PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE
By Michael Ty, CEC, AAC
Embracing the Future

This month, we launch the inaugural digital issue of The National Culinary Review, and for those of you who are receiving it digitally, I hope this method of communication meets your expectations. This project has been in the planning stages for almost six months, and considerable research went into choosing the user-friendly format.

Those of you who were not sure what digital NCR would look like and how portable your magazine would be are invited to view this inaugural issue and see how easy digital NCR is to navigate. Go to the ACF Web site homepage and click on the green box on the right that says, “Take a look inside NCR’s digital debut!” We think you will enjoy this format, and hope that you will join the majority of our membership receiving NCR digitally. Remember, you will receive digital NCR sooner and, most importantly, you are helping to save the environment as we decrease our printing/mailing carbon footprint.

The competition is open to the general public every day. In cold-food competition, two teams display each day of the seven-day event, and those displays are showcased for two days. In addition, each day two teams compete in the field-kitchen competition. Tickets are sold for those interested in tasting the food prepared by the military installation teams using Army field equipment. Many generals and admirals are in attendance, supporting their team members and rooting for them to win "Culinary Installation of the Year."

Currently, most teams competing are from the U.S. Army, but as Fort Lee becomes the central training facility for basic foodservice training for all five branches of the military, we will see more participation from the other branches.

The Army has committed to place 1,184

ACF apprentices in the coming year.

Apprentices will receive initial foodservice training during an eight-week stint in culinary arts at Fort Lee, and then will go to their respective installations to complete the ACF apprenticeship program.

At Fort Lee, left to right: Brig. Gen. Karen Le Doux; CW4 Russell Campbell, CEC; and Michael Ty, CEC, AAC.

I toured the Army’s training facilities at Fort Lee, and saw plans for the expansion that will take place in the near future.

ACF Culinary Team USA As many of you are aware, the ACF Board of Directors reconsidered ACF Culinary Team USA’s opportunity to compete in the world forum of competition. After reviewing continued on page 10

U.S. Army Culinary Arts Competition Last month I was invited to attend the 35th annual culinary arts competition for the military at Fort Lee, Va. This is the first time that I have attended the event, but I have heard much about it over the years. It is the largest single sanctioned ACF competition, and brings together more than 250 competitors in one location, with more than 24 military teams representing all five branches of the military. It offers every conceivable competition that we have in our competition manual, from a cold-food salon to pastry and from student and student team to a nutrition competition, as well as the traditional hot-food competition.

ACFEF accreditation site visit to Center for
Culinary Arts, Manila, Philippines: Front row,
left to right: Chef Kim Santos, continuing-
education program manager, Center for
Culinary Arts; Judith Imperial, human
resources manager, Cravings Group; Jenny
Pico, purchasing manager, Cravings Group;
David Bearl, CCC, CCE, educator, ACFEF
accreditation team; Marinela G. Trinidad,
CEO/general manager, Cravings Group;
Susana P. Guerrero, president, Cravings
Group; Charmaine Montalla, student affairs
manager, Center for Culinary Arts; Chef
Melissa Sison, academic programs manager,
Center for Culinary Arts; Dr. Veritas F. Luna,
managing director, Center for Culinary Arts;
and Bernadeth Urbiztondo, deputy financial
controller, Cravings Group. Back row, left to
right: Peter Kimball, accreditation manager,
ACFEF; Michael Ty, CEC, AAC; Anne
Certeza Palmares, public relations/corporate
relations manager, Center for Culinary Arts;
and Agnes Manalaysay, officer in charge,
marketing, Center for Culinary Arts.