Culinary skills, passion, and artistry have been on full display as chefs from across Aramark lines of business have been competing head-to-head locally and regionally to become finalists in this year’s Aramark Culinary Excellence (ACE) competition.
ACE allows chefs to showcase their passion for excellence in a competitive, exciting, and enriching environment dedicated to providing growth and development while continuing to nurture a global culinary culture.
Aramark Sports + Entertainment ACE Finalists
In early August, eight top chefs from Aramark Sports + Entertainment competed in a high-energy ACE challenge held at the Culinary Institute of America in Napa, California.
Each chef was tasked with creating a four-course meal using a basket of 16 mystery ingredients, including items such as flat iron steak, flounder, avocados, artichokes, fresh figs, blackberries, Cabernet wine, and more. Their creations were judged by American Culinary Federation-certified professionals on technique, presentation, and flavor.
For the first time ever, every Aramark Sports + Entertainment chef in this ACE round earned enough points to be recognized with either a gold, silver, or bronze medal.
Congratulations to the following three chef finalists who will compete as a team in the enterprise-wide ACE competition in October 2025:
- Sean Capsticks – Canadian Tire Centre, Ottawa, Ontario
- George Peterson – Oracle Park, San Francisco, California
- David Ruiz – Overland Park Convention Center, Leawood, Kansas
Chef Sean Capsticks’ menu took the gold with an outstanding lineup of Baby Arugula and Mt. Tam Salad, Summer Tomato Gazpacho, Flounder Ravioli, and Akaushi Wagyu Flat Iron.
“From gameday classics and premium catering to elegant dinners for large crowds, our talented culinarians bring outstanding menus to life in the most remarkable environments,” said Alison Birdwell, President and CEO, Aramark Sports + Entertainment. “I’m so proud of our chefs who put their culinary creativity and skills on display competing in ACE. They are true artists who create indelible moments with every sip and every bite across our range of client locations.”
The team of three Aramark Sports + Entertainment chefs will move on to compete against other chefs from Aramark Collegiate Hospitality, Aramark Destinations, Aramark Healthcare+, Aramark Student Nutrition, and Aramark Workplace Experience Group at the enterprise-wide ACE competition in the fall.
