AMERICAN CULINARY FEDERATION PRESS RELEASE For Immediate Release

Media Contact: Catie Gainor: (610) 455-2780, [email protected]

Utah Valley University Student Madeline Black Wins American Culinary Federation 2017 National Student Chef of the Year Competition St. Augustine, Fla., July 26, 2017—The best student chef in the nation, according to the American Culinary Federation (ACF), is Madeline Black, a student of Utah Valley University (UVU), Orem, Utah. Black received the 2017 ACF Student Chef of the Year award after winning a competition at Cook. Craft. Create. ACF National Convention & Show held in Orlando, Florida, July 9-13. “Becoming the ACF Student Chef of the Year was an once-in-alifetime opportunity. I feel so blessed to have been able to compete in Florida, let alone win this amazing title,” said Black. “I could not have won the award on my own. As a first year student, I not only was learning from my chef mentor, Todd Leonard, CEC, but from every chef at Utah Valley University Culinary Arts Institute whose class I was in as I prepared to compete. I feel like the luckiest person on earth and give all the glory to God for the chance to develop my skills so much quicker than I would have on my own. When times got tough, I felt power from above pushing me on and guiding my actions.” In 1987, the late Baron H. Galand, CEC, AAC, HOF, established the Student Chef of the Year Award to help student members establish their position within ACF. The award recognizes a talented student or recent graduate who possesses a high degree of professionalism, culinary skill and passion for the culinary arts. ACF chapters first nominate students for their ability to cook, level of skill, strong understanding of cooking fundamentals and classical cooking foundation. Then, students compete to win regional competitions. At the national competition, the four finalists had one hour to fabricate and cook and 10 minutes to plate four portions of a finished entrée based on duck. Black’s winning menu was truffle-scented duck roulade finished in duck fat; Utah honey-lacquered duck thigh riblett; iron-seared foie gras with port and morel mushroom sauce; potatoes gratin; celeriac and pea puree; rhubarb chutney; and summer vegetable medley. Black currently oversees catering events and is a line cook at Canyon Park Café, Orem, Utah, as well as a cook at Younique, Lehi, Utah. An avid competitor, Black has earned three gold medals in ACF SK-category competitions, placed sixth at the National ProStart Invitational in 2016 and finished fifth place during the Utah ProStart Teen Chef Masters televised competition. Black was also the 2016 Family and Consumer Sciences Sterling Scholar recipient. Black plans to major in hospitality management and in the future become a private chef or caterer. She is a member of ACF Beehive Chefs Chapter Inc. -MORE-

More than 1,100 chefs, cooks, students and foodservice professionals attended Cook. Craft. Create. ACF National Convention & Show. The event provided professional development through informative workshops and seminars, cutting-edge demonstrations, a trade show featuring 70 foodservice industry exhibitors, career fair and national culinary competitions. Visit the ACF Flickr page for high-resolution photographs. 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 more than 150 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. The American Culinary Federation Education Foundation is home to ACF Culinary Team USA, the official representative for the United States in major international culinary competitions, and to Chef & Child, 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, Instagram and Twitter. ###