Message From The President
May 1, 2012
I could not be more proud of the MCCA, the MotorCity Casino Hotel and everyone that worked so hard on putting together a successful ACF Central Regional Conference. This year's conference was viewed as one of the all time best, and had over 550 chef attendees. The chefs from across our entire region, raved about the location, food, and seminars that took place the entire weekend. The conference success was due to the hard work and dedication of many talented individuals, that came together to make a strong team.
The MotorCity Casino Hotel management staff under the leadership of Lucio Arancibia, CEC, AAC, and the leadership of our Conference Chairman Randy Smith, CEC of Walnut Creek Country Club paved the way for a smooth sailing conference. They spent countless hours planning, making volunteer lists, and organizing transportation for judges and other out of town guests. There were many pre-dinner tasting sessions that myself and other chefs attended to insure our guests would enjoy great tasting meals. Friday night's Ice Breakers Reception was held at Comerica Park and we enjoyed a great strolling dinner prepared by some of our best local restaurants. The food and venue were both amazing, what a great view of the ball park. Saturday night we traveled to the GM Headquarters building in the Renaissance Center to enjoy the many creative food stations prepared by the chefs at Coach Insignia on the 72nd floor for our Chapter Event, the Michigan Chefs Harvest Detroit Party. The view from Coach has to be one of the best, if not the best in the city. This event raised funds for both Gleaners Food Bank and Haven. Between all of the great wines, the outstanding food, and the Thornetta Davis Band's live entertainment, we sure did throw a great party and really made the chapter proud.
On Sunday night, a group of chefs headed to the Detroit Athletic Club for the American Academy of Chefs reception. It is an honor to be chosen to host an AAC dinner and Executive Chef Kevin Brennan, CEC, AAC and his professional staff showed off their culinary expertise. I knew it would be a special night when the team of over 30 wait staff marched into the room with the first course. They were all wearing white gloves and looked pressed and polished. The entire evening looked like something out of a movie. The food was outstanding and I have never experienced a more professional and well orchestrated wait staff show in my life. Such a beautiful club with a matching culinary and wait staff. Great job, Chef Kevin! One of the things that really put the night over the top was the American Academy of Chefs special recognition of the Michigan Chefs de Cuisine founding fathers and long time mentors. Chefs Leopold Schaeli, CMC, AAC, John Vanderwouw, AAC, and Milos Cihelka, CMC, AAC were all recognized for their lifetime achievements to the MCCA, ACF and the AAC. Additionally, Chef Milos received a Presidential Medallion in recognition of his accomplishments as one of the first CMCs in the first ever test and the chef with the highest overall score, as well as his efforts with past Culinary Olympic Teams and the establishment of our Chapter.
Monday night was the Vice Presidents Gala, and the closing ceremony which was held in the at the MotorCity Casino Hotel. Over 300 guests gathered for this special event. The announcer for the evening was our Vice President of the Central Region, Chef Kyle Richardson, CEC, CCE, AAC, CHE. Chef Kyle announced all the Central Region Conference winners while we enjoyed a great meal prepared by Executive Chef Don Yamauchi. Our very own Chef Brian Beland, CMC, captured the Central Region Chef of the Year honor and will travel to the National convention to represent the Country Club of Detroit, the MCCA and the Central Region in competition for the ACF National Chef of the Year Award. The evening ended with a presentation of Detroit on the big screen and a choir singing a song dedicated to Detroit. It gave the entire crowd goose bumps and will leave a lasting memory of a great weekend. The final show of the evening was held at Iridescence on the top floor of the Hotel. MotorCity Casino Hotel's Executive Pastry Chef Patricia Nash, CEPC showed off her tremendous culinary skills with an incredible pastry table. There were large vases of cotton candy, huge suckers, candies, mini-pastries and more. What a show, and an incredible, well done job. I left feeling proud to be an ACF member, and glad to be a part of Detroit and this conference.
