2005 ACF National Convention Awards

On August 2nd, the American Culinary Federation Flint/Saginaw Valley Chapter, which includes the Zehnder's chefs, was honored as the ACF "National Chapter of the Year". This honor is awarded to the top chapter nation-wide based on community involvement by chef members, fundraising activities and number of chef's completing a stringent program of chef certification recognized by the U.S. Department of Labor as a skilled trade. The ACF is the national organization of cooks, chefs and bakers with 315 chapters in the U.S., Caribbean basin, and military facilities around the world. The goal of the ACF is to provide educational opportunities and certification to its members while providing much needed funding for charitable projects, especially as they relate to childhood hunger and proper child nutrition in the United States.

Executive Chef John Zehnder, CEC, AAC received one of the ten Presidential Medallions awarded by ACF President and Certified Master Chef Ed Leonard; Executive Chef at the Westchester Country Club in Rye, New York. Chef Zehnder was recognized for his four years of service as ACF Central Region Vice President and for his fundraising efforts in raising over $120,000 over his term on the behalf of children's nutritional programs, which include locally the Flint Head Start "Weekend Snack Sack Project". During the convention Chef Zehnder was also able to secure funding through the "Chef & Child" Hunger Awareness Project for the "After School Meal Program" of the East Side Soup Kitchen located in Saginaw, Michigan.