A letter from Chef Tom Macrina

Dear Chefs,

    I’d like to take a moment to talk to you about the big picture, because the choice you make this election won’t just help to decide whether candidate A or candidate B leads our national office this year; it will also help to determine the very future of our organization.

    

    I rely on the experience I have as national chair of the American Academy of Chefs for the past four years, more than 30 years of hospitality industry experience and my active involvement with this great organization since 1976. As national secretary, I will commit to serve you professionally, be accountable and be service-oriented. I will use the solid working relationships I have developed throughout the four regions to contribute to our successes.

    

     I am here to help the members and maintain professional membership while fostering new growth. My goals, if I am elected  would be a five-point focus: 1) Strengthen chapters at the local level, 2) Reinforce certification recognition to complement current experience, 3) Support Senior Chefs through a mentorship program 4) Embrace the five branches of the military and their membership through apprenticeship and certification 5) Encourage young culinarians to retain their membership.

     

   Meeting the needs of our members is my greatest goal. I am interested in your opinion and open to your suggestions. I believe in keeping the members informed on, concerns, decisions and achievements.

     In closing, I want to give my heartfelt thanks to everyone who is supporting me during this campaign. Until you actually run for office, you have no idea how very gratifying and rewarding even the smallest words of encouragement can be. So thanks, again, to everyone, everywhere, who is willing to support me and who was willing to send a message on my behalf.

     Your willingness to be an active part of the process is what keeps America great. Thank you for helping build our future by voting. In closing, I humbly ask for your vote for ACF National Secretary.

Tom Macrina, CEC, CCA, AAC

ACF National Election Update

The election for American Culinary Federation (ACF) Board of Directors is around the corner. Eligible voters, who did not have an email address on file with the ACF national office as of the March 31 cutoff date, will have a paper ballot sent to their address of record. Those eligible voters with an email address will receive their voting information via email. Both electronic and paper ballots will be sent from our contractor on May 3.

"I am here to help the members and maintain professional membership while prospering new growth."

As National Secretary, I will strive to attain the following goals:
•  Encourage young culinarians to retain their membership
I believe the main reason younger members and student members do not continue on as professional members is related to the chef they work for. If a student works for an ACF member, the student is more likely to stay involved in the ACF and eventually become a professional member. Increasing the number of professional members in the ACF will be a win - win situation. It will also result in increased certification, more support for Chef and Child, and more buying power for the ACF.

•  Strengthen chapters at the local leve
Our chapters are our strongest asset. We need to focus on making them stronger by helping them attract new members. We should look at our stronger chapters in each region and use them as models in for other chapters. Communication is the most important item. The more our chapter members are informed, the easier it is for the chapters to succeed.

•  Embrace the 5 branches of military and their membership through apprenticeship progress certification earnings
Through networking, we should support our troops currently developing training standards to further their careers.  Our dedicated men and women deserve recognition for their efforts and need our constant support.  Advocating assistance for military programs can encourage other chefs to become apprenticeship sponsors in an effort to earn other certification designations.

•  Certification Recognition to compliment your current experience
We need to further establish awareness of ACF certification levels within the industry through brand recognition at a national level.  Hotels/Resorts/Casinos, Restaurants/Clubs, Corporate and all facilities should recognize our certification designations and understand the qualifications of our certified chefs, noting the standards that make them a superior employee.

•  Support Senior Chefs in their goals
By supporting the ACF Senior Chefs, we are helping to keep our history alive. I am currently working with ACF President Chef Michael Ty to create a Mentorship Program where Senior Chefs will have the opportunity to use their wealth of experience and knowledge to help aspiring culinarians develop their career paths