ACF Central Region

Comment

Comment by Jeramie Leonard on February 16, 2009 at 4:17pm

Good afternoon, I am coming to the end of my Associates at the International Culinary Schools at the Art Institute Chicago. I am still looking for a position out side of working in the school and also a Mentor. I plan to keep myself totally busy with all things I can. I am a highly driven and energetic person and just need to harness it all. I try and stay busy and focused working as special events at the school and educating myself. I have been informing myself with the ACF windy city chapter and attending meetings, but if anyone has any information on apprenticeships and other helpful knowledge, it will be greatly appreciated. Have a great day!!!!

Comment by Don Zajac on February 14, 2009 at 12:24am

At Notre Dame, Chef Miller will keep you on the right path. Be professional, ask questions, be enthused and have fun. See if you can have him cut ice.

Comment by Adam on February 4, 2009 at 3:28pm

Hello, I just started my apprenticeship at Notre Dame :-)

Are there any other apprentices out there? Tell me about your experiences.

Comment by Christopher J. Dwyer CEC, ACE, AAC on December 24, 2008 at 3:50pm

Dear Friends and Family,

In the past year, we have gone through a great deal of adversity, in your homes, business and in life. As you know this is not the first our country and families have gone through these times and we will prevail once again.
People say, “why are you thankful so much during the holidays”, well I am thankful everyday that I know my friends and my family are safe and healthy; and when I see a smile on someones face or hear laughter. There are other times I wonder why…why do people pass away, why is somebody crying or hurting and why are there disasters like hurricanes, floods and fires, but I think for a minute that I have all of you and I am again thankful because we all find ways to help others in need.
So, today, tomorrow and the days that follow, hug your kids, or parents, loved ones and friends. Miss them, remember them and keep them near and dear to your heart.
I wish you all a happy holiday and a prosperous new year as we will persevere.

Always,

Chris Dwyer

Comment by Chef David Russell on September 30, 2008 at 9:50am

Another update from Lynn, What a great region of Chefs we have...

Good Evening All...

9:00 PM Monday

The population at the American Red Cross shelter in Houston has settled and the numbers are running around 1000 people per meal period, cutting the amount of food needed to half as projected. Which is a good thing, because beginning tomorrow, we have only one chef on premise who has been with us from the beginning, which is Chef Javier. Chefs Ewart Jones and Ben Fonbeuna have come to be of assistance and are bringing in additional area chefs to help...many thanks to both. Chef Javier from San Antonio will be at the cooking trailer another week or so, and then he needs to return home...cooks from the CA Southern Baptists came over today to help. At least with the CA Southern Baptists, we have struck a nice relationship. I have contact information for the man who is their lead and will keep in touch with him.

Emails and phone calls have gone throughout Texas to other ACF TX Chapters requesting assistance. Received several inquiries, but nothing solid as of yet. Chef Charles Duit plans to bring some of his students possibly Friday and Saturday of this week and Chef Ernst will make announcements at some of the upcoming TX Chapter meetings.

Emails and phone calls were sent and made to the Texas Restaurant Association. Desire to be of assistance was immediate in both working the cooking trailer and/or providing food. Will keep in contact with the Houston Restaurant Association in organizing this effort.

I returned to St. Louis Sunday afternoon and tallied up my traveling expenses to around $650.00 and the American Red Cross gave me enough $'s to cover these expenses. I wish to thank my Chapter, ACF St. Louis, for stepping forward, yet again, in offering their support...most appreciated...this time I was covered. I also contacted my cell phone carrier, Nextel, who was running advertisements for those in the hurricane areas to call and we would be given a 2 week reprieve from minute charges on our cell phones....which will help a great deal, since cell phones are the only communication tool in the field. The American Red Cross management people use satellite phones.

With the total devastation of the coastline along Galveston Island, and various other areas including Houston, it might be several weeks before we hear or know what has happened to the several ACF chef members who were living in these hardest hit areas. Once a needs assessment is made, we will pass along that information.

As always, thanks so much for your continued support and will keep everyone posted as to what is happening.

Lynn Krause
314-581-2901 cell

Comment by Chef David Russell on September 29, 2008 at 10:47am

Hello All...

1:00 PM Saturday, September 20th

Our "boots on the ground" personnel have changed as of yesterday. Chef Christina Perrington from ACF San Antonio, arrived yesterday in the Beaumont/Silsbee area, assessed the situation and began making a plan. Two additional chefs from San Antonio and a culinary student from Beaumont are on premise and "working their asses off" as Chef Christina reports. Chef Christina brought with her donated small wares needed for the cooking trailer, primarily two Edlund electric can openers and other smaller items her company, Ace Mart Restaurant Supply, donated to the cause...we must remember to acknowledge this company for their assistance.

HUGE applause - accolades - praise must go to Chefs Angela Medlock and Susan McDonald from Lubbock Texas. They were two take charge chefs in a very very difficult environment. No complaining, just doing what it took to get the job done, and having a good time to boot! (if any of you have had the opportunity to know Chef Angela, she'd make it fun in hell !!) A second round of thank yous to Chef Debbie Bando and her team for helping with food procurement and housing. What an amazing group of people.

In speaking with Chef Christina it seems food supplies are becoming a touch better, but not the quality or variety we as chefs would like to be using. I spoke with the lead Texas American Red Cross manager, he is looking into where the better food product is and as to the hold up. (I am the squeeky wheel - being nice but persistant - smiling)!

