Due to their excellent performance in the World Association of Chefs Societies Global Chefs Challenge Culinary Competition in Orlando, Florida, The Professional Culinary Institute of the Silicon Valley (PCI) has been chosen as the Apprentice Team USA for the 2008 Internationale Kochkunst Ausstellung, or Culinary Olympics.

The Apprentice Team USA is comprised of five PCI students: Jared Auker, San Jose, California; Maya Bernal, Golden, Colorado; Keriann Von Raesfeld, San Jose, California; Joey DeRuntz, Santa Cruz, California; and Edalyn Garcia, Santa Clara, California. The team coach is Chef Tomm Johnson, and team manager is Chef Randy Torres.

The American Culinary Federation (ACF) awarded national culinary awards at the 2007 ACF National Convention, held in late July in Orlando, Florida. Winners included:

U.S.A.’s Chef of the Year: J. Kevin Walker, CMC, executive chef, Cherokee Town & Country Club, Atlanta, Georgia

ACF National Chef Educator of the Year: Norman Hart, CEC, CCE, AAC, culinary instructor, Art Institute of Pittsburgh

ACF National Student Culinarian of the Year: Carol Chandler, CC, University of Montana College of Technology, Missoula, Montana

Chef Professionalism Award: Michael Beriau, CEC, AAC, executive chef, White Cliffs Country Club, Plymouth, Massachusetts

For a full list of winners, visit acfchefs.org.

Winners of the World Association of Chefs Societies (WACS) Global Chefs’ Challenge Continental Finals for the Americas, held July 21 in Florida, were:

Gold Medal: Aidan P. Murphy, CMC, AAC, United States
Silver Medal: Brad Horen, Canada
Bronze Medal: Tracey Sweeting, Bahamas

Other participating countries included: Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Guatemala, and Uruguay.

Congrats to all !!!!