The Chef of the Year, Pastry Chef of the Year and all the Student Culinary competitions were held at Schoolcraft College. Culinary Competition Chair Chef Randy Emert, CEC, and the talented staff at Schoolcraft did an excellent job hosting all of the weekend's competitions. Many of Schoolcraft's students donated their time to make sure all the events ran flawlessly. I heard rave reviews about how organized the events were planned and executed. Our conference competitors were treated like celebrity chefs at a World Class Culinary School. Congratulations to Schoolcrafts very own team for winning a gold medal and an impressive second place overall finish, just behind the team from St. Louis. Great job, Schoolcraft and thank you for handling the exhausting job of hosting a weekends worth of festivities.
I would like to commend the following for going above and beyond the call of duty during the conference: Chef Randy Smith, CEC, our Conference Chair did a flawless job of organizing this entire event. Our Executive Director Brian Lorge helped in so many ways to make things run organized and smoothly. John Gouin, our Newsletter Editor helped advertise all of the weekend events and assisted in putting together our MCCA information booth. John McCormick, CEC, CCE, AAC, donated the display booth to the Michigan Chefs de Cuisine, and helped work the information booth. Charles Laurencelle (A.K.A. the list master) helped organize all the volunteers and manned the MCCA information center the entire weekend. John Aldini led us in the Pledge of Allegiance during the opening ceremony and assisted with the information booth. Thanks to the students of The Culinary Studies Institute of Oakland Community College for donating their time to work as seminar apprentices. Doug St. Souver agreed to assist me in presenting the weekend's first seminar. We joined forces with Clinton Rich of Oakland Community College to teach two separate fruit and ice carving classes. Brian Beland, CMC and Chris Hessler, CEC both MCCA board members, donated their time to present seminars. Congratulations to the entire staff at the MotorCity Casino Hotel and membership of the Michigan Chefs de Cuisine for a fantastic and well-attended conference.
Please join me next month at the MGM Grand Detroit for another great meeting. The meeting will consist of a cold food culinary salon. The Michigan Olympic Team will be updating our members on their progress towards the Olympic Gold. The salon is open to our entire membership and anyone interested can contact myself at 248-522-3704. Hope to see you there!
Doug Ganhs, CEC
2012 Tiger Game and Tailgate Party at The Detroit Athletic Club
June 5, 2012 at 5:00 p.m.
Join your fellow MCCA Members and their families for this popular annual event! We will enjoy a BBQ tailgate and cash bar at the DAC, courtesy of Chef Kevin Brennan, CEC, AAC, and then walk over to Comerica Park for the Detroit Tigers vs. the Cleveland Indians. Tickets are available on a first-come, first-served basis so register today! This event takes place on June 5, 5:00 p.m. at The Detroit Athletic Club, 241 Madison Ave., Detroit, MI 48229. Cost is $50.00 per person.
Family Picnic and Caribbean BBQ
Benefitting the 2012 Michigan Culinary Olympic Team
Join the 2012 Michigan Culinary Olympic Team for a fun-filled caribbean-style BBQ and family picnic on July 22, 2012 from 1-6 p.m. at Metro Beach Metro Park, Par 3 Shelter, 31300 Metro Parkway, Mt. Clemens, 48046. All ages are welcome, so bring your bike or swimsuit! Includes food, soda, water and musical entertainment. Cost: Adults $30 each, children 4 and over $10 each, children 3 and under FREE, and parking is $5 per vehicle at the gate. Download the flyer HERE.
All proceeds will benefit the 2012 Michigan Culinary Olympic Team representing the Michigan Chefs de Cuisine, Michigan and the USA at the 23rd IKA / World Culinary Olympics in Erfurt, Germany in October, 2012. REFUND POLICY: All purchases of event tickets are final at the time of the sale and may not be returned or exchanged and no refunds will be issued. All tickets are valid only for the date of the event, or in the event of a postponement, cancellation or delay, the tickets are valid only for the new date of the event.
2012 Golf Outing and Chef of the Year Awards Gala
August 27, 2012 at The Country Club of Detroit
Mark your calendars. It's time to register for the 2012 Golf Outing and Chef of the Year Awards Gala. This year, the event will be hosted and presented by 2011 MCCA Chef of the Year and the new ACF Central Region Chef of the Year, Brian Beland, CMC, at The Country Club of Detroit. Tickets are limited and will surely sell out quickly. Get them early! Click HERE to download the registration form, and purchase tickets or sponsorships.
