The National Culinary Review

The title of 2024 ACF Western Region Student Team of the Year went to Orange Coast College in Costa Mesa, Calif., after qualifier competitions this spring. John Bartimole caught up with the team’s manager, ACF Chef and Orange Coast instructor April Thompson to talk about the strengths of the team, which included student culinarians Claire Arredondo, Morgan Downie, Blanca Granados, Genisis Mascareno, Monique Robinson. What were the winning dishes?

ACF Chef Tom Tobin, CEC, earned the title of ACF’s 2024 Western Region Chef of the Year following the qualifier competitions this spring. John Bartimole caught up with Chef Tobin to learn more about his background and future goals. How did you get into the culinary world? My career spans more than 20 years, and it begins with my brother, who is 10 years older than I and who went into culinary. I began when I was 16, and my first real job was at Sea World as a prep cook.

Mikayla Pabroada is a second-year student at the Culinary Institute of New York’s Monroe College By John Bartimole No one can say Mikayla Pabroada is a newcomer to the kitchen. The second-year student at the Culinary Institute of New York’s Monroe College and the Northeast Region Student Chef of the Year has been in the kitchen since she was seven years old, when she was living in her native Philippines. “I got my love of cooking from my grandma and my dad,” she says.

By Amelia Levin Meditating is all the rage right now. Mental health experts tell us that practicing mindfulness — not just in the morning, