark Williams and M.C. duties fell to Consulting Chef Jim Whaley as the current World Champion.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/acfchefs/8 ... 931848557/

Dean Corbett and ME

http://www.flickr.com/photos/acfchefs/8 ... 2931848557

and lastly competing in the Flavors of the Mediterranean Minute Rice cook off

http://www.flickr.com/photos/acfchefs/8 ... 2931848557

http://www.flickr.com/photos/acfchefs/8 ... 931848557/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/acfchefs/8 ... 931848557/

And the whole album

http://www.flickr.com/photos/acfchefs/8 ... 931848557/