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About us

Our Mission

The American Culinary Federation offers a range of accredited educational programs, certifications, competitions, and networking opportunities designed to promote professional growth and development for both current and aspiring chefs and pastry chefs.

Our Vision

Our goal is to establish ourselves as the premier provider of professional and personal development opportunities for the culinary community, promoting cutting-edge culinary techniques while also preserving the rich history and time-honored skills of our craft.

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Who We Are

The Standard of Excellence for Chefs

Our Story

The American Culinary Federation, Inc. (ACF), a professional organization for chefs and cooks, was founded in 1929 in New York City by three chefs’ organizations: the Société Culinaire Philanthropique, the Vatel Club and the Chefs de Cuisine Association of America. Since our inception, little has changed in our principal goals. We are an organization based on promoting the professional image of American chefs worldwide through education of culinarians at all levels.

In 1976, ACF forever changed the culinary industry by elevating the position of the executive chef from service status to the professional category in the U.S. Department of Labor’s Dictionary of Official Titles. Since this change, the culinary industry and our organization have grown tremendously.

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ACF is now the largest professional chefs’ organization in North America. We are made up of more than 14,000 members belonging to more than 170 chapters in four regions across the U.S. Today, ACF is the leader in offering educational resources, training, apprenticeshipcompetitions and programmatic accreditation designed to enhance professional growth for all current and future chefs and pastry chefs. In addition, ACF operates the most comprehensive culinary certification program in the world. ACF is home to ACF Culinary Team USA, the official representative for the United States in major international competitions.

The Board of Directors of the ACF collaborated with the organization's national office to create a comprehensive strategic plan that outlines a series of initiatives and action items aimed at advancing the organization over the next five-year period, spanning from 2011 to 2016.

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Strategic Plan

Chef's Special

Culinary Careers

Job Placement Opportunities

ACF Career Center offers professional services to help you build and manage your career for maximum potential for success.

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