The American Culinary Federation's Guide to Culinary Certification

There are many opportunities to specialize in the culinary field, but having broad skills, varied experiences, and a diverse knowledge of food and drinks facilitates a career of success and achievement. American Culinary Federation Guide to Certification is the essential guide to obtaining a valuable credential awarded to cooks and chefs, as well as pastry cooks and pastry chefs, denoting a sophisticated level of industry experience and professional education rigorously evaluated by the American Culinary Federation (ACF). American Culinary Federation Guide to Certification holds essential knowledge to gaining acceptance into the only comprehensive certification program for chefs in the United States, which is registered with the U.S. Department of Labor. It’s a must-have for career-minded cooks and chefs hungry for notoriety in the industry.

Foreword from the Series Editor vii

Preface ix

1 The History of ACF Certification 1

Setting the Bar for Professional Development 2

Gaining Distinction 4

The New Professional Chef 6

The Future of the Culinary Profession 7

2 The Significance of ACF Certification 9

Building the ACF Certification Ladder 10

Climbing the Rungs of the ACF Ladder 11

What ACF Certification Means to the Marketplace 14

3 The ACF Validation Process:Meeting Measurable Objectives 17

How the ACF Certification Program Works 18

Background of ACF Development 19

Setting Measurable Objectives 21

Measuring Performance Objectives 22

Conclusion 27

4 Laying a Foundation in Learning 29

Classical Cuisines Set the Standard 30

Presenting the Classics for Certification 31

Cross-Training in Culinary Fundamentals 33

Progressive Learning 41

Continuing Education 42

Conclusion 43

5 Planning a Career Path in Foodservice 45

Considering the Possibilities 46

Staying the Course 48

Conclusion 52

6 Documenting Your Experience 55

The Proof Is in the Documentation 55

Organizing, Protecting, and Storing Documentation 57

Conclusion 57

7 Levels of ACF Certification 59

ACF Levels of Achievement 60

Conclusion 70

8 The ACF Written Test: Strategies in Learning 71

Who Takes the ACF Certified Exams? 72

Who Administers the Tests? 73

The Exam Matrix 73

Reference Materials 74

Study to Achieve Success 78

9 Evaluating Cooking Skills: The Premise behind the Practical Exam 81

Mind-set for Success 82

Understanding the Role of the Evaluators 83

Conclusion 85

10 Taking the Show on the Road: More on the Practical Testing Process 87

Preparing to Prepare 88

Addressing the Subsets of the Cooking Practical 93

Conclusion 101

11 The Application Process 105

Application Basics 106

Completing the Application Process 114

12 Achieving the Ultimate Goal: Certified Master Chef 121

Details of the CMC Test 123

Conclusion 125

Index 127

AMERICAN CULINARY FEDERATION (ACF) is a professional, not-for-profit organization for chefs and cooks, whose goal is to promote the professional image of American chefs worldwide through education among culinarians at all levels, from apprentices to the most accomplished Certified Master Chefs.

MICHAEL BASKETTE, CEC, CCE, AAC, is an ACF-certified executive chef and certified culinary educator who holds the position of Director of Educational Development for the ACF. He has authored several texts and articles on professional cooking, kitchen management, and quality control in foodservice and hospitality.

BRAD BARNES, CMC, CCA, AAC, is Certification Chair for the American Culinary Federation and the creator of the practical testing program for all chef certification levels currently used in the United States. He is one of sixty-one Certified Master Chefs in the United States and co-owner of B&B Solutions, a culinary information and training company.

Learn the critical culinary skills for surviving in today's competitive industry

There are many opportunities to specialize in the culinary arts, and having the right skills, experiences, and a diverse knowledge of food and drinks facilitates a successful career. American Culinary Federation's Guide to Culinary Certification is the essential guide to obtaining the valuable credentials awarded to cooks and chefs, as well as pastry cooks and pastry chefs, denoting a sophisticated level of industry experience and professional education rigorously evaluated by the American Culinary Federation (ACF).

American Culinary Federation's Guide to Culinary Certification is written by the certifying body of the ACF and is the only authoritative guide to its certification process, featuring:

• Clear explanations of specific skills tested at all five certification levels
• A road map to passing every certification level, from Certified Culinarian to the prestigious Certified Master Chef and Certified Master Pastry Chef
• Helpful exam-taking tips

American Culinary Federation's Guide to Culinary Certification is the authority on gaining acceptance into the most comprehensive certification program for chefs in the United States. It's a must-have for career-minded cooks and chefs hungry for renown in the industry.