During the past few months, 36 Aramark chefs from across the U.S. have gone head-to-head in the national round of a cook-off style competition for the 2023 Aramark Culinary Excellence (ACE) competition.
ACE is a prestigious event that showcases some of the most talented chefs from Aramark's various business units including Collegiate Hospitality, Student Nutrition, Workplace Experience Group, Healthcare+, Destinations, and Sports + Entertainment, all of which participated in district, regional, and national competitions during a year-long process.
The ACE competition celebrates the culinary talent and passion of Aramark's chefs as it inspires new menu ideas and recipes for the company's clients and customers. It will culminate with the ACE Enterprise Finals at Aramark headquarters in Philadelphia on October 15.
Along with the U.S.-based competition, Aramark concurrently hosted an international competition called the International Chefs’ Cup. Top Aramark chefs from 14 countries competed in Santiago, Chile, this past April. The winning team – representing the UK – will travel to compete in the ACE Enterprise Finals and represent Aramark’s international business this fall. To read more about the International Chefs’ Cup visit: Culinarians Compete for Top Honors During International Chefs’ Cup - Aramark.
Best Has No Boundaries
Aramark culinary talent brings out-of-the-box thinking to the table, proving the pursuit of excellence knows no limits, which inspired this year’s theme, “Best has no Boundaries.”
Individual chefs from each Aramark line of business put their creativity to the test within strict time constraints to maneuver their way through a mystery basket of ingredients and create a four-course meal that would “wow” the esteemed panel of American Culinary Federation (ACF) judges (more below).
After several rounds of intense district, regional, and national competitions for the U.S. teams, the following eighteen winning chefs will move on to compete at the ACE Enterprise Finals in October.
Student Nutrition chefs Alicia Rivera, Ryan Budd, and Kristine Muneoka-Abbey will compete this fall at the 2023 ACE Enterprise Finals in Philadelphia.
Collegiate Hospitality Winners:
·Matt Kuver, Executive Chef, Carson-Newman University
·Franco Lossio, Executive Chef, James Madison University
·Jessica Paulson, Executive Chef, Boston University
Healthcare+ Winners:
·Joshua Ingraham, Executive Chef, Cleveland Clinic
·Alan Frederick, Chef Manager, Houston Methodist
·Matthew Apice, Chef Manager, Bryn Mawr Rehab
Student Nutrition Winners:
·Chef Ryan Budd, Chef Manager, Girard College
·Chef Kristine Muneoka-Abbey, Food Service Manager, Greater Clark County Schools
·Chef Alicia Rivera, Executive Chef, PCII, CEPC, Lewisville ISD (TX)
Sports + Entertainment Winners:
·Gunnar Steden, Senior Executive Chef, Empower Field at Mile High
·Gabor Kovats, Executive Chef, PNC Park
·Patrick Turcot, Executive Chef, Shaw Centre
Workplace Experience Group Winners:
·Douglas Husentiza, Executive Chef, Mettler Toledo
·Sarah DeRuyter, Executive Chef, Taco Bell headquarters
·Matthew Garelick, Executive Chef, Citi 388
Destinations Winners:
·David Baron, Executive Chef, Asilomar Conference Grounds
·Jason Meyers, Executive Chef, Adventure Aquarium
·Justin Key, Executive Chef, William F. Bolger Center
International Winners:
·John Cudmore, Regional Executive Chef, Aramark Northern Europe
·Liam Davidson, Chef Manager, Aramark Northern Europe
·Lee Martin, Lifeworks Culinary Director, Aramark Northern Europe
Workplace Experience Group finalists Sarah DeRuyter (Executive Chef at the Taco Bell Headquarters), Douglas Husentiza (Executive Chef at Mettler Toledo), and Matthew Garelick (Citi 388)
Chef Joshua Cathey from the University of Southern Mississippi was among the eight CH competitors at the CIA.
Meet the ACE Judges
Five of the ACF certified chefs who judged the national competition will be back to judge the ACE Enterprise Finals.
Chef Elena Clement, CEPC, AAC
One of five judges who will be judging at the ACE Enterprise Finals, Chef Clement has spent years in professional kitchens as a pastry chef, business owner, instructor, and judge.
Chef Clement’s experience includes Executive Sous Chef and Executive Pastry Chef for high-end hotels in places like Maryland and Naples and Palm Beach, Florida.
“What really stood out to me was the enthusiasm and positive atmosphere that Aramark projects as a family,” said Chef Clement. “I look forward to the enterprise competition because I am excited to meet the rest of the teams and to learn from them. Each Aramark chef is unique in the way they cook and the menus they create.”
Chef Victor Sommo, CEC
An award-winning Certified Executive Chef (CEC), Chef Sommo has worked in professional kitchens for more than 20 years.
He has won gold medals and other culinary awards in competitions around the country and was a member of the 2004 New York Culinary Olympics team. Now you can find Chef Sommo at SUNY Delhi, New York, where he works as a culinary instructor.
“I am looking forward to seeing all the different techniques the chefs put forth during the enterprise competition,” said Sommo. “Aramark is like a family, and I am looking forward to seeing all the chefs together.”
Chef Stafford DeCambra, CEC, CCE, CCA, WCMC, AAC
Chef DeCambra’s culinary experience has taken him from high-end hotels in exotic locations to high-volume casinos. He has been the recipient of many awards and has won more than 100 national and international hot and cold culinary salon competitions.
Chef DeCambra was inducted into the Epicurean World Master Chef Society in 2005 and received his Master Chef certification from the World Association of Chefs’ Societies in 2013, an honor he says is a dream come true.
Chef Alan Neace Sr., MS, CEC, AAC
Chef Neace found his love for cooking from preparing food in the kitchen with mother and his siblings.
He received a M.S. in executive leadership and organizational change from Northern Kentucky University, a B.S. in applied management from Franklin University, and an A.A.B. in chef technology from Cincinnati State Technical and Community School.
He has won dozens of awards during his professional career, presided over contests for 19 years, and was inducted into the American Culinary Federation more than 30 years ago.
“Aramark is unique in the way they put on this competition for the chefs. I know it takes a lot of time and dedication,” said Neace. “I am really excited for the enterprise competition and being able to judge international chefs from across the pond. These chefs have a difference experience, and it will be fun to watch what they bring to the table.”
Chef David Turcotte, CEC, AAC
Chef Turcotte began his career as a cook in local restaurants at night while attending high school during the day. After graduating from high school, Chef Turcotte honed his kitchen skills as an apprentice at Marriott Corp. and went on to become a banquet chef.
He joined the United States Army and was stationed at both Fort Gregg-Adams, Virginia and Fort Stewart, Georgia. He also served the U.S. in Afghanistan.
He held a top position at the Military Culinary School, where he trained more than 7,500 food service professionals a year and helped place 1,100 new chefs in the apprentice program of the American Culinary Federation (ACF).
Now retired from the Army, Chef Turcotte owns his own business, AK Food Consultants, in Naples, Maine.
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ACF judges evaluate the ACE chefs.
