AMERICAN CULINARY FEDERATION PRESS RELEASE For Immediate Release: May 6, 2015

Media Contacts: Dylan Drobet: (904) 484-0226, [email protected] Jessica Ward: (904) 484-0213, [email protected]

Andrew McColley, CEC, CCE, Named 2015 American Culinary Federation Western Region Chef Educator of the Year St. Augustine, Fla., May 6, 2015—Andrew McColley, CEC, CCE, chef instructor, Evergreen School District, Vancouver, Washington, was named best culinary educator in the West, according to the American Culinary Federation (ACF). McColley received the ACF Western Region Chef Educator of the Year Award at ChefConnect: Indy, ACF’s Central/Western Regional Conference, held April 12-14 at the Indianapolis Marriott Downtown, Indianapolis. The ACF Chef Educator of the Year Award, established in 1998, pays tribute to an active culinary educator whose knowledge, skills and expertise has enhanced the image of the professional chef, and who, by example, has provided guidance to students seeking a career in the culinary profession. As the ACF Western Region recipient, McColley is a candidate to receive the national award at Cook. Craft. Create. ACF National Convention & Show in Orlando, Florida, July 30-Aug. 3. “When I received the calling to become a teacher I had no idea the impact this profession would have on me,” McColley said. “It is an honor to be a graduate of the same high school culinary arts training program that I am currently the chef instructor of. Teaching is an amazing personal and professional journey that I appreciate daily. Being able to afford some of the same life changing opportunities to my students that I experienced by helping them to become a culinary leader of tomorrow humbles my soul.” McColley of Vancouver is an ACF-certified Executive Chef (CEC) and ACF- certified Culinary Educator (CCE). McColley started as a sous chef in 1986. He has 30 years of experience in the culinary industry and has been a chef instructor at the Restaurant Management and Culinary Arts program at Clark County Skills Center in Vancouver for 20 years. He developed and wrote the curriculum for the new Hospitality, Management and Culinary programs at the Northwest Culinary Institute, Vancouver, Washington. McColley has championed Clark County School Center’s Restaurant Management and Culinary Arts program to be accredited by ACF Education Foundation since 2004. He is a member of ACF Pro Chefs Oregon. More than 400 chefs, students and foodservice professionals attended ChefConnect: Indy, hosted by ACF Greater Indianapolis Chapter. The conference was a part of ACF’s Signature Series, which provides professional development for chefs and culinary students through educational programs, conferences and competitions. Learn more about the conference at www.acfchefs.org/ChefConnectIndy, Facebook.com/ACFChefs or on Twitter @ACFChefs. Sponsors of ChefConnect: Indy: Allen Brothers, Inc.; American Technical Publishers; Canadian Lentils; Custom Culinary, Inc.; Dow AgroSciences; Ecolab®; Fortune Fish; Jones Dairy Farm; Miller Coors; MINOR'S®; National Pasteurized Eggs, Inc.; NEWCHEF Fashion Inc.; Par-Way Tryson, makers of Vegalene; Performance Foodservice - Fox River; Plugrá® European-Style Butter; Sartori Company; Sysco®; Unilever Food Solutions; Valrhona; Villeroy & Boch; Vitamix® Corporation; Western Region State Beef Councils; Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board. -MORE-

About the American Culinary Federation The American Culinary Federation, Inc. (ACF), established in 1929, is the standard of excellence for chefs in North America. With more than 17,500 members spanning nearly 200 chapters nationwide, ACF is the leading culinary association offering educational resources, training, apprenticeship and programmatic accreditation. In addition, ACF operates the most comprehensive certification program for chefs in the United States, with the Certified Executive Chef®, Certified Sous Chef®, Certified Executive Pastry Chef® and Certified Culinary Educator® designations accredited by the National Commission for Certifying Agencies. ACF is home to ACF Culinary Team USA, the official representative for the United States in major international culinary competitions, and to the Chef & Child Foundation, founded in 1989 to promote proper nutrition in children and to combat childhood obesity. For more information, visit www.acfchefs.org. Find ACF on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ACFChefs and on Twitter @ACFChefs. ###