Photos of the cold-food tryouts are at
http://www.flickr.com/photos/acfchefs/sets/72157623377530669/.
and pastry management. In 2009, he was a
member of Valencia’s student hot-food team
that competed in the ACF Southeast region
competition, earning a silver medal. Moll is a
member ACF Central Florida Chapter.
Academy of Chefs Culinary Regional Team
USA at the 2008 IKA. He is a graduate of The
International Culinary School at The Art Institute
of Atlanta. Shular is a member of ACF Greater
Atlanta Chapter Inc.
The following is an excerpt from a
letter sent to ACF Culinary Team USA
Manager Steve Jilleba, CMC, CCE,
AAC, by Fred Raynaud , corporate
executive chef for Guest Services, Inc.,
Fairfax, Va., following the cold-food
segment of the team tryouts.
Timothy Prefontaine,
CEC, is executive chef at The
Fort Worth Club, Fort Worth,
Texas. He was a member of
2008 ACF Regional Team
USA, ranked No. 1 in the
world out of 62 regional teams at the IKA. He
has an associate degree from New Hampshire
Community Technical College, Berlin, N.H., and
apprenticed at The Balsams. He is a member of
ACF National Chapter.
Rudy Smith, CEC, is
corporate chef for Unilever
Foodsolutions, Lisle, Ill. In
2000, he earned three gold
medals and a silver medal
at Hotelympia, London, and
a silver medal at the IKA. He graduated with
an associate degree in culinary arts from The
Culinary Institute of America (CIA), Hyde Park,
N. Y. He is a member of ACF National Chapter.
Dear Chef Jilleba,
I want to thank you for the opportunity to
step into the arena and compete to be
a member of 2012 ACF Culinary Team
USA. Though my efforts fell short, I did
not walk away empty-handed, for in my
hands I carry the torch of passion and the
pursuit of excellence from all those who
competed at my side in this grand event.
John Reed, CEC, CCA, is
owner of Customized Culinary
Solutions, Skokie, Ill. He
graduated with an associate
degree in culinary arts from
Johnson & Wales University,
Providence, R.I., and earned a bachelor’s in
hotel, restaurant and travel administration from
the University of Massachusetts, Amherst,
Mass. Reed is a member of ACF Windy City
Professional Culinarians Inc.
James “Kevin” Storm, CEC,
CCA, AAC, is executive chef
at Bellerive Country Club, St.
Louis. He was a coach for ACF
Culinary Youth Team USA,
which placed fourth overall in
the world among youth teams at the 2008 IKA.
He has a grand diploma from LaVarenne Ecole
de Cuisine, Paris, and an associate degree from
Johnson County Community College, Overland
Park, Kan. He is a member of Chefs de Cuisine
Association of St. Louis Inc.
Orlando Santos, CEPC, is
executive pastry chef at The
Duquesne Club, Pittsburgh.
He graduated from Johnson
& Wales University, North
Miami, Fla., with an associate
degree, and apprenticed at Hotel Metropole,
Brussels, Belgium. Santos is a member of ACF
Pittsburgh Chapter.
Eddie Tancredi is sous
chef at New Albany Country
Club, New Albany, Ohio. He
graduated from Pennsylvania
Culinary Institute, Pittsburgh,
with an associate degree in
specialized technology, and from a three-year
apprenticeship program at The Greenbrier, White
Sulphur Springs, W.Va. He is a member of ACF
Columbus Chapter.
For me, just listening to the judges’
critiques was priceless. This, I think, is
the heartbeat of culinary competition—
that the giants of our profession reach
out and stretch the boundaries of what
can be accomplished in our craft, then,
with the wisdom of the teacher, reach
back and say to the next generation of
chefs: “Strive to be the best you can be.
Reach for the stars, hone your craft and
enter the arena as a culinary gladiator
with heartfelt passion, creative desire
and the pursuit of excellence.”
Daryl Shular is corporate
executive chef for
Performance Foodservice—
Milton’s, Oakwood, Ga.
He earned a gold medal
as a member of American
For those who dare to point the way,
the arena of competition is where
the advancement of the craft is truly
honed. My only regret is that I did not
pursue the arena years ago, when
I was younger. It is like tasting a
perfect amuse-bouche at the end of
a seven-course feast without having
participated in the rest of the meal.
