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ACF National Membership Update
An email sent by ACF National to all ACF Members on December 9, 2024:
Dear ACF Members,
We are excited to share some important updates to ACF membership, which will go into effect in early 2025. These changes, approved by your Board of Directors and Chapter Presidents, are designed to streamline membership options, enhance inclusivity, and ensure that ACF continues to serve and represent our diverse culinary community effectively.
What's Changing and Why?
These updates reflect our commitment to empowering all culinary professionals, attracting the next generation of chefs, and providing new opportunities for engagement.
Professional Membership:
We are combining the former Professional Culinarian and Allied memberships into a single Professional category. Professional members will receive one full vote, ensuring that more voices in the industry are heard.
Vendor Membership:
Our former Associate members will now be called Vendors, and they will also receive one full vote, recognizing the importance of those who provide products and services to our field.
Associate Membership:
The new Associate category brings together previous Culinarian, Student Culinarian, and Junior Culinarian levels. It includes chefs under the age of 25 and students of any age in ACF-accredited schools, and it grants members half a vote. This change reflects our goal of fostering leadership and engagement among emerging culinary professionals.
Gastronomy Membership:
Formerly known as Culinary Enthusiast, this category has been renamed Gastronomy Member. With a lower price point and exciting new competitions, this category will welcome food lovers who want to learn from and support our industry. Gastronomy members will not have voting rights.
Why These Changes Matter
More Inclusive Representation:
These updates ensure that more members have a say in ACF’s future, making our organization stronger and more representative of the entire culinary field.
Opportunities for Growth:
With new competitions and a broadened appeal, we look forward to growing our Gastronomy membership and engaging a wider audience.
Empowering the Next Generation:
By streamlining student and culinarian memberships into the Associate category, we are setting the stage for the next generation to thrive and lead within ACF.
Membership Dues Update
To continue delivering value while managing increasing operational costs, we will implement a slight dues adjustment in 2025. This is the first increase since 2020 and it reflects the rising costs of software, staffing, and services that support your membership experience.
What You Need to Do
You don’t need to take any action. Your membership will automatically transition to the appropriate category in your member portal.
We are thrilled about these updates and confident they will make your ACF membership more meaningful and impactful. Thank you for your continued support and engagement as we shape the future of the culinary industry together.
If you have any questions about these changes, please feel free to contact the ACF National Offices at [email protected].
Knowledge Bowl Team at ACF National Convention
Knowledge Bowl Team at ACF National Convention
The St. Louis Chapter's Knowledge Bowl team showcased their culinary knowledge in the Baron H. Galand Culinary Knowledge Bowl at the Phoenix Convention Center in Phoenix, Arizona during the ACF National Convention. The team's final game came down to a tie-breaking question, and we couldn't be prouder of their dedication, hard work, and amazing performance at they finished in 4th place! A special thank you to our incredible coaches for their time and guidance, as well as to our membership and the Board for their support and making this opportunity possible! Tour the Knowledge Bowl's experience below!
