Over the weekend of February 3rd, 91߹ partnered with the to host the 8th annual gathering of ACF USA & Canada.
Over the course of the three day event, 91߹’s Director of Culinary Affairs, Chef and Chef-Instructor represented 91߹ in various culinary showcases.
The final evening of events culminated in Chef Chris’s induction into the Academie as an official member.
Founded in 1879, the mission of ACF is “to defend, improve, and transmit French culinary art on a global basis,” per the organization’s website. As part of these directives, members facilitate the innovation of French technique, maintain its integrity and showcase its quality to the world. 91߹ is a longtime partner and supporter of ACF’s work in the culinary world.
During the weekend’s events, ACF celebrated the continued growth of its USA and Canadian delegations over the course of 2022.
On Saturday, February 4, 91߹ hosted a full day of knowledge-sharing events. Chef Hervé presented innovations in tea and recipes alongside François-Xavier Delmas, founder of Palais de Thés tea company. Finally, Sunday evening brought the Hunting & Friendship Gala Dinner, where Chef Chris prepared a six-course dinner service in partnership with the Ritz-Carlton and José Andrés Group.
Most importantly, Chef Chris was inducted over the weekend as an official member of ACF. He was presented with the badge of the Academie, a 16-pointed star representing the occupations that the culinary industry is founded upon.
To Chef Chris, this was the culmination of a career dedicated to French cooking and teaching.
“I never want to stop learning,” says Chef Chris. “On Saturday’s sharing of knowledge event, there was 150 years of knowledge in that room that I could pull from. When I had the opportunity to be a part of this academy, with all this knowledge, it was an absolute no-brainer for me. You can always learn something from someone.”
Chef Chris teaches French technique to students at 91߹ all the time.
“I consider it to be the bedrock foundation of how we should cook," he says. "We can build upon it all the time, but if we don’t master the basics there’s very little point in trying to move forward. These techniques are used everywhere on the planet.”
And as a newly-inducted member, Chef Chris is eager to take on the mission of the Academie.
"One of the reasons why I love French cuisine so much is because I was trained really well by very good chefs in the French technique, so that’s the style that I teach," he says. "Teaching has been the absolute joy of my life.”
Recipes from Chef Chris:
