National Culinary Review

NEWSWORTHY

Chapman

On November 1, 2001, at Castle Restaurant in Leicester, Mass., Julia Child, seated, was named Honorary Escoffier Chair on behalf of Les Amis d’Escoffier Society of New England. Congratulating her, left to right, are: James S. Nicas, Castle Restaurant manager; John S. Nicas, Castle Restaurant chef and president of the New England Les Amis d’Escoffier chapter; and Evangeline Nicas, Castle Restaurant vice president. Child, who is the subject of the recently released movie, “Julie & Julia,” dined at Castle Restaurant regularly.

The National Culinary Review | October 2009

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IN MEMORIAM

We mourn the passing of our fellow culinarians, who meant so much to the industry and to the American Culinary Federation.

Steve Bosheff

ACF Orange Empire Chefs & Professional Cooks Association

Throughout his 25-plus-years career, James

Chapman, CEC, CCA, executive chef at

Yellowstone National Park lodges, operated by Xanterra Parks & Resorts in Yellowstone National Park, Wyo., has worked many high-profile events, including cooking for Frank

Sinatra and the king and queen of Norway. But on August 15, The ACF Greater Yellowstone Chapter member cooked a meal he will never forget—one that fed the President of the

United States, Barack Obama.

Wyoming chef cooks for President Obama

While shopping for the artisan cheeses, Chapman received word that they wanted a cook-out themed lunch menu, instead. Chapman created a sustainable cook-out menu using all-natural, local ingredients, including Montana Ranch Brand

Piedmontese Beef, Prairie Harvest All Natural Chicken Breast, Lake Yellowstone Trout and Wild Alaskan Salmon. After the meal, the president asked to meet and have a photo taken with Chapman.

“It was a last-minute thing. We didn’t even know he was coming until four days before,” Chapman says. “It was a quickly planned and executed event. The only thing I knew was that they wanted a fruit-and-cheese platter.”

“I’ve been doing this for a long time, but this was a pretty big deal,” Chapman says. “I stayed calm, and was proud of the food I produced. It turned out well.”