AMERICAN CULINARY FEDERATION PRESS RELEASE For Immediate Release: Jan. 21, 2015

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

Chefs and Culinary Students Receive Awards at the American Culinary Federation Northeast Region Culinary Salon St. Augustine, Fla., Jan. 21, 2015—Chefs and students from the Northeast competed in the American Culinary Federation (ACF) Northeast Region Culinary Salon for ACF’s annual regional awards Jan. 17-18 at Erie Community College, North Campus, Williamsville, New York. Four competitions took place at the salon to determine who would receive ACF’s Northeast Region titles for Chef of the Year, Pastry Chef of the Year, Student Chef of the Year and Student Team Championship. The following ACF Northeast Region competition award winners will compete for their respective national titles at Cook. Craft. Create. ACF National Convention & Show, Orlando, Florida, July 30-Aug. 3. ACF Northeast Region Chef of the Year, sponsored by Unilever Food Solutions CSCS (SS) Derrick Davenport, CEC, CEPC, MBA, executive chef/enlisted aide, U.S. Navy, Office of the Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff, Washington, D.C.; ACF Nation’s Capital Chefs Association Senior Chief Davenport, born and raised in Detroit, has an associate degree in culinary arts from Schoolcraft College, Livonia, Michigan; a bachelor’s degree in workforce education from Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, Illinois; and a master’s of business administration in hospitality management from Sullivan University, Louisville, Kentucky. He enlisted in the U.S. Navy in 2000, and served in Operation Enduring Freedom. Davenport has received many awards throughout his service, including Joint Staff/OCJCS Action Officer of the Month in 2009, and Best Dining Facility (DFAC) in the Afghan National Army. He also competed in the 2012 International Kochkunst Ausstellung, commonly referred to as the “culinary Olympics,” in Erfurt, Germany, where he received gold and silver medals. Most recently, Davenport received the title of Armed Forces Chef of the Year 2013, and Armed Forces Master Chef of the Year 2014. ACF Northeast Region Pastry Chef of the Year, sponsored by Plugrá® European-Style Butter SFC Jason Buscovich, CEPC, enlisted aide, Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall, Fort Myer, Virginia; ACF Nation’s Capital Chefs Association Buscovich joined the U.S. Army in 1997, and was posted as a food service specialist. He served as a night baker during his first tour of duty. After leaving the Army in 2000, Buscovich served as a pastry cook and baker at The Ritz-Carlton, Half Moon Bay, California, and later as head baker at The Ritz-Carlton, Phoenix. In 2004, he rejoined the U.S. Army as head chef at Bronson Hall, the distinguished visitor quarters, Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Fort Lewis, Washington. His experience includes enlisted aide at various posts in Baghdad, Seoul, South Korea, and Washington, D.C. -MORE-

ACF Northeast Region Student Chef of the Year, sponsored by Custom Culinary, Inc. Kathryn Eurich, student, SUNY, Delhi, New York; line cook, The Landmark Inn, Laconia, New York; ACF Chefs and Cooks of the Catskill Mountains Eurich is currently in her third year at SUNY in Delhi, New York, and serves as a teacher’s assistant for a culinary competition class. She is an active member of the campus’ culinary club and has assisted the school’s culinary hot-food team during competitions. Eurich received a gold and a bronze medal in 2014 at ACF-sanctioned competitions. Her goal is to move to New York City after graduation and someday own her own restaurant. ACF Northeast Region Student Team Championship, sponsored by Vitamix® Corporation ACF Epicurean Club of Boston; students from Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts in Boston, Cambridge, Massachusetts Team members, Alexandrea Laforteza, Adriana Katekawa, Marielena Carbonell, Kristina Vujnovic and Sara MacLean, competed against four other teams for the title. Albert D’Addario, chef instructor, and Cory McLaughlin, student/assistant coach, at Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts in Boston, coached. The 2015 ACF Northeast Region Culinary Salon is part of ACF’s Signature Series, which provides professional development for chefs and culinary students through educational programs, conferences and competitions. Learn more at www.acfchefs.org/culinarysalons, or at Facebook.com/ACFChefs or on Twitter @ACFChefs. 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 nearly 20,000 members spanning 200 chapters nationwide, ACF is the culinary leader in 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. ### Editor’s note: High-resolution photos and interviews are available upon request.