American Culinary Federation The Largest and Most Prestigious Culinary Association in America

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American Culinary FederationThe Largest and Most
Prestigious Culinary Association in America
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Pathway to ACF Certification
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• The American Culinary Federation, Inc., is the
  premier professional chefs' organization in North
  America, with more than 230 chapters nationwide
  and 22,000 members.
• ACF offers culinarians of all ages, skills levels
  and specialties the opportunity to further their
  careers, as well as enhance their lives.

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• The Latest in Industry Trends
• ACF members are kept abreast of culinary trends
  through seminars and workshops at local,
  regional and national events The National
  Culinary Review, ACFs monthly flagship magazine
  The Culinary Insider e-newsletter collateral
  and the ACF Web site.
• Career Recognition
• Accreditation for Culinary Education
• Honor Society
• The American Academy of Chefs (AAC) represents
  the highest standards and professionalism within
  the culinary industry. AAC ensures the future of
  the industry through mentoring and scholarship
  programs available to professionals and students.

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• Representation in Culinary Competitions
• ACF Culinary Team USA represents the United
  States in multiple prestigious national and
  international competitions.
• Access to a Million-Member Intercontinental
  Society
• World Association of Chefs Society (WACS) is a
  global network comprised of 75 official chefs
  associations. Every ACF member is simultaneously
  enrolled in WACS.

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ACF Membership

• ACF brings together those who love food, from the
  professional culinarian looking to build skills
  and a strong résumé to the foodservice
  corporation wanting to develop contacts and the
  avid foodie who embraces the culinary culture.
• ACF has something for everyone with its varied
  membership levels.

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Why Certify

• Certification Affirms Skills
• For the chef, the chefs employer and the
  employers associates
• Certification Raises the Bar for the Profession
• Certification Provides a Clear Career Path
• Certification Validates the Culinary Industry
• Recertify every 5 years to retain certification

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Value of Certification

• The ACF Certification Commission is working hard
  to add value and credibility to
• ACF certifications. The Commission was formed in
  2008, to guide and strengthen
• the certification program through an
  accreditation process.
• To Candidates With thousands of chefs competing
  in the job market, it
• Is essential to prove your culinary competency.
  Certification through the
• American Culinary Federation demonstrates skill,
  knowledge and
• professionalism to the food service industry.
  Encourages elevation of culinary
• career path/position.
• To Employers It shows that a Cook or Chef has
  reached a benchmark
• of skills and culinary experience with high
  standards for food preparation.
• A knowledge of culinary nutrition, food safety
  and sanitation as well as
• supervisory management. The candidate is in
  control of their professional
• development and career. Increased quality with
  knowledge and motivation passed
• on to other staff.
• To Client/Customer/Public Reassures consumers
  that the food they eat is
• prepared to the highest standard.

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ACF Certification

• Open to chefs, cooks, bakers, culinary educators
  and administrators, ACF offers 14 different
  certification designations.
• Certification is designed to ascertain and prove
  
• Level of education
• Work experience
• Professional knowledge
• Culinary skill sets

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Initial Certification Cost Estimate
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Education and Work Experience

• Candidate must provide documentation of
  educational degrees and continuing education
  hours for certification.
• ACF will confirm all documented degrees,
  transcripts, certificates and CEHs.
• Candidate must supply work history for
  certification.
• ACF will validate all documented employment.
• Within the last 10 years

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Mandatory Courses

• Required Classes for all Levels of ACF
  Certification
• 30 hours of Nutrition
• 30 hours of Food Safety and Sanitation
• 30 hours of Supervisory Management
• PCC/PCEC alternate requirement in Business
  Management
• Classes can be taken in conjunction with a
  college degree or taken through other educational
  providers
• The above required classes will count towards
  continuing education hours required by
  corresponding educational requirements
• Refresher classes are necessary if the 30-hour
  initial courses were taken more than five years
  ago.

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Keys to Certification Success

• Practice and prepare
• Plan ahead
• Find a mentor and/or become a mentor
• Review
• Practice, Practice, Practice

A high-quality method to acquire skills while
learning by doing, and, at the same time,
exploring the opportunities which exist within
the culinary profession.
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Certification Written Exam

• The written exam may be taken at any Comira test
  sites (800-947-4228).
• Scores are valid for two years.
• The ACF Education Foundation offers
• Recommended study material, relevant to each
  certification level www.acfchefs.org
• Practice exams which can be purchased on
  eCulinary.

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Certification Practical Exam

• The Practical Exam is a skill assessment for the
  specified level of certification.
• Practical Testing Guide is available on the ACF
  Web site, www.acfchefs.org.
• Exam must be taken at an ACF-approved test site
  and facilitated by three approved certification
  evaluators.
• Sanitation is strictly monitored and can lead to
  the failure of the candidate at any time.
• A Score of 75 or 75 points is required to pass.

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Recertification Process

• ACF requires certification renewal every five
  years to remain current with present-day trends
  in the culinary industry.
• 80 continuing education hours (CEHs) are
  required.
• CEH options are listed in next slide.
• Required Courses Nutrition, Sanitation/Safety
  and Supervisory Management courses must be
  refreshed through completion of 8 hour refresher
  for each area.

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Competitions

• Competitions play a vital role in culinary arts
  as they
• continually raise the standards of culinary
  excellence. There
• is no better way for a culinarian to hone their
  craft than by
• putting their skills and knowledge to the test in
  a competitive
• format.
• Participation in ACF approved competitions will
• also earn you continuing education hours for
• certification or recertification.
• Types of Competitions
• ACF Approved Culinary Competition Judges
• ACF Competition Calendar
• Baron H. Galand Culinary Knowledge Bowl
• Student Team
• Culinary Team USA

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American Culinary Federation180 Center Place
Way, St. Augustine, FL 32095www.acfchefs.org
For a PDF of this presentation, visit
www.acfchefs.org Resource page Certification -
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Certification Levels for Personal Cooking
Professionals

• Personal Certified Chef (PCC) A chef who is
  engaged in the preparation, cooking and serving
  of foods on a cook-for-hire basis. Must also have
  knowledge of menu planning, marketing, financial
  management and operational decision- making. The
  chef must have at least three years of cooking
  experience and one year of personal-chef
  experience.
• Personal Certified Executive Chef (PCEC) An
  advanced chef who is engaged in the preparation,
  cooking and serving of foods on a cook-for-hire
  basis. Must also have knowledge of menu planning,
  marketing, financial management and operational
  decision- making. The chef must have at least
  three years of personal-chef experience.