As mentioned before, all logistics, food distribution, etc. had been turned over to FEMA prior to hurricane season. What FEMA deems a fast turn around and what those of us out in the field consider a fast turn around are two different thought processes.

Again, our chefs in the field are doing a remarkable job in very trying circumstances.

Monday of this week, we will have another change in chefs arriving to the American Red Cross cooking trailer, "The Spirit of America." Four chefs from Longview, Texas, 1 chef from San Antonio, 1 culinary student from Beaumont, and myself.

Chef Christina will continue scheduling chefs, once she returns to San Anontio on Monday.

We have a team of chefs arriving from North Miami, FL and chefs coming from Phoenix.

Chef Ernst Gruch, TCA President, is working on acquiring additional chefs and will report to Christina who they are, etc.

Thanks again, everyone, for all you are doing to support those of us in the field. It means a great deal knowing our perspective ACF Chapters and the National ACF are behind us.

Yours in cooking...
Lynn Krause, CEPC, AAC
314-581-2901 cell

Comment by Michael Garbin, CEC AAC on September 24, 2008 at 5:17pm

David,

I would like to commend everyone from the ACF that has stepped up to make a difference when it comes to helping people in our communities. I would be curious to know if these colleagues and the ACF have been recognized through the American Red Cross PR machine to let the public know what they have done. Our members have responded and this sets us apart from other wanna-be organizations. I also commend the Research Chefs Association, they and their members, many who are ACF members have helped as well.

Comment by Chef David Russell on September 23, 2008 at 2:42pm

Hello Chefs,

You may have noticed that I have started to include regular updates from the Disaster Relief team and in particular our own Lynn Krause. I thought this would be a good place for us to communicate what is happening. Since so many of our central region chefs have actively been involved in the efforts I did not want there progress and needs go un-noticed. Thanks agian for all your hard work. Please invite more members of our region to keep them updated.
Chef Russell

Comment by Chef David Russell on September 23, 2008 at 2:39pm

Hello all...

6:00 PM Monday

I have arrived in the Beaumont/Silsbee area and have been to the American Red Cross cooking trailer, "Spirit of America." The chefs from San Antonio and Beaumont were just finished cleaning from preparing 2600 meals for lunch. Compliments from everyone for our chefs hard work and efforts!

There is a change of plans and the "Spirit of America" is moving to another location to participate in a blood drive...more of a PR move than anything else...the cooking trailer, "Henry's Kitchen" has been moved back from Louisiana to its home base in Dallas and was a great success for the ARC and ACF.

The American Red Cross has asked for our chefs to move to Houston to work along side the Southern Baptists at a huge feeding location producing 40,000 meals a day. An ACF chef is currently working with this group and requested we come to be of assistance...I don't know the name of this chef right now, but will...

This evening I plan to have a conference call with the Southern Baptist contact to go over logistics, etc.

As this move becomes more organized I'll pass the information along...I hope to have computer access at least once a day...

As always, thanks to everyone for your continued support! If you would like to contact me sooner than the next email, please call using my cell phone...314-581-2901 cell.

Thanks again!

Lynn Krause

Comment by Chef David Russell on September 23, 2008 at 2:38pm

Hello All...

1:00 PM Saturday, September 20th

Our "boots on the ground" personnel have changed as of yesterday. Chef Christina Perrington from ACF San Antonio, arrived yesterday in the Beaumont/Silsbee area, assessed the situation and began making a plan. Two additional chefs from San Antonio and a culinary student from Beaumont are on premise and "working their asses off" as Chef Christina reports. Chef Christina brought with her donated small wares needed for the cooking trailer, primarily two Edlund electric can openers and other smaller items her company, Ace Mart Restaurant Supply, donated to the cause...we must remember to acknowledge this company for their assistance.

HUGE applause - accolades - praise must go to Chefs Angela Medlock and Susan McDonald from Lubbock Texas. They were two take charge chefs in a very very difficult environment. No complaining, just doing what it took to get the job done, and having a good time to boot! (if any of you have had the opportunity to know Chef Angela, she'd make it fun in hell !!) A second round of thank yous to Chef Debbie Bando and her team for helping with food procurement and housing. What an amazing group of people.

In speaking with Chef Christina it seems food supplies are becoming a touch better, but not the quality or variety we as chefs would like to be using. I spoke with the lead Texas American Red Cross manager, he is looking into where the better food product is and as to the hold up. (I am the squeeky wheel - being nice but persistant - smiling)!

As mentioned before, all logistics, food distribution, etc. had been turned over to FEMA prior to hurricane season. What FEMA deems a fast turn around and what those of us out in the field consider a fast turn around are two different thought processes.

Again, our chefs in the field are doing a remarkable job in very trying circumstances.

Monday of this week, we will have another change in chefs arriving to the American Red Cross cooking trailer, "The Spirit of America." Four chefs from Longview, Texas, 1 chef from San Antonio, 1 culinary student from Beaumont, and myself.

Chef Christina will continue scheduling chefs, once she returns to San Anontio on Monday.

We have a team of chefs arriving from North Miami, FL and chefs coming from Phoenix.

Chef Ernst Gruch, TCA President, is working on acquiring additional chefs and will report to Christina who they are, etc.

Thanks again, everyone, for all you are doing to support those of us in the field. It means a great deal knowing our perspective ACF Chapters and the National ACF are behind us.

Yours in cooking...
Lynn Krause, CEPC, AAC
314-581-2901 cell

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