Five chefs from Florida, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Hampshire and West Virginia joined the elite group of chefs known as Certified Master Chefs (CMC) following an eight-day cooking exam, sponsored by McCormick For Chefs, at The Culinary Institute of America, Hyde Park, N.Y., Oct. 23-30, bringing the current number of CMCs in the U.S. to 66.
“This exam was the strongest showing by a group of candidates in recent history. Every day showed growth and refinement within the candidate pool,” said Brad Barnes, CMC, CCA, AAC, chair, Certified Master Chef Subcommittee. “I believe those who were unsuccessful will regroup shortly and begin their plans to retake the exam. This scenario is not unusual, and the CMC community welcomes chefs to further their skills and return a second time. On behalf of the CMC community, we congratulate these new masters.”
Chefs who passed the exam are:
· Brian Beland, CMC, of Sterling Heights, Mich., executive chef, Country Club of Detroit, Grosse Pointe Farms, Mich.; ACF Michigan Chefs de Cuisine Association
· Daniel Dumont, CMC, of Hampton Falls, N.H., corporate chef, Ocean Properties Ltd. Hotels and Resorts, Portsmouth, N.H.; ACF Piscataqua Chapter
· Robert Mancuso, CMC, of Dedham, Mass., executive chef, The Country Club, Chestnut Hill, Mass.; ACF Epicurean Club of Boston
· Richard Rosendale, CMC, of White Sulphur Springs, W.Va., executive chef, The Greenbrier, White Sulphur Springs; ACF National Chapter
· Brian Sode, CMC, AAC, of Palm Beach Gardens, Fla., executive chef, The Bear’s Club, Jupiter, Fla.; ACF National Chapter
The process to earn CMC certification is as follows: First, chefs applied for the CMC exam, showing documentation that they were a Certified Executive Chef or Certified Culinary Educator, providing two letters of recommendations from current CMCs and meeting rigorous education and experience requirements.
Then, 12 candidates took the practical exam, which is administered in eight segments: healthy cooking, buffet catering, classical cuisine, freestyle cooking, global cuisine, baking and pastry, Continental/Northern European cuisines and market basket, demonstrating that the candidate is well-rounded. Each category was graded on kitchen skills/presentation and tasting. The minimum passing score for the exam is 75 points out of 100. For chefs to keep the CMC title, they must recertify every five years, documenting 80 hours of continuing education.
To view photos from the exam and to read daily summaries, visit www.acfchefs.org/CMCexam.
Posted 11/8/10.
