About The Chapter

v I pledge my professional knowledge and skill to the advancement of our profession and to pass it on to those that are to follow.

v I shall foster a spirit of courteous consideration and fraternal cooperation within our profession. I shall place honor and the standing of our profession before personal advantage.

v I shall not use unfair means to effect my professional advancement or to injure the chances of another colleague to secure and hold employment.

v I shall be fair, courteous and considerate in my dealings with fellow colleagues.

v I shall conduct any necessary comment on, or criticism of, the work of fellow colleagues with careful regard for the good name and dignity of the culinary profession, and will scrupulously refrain from criticism to gain personal advantage.

v I shall never expect anyone to subject himself to risks which I would not be willing to assume myself.

v I shall help to protect all members against one another from within our profession.

v I shall be just as enthusiastic about the success of others as I am about my own.

v I shall be too big for worry, too noble for anger, too strong for fear, and too happy to permit the pressure of business to hurt anyone, within or without the profession.

Adopted by the American Culinary Federation, Inc., at its Convention in Chicago, August, 1957.

In 1977, four local chefs got together and formed the Chef’s Association of San Joaquin Valley. They received their charter and started forming a chapter. The chefs were Kenny Bennett, Bill McComas, Nat Barnabe and Bruce Staebler. This incarnation of the chapter unfortunately only lasted for two years.

In 1983, Monty Nielsen CEC AAC, Jon Koobation, Rick Swartz, Greg Vartanian, Bill McComas, and Bruce Staebler, again gave starting the chapter the old college try. They received a new charter from American Culinary Federation and in 1984 the ACF Chefs Association of San Joaquin Valley was reincarnated this time for good. From this small group of local chefs we grew to our present very strong chapter.

At first the chapter would hold meetings all over the valley. Visalia, Modesto, Reedley, various locations in Fresno and Harris Ranch. We went all over because the members were all over the area.

In 1991 the chapter was the host of the American Culinary Federation Western Regional Conference held in Visalia. There were over two hundred chefs in attendance in addition to all the National officers. It was a lot of work but a lot of fun also.

The chapter has participated in fund raising events from PBS Channel 18, the Multiple Sclerosis Bike Rally, Valley Teen Ranch, Empty Bowls, The Marjorie Mason Center, to Valley Children’s Hospital to name a few. We currently participate in the Guest Chef program at Poverello House once a month. We also participate in the American Culinary Federation’s Chef and Child program, teaching our youth proper nutrition and the fun of cooking at various schools in the area. All this in addition to our own fund raising events.

Fourteen years ago the chapter hosted the first annual ACF Chefs Association of San Joaquin Valley Pasta Festival. There were 125 people in attendance as compared to the roughly 600 people attending Pasta festival in recent years. This has been our main fund raising event each year and is very popular with valley residents.

Additionally for three years the chapter hosted the Central Valley Sea Food Challenge at Fresno City College. Also the chapter has provided their services for cooking demonstrations and judging of culinary competitions all over the valley for the FHA/HERO state convention, Save Mart in Fresno and Modesto, The Fresno Fair, the Farm Show in Tulare, and Gottschalk’s in Fresno, and many food shows for nationally known companies.

The chapter's commitment to providing continuing education to our members and service to our community is what keeps us going. The chapter has had a great past and we are looking forward to an even greater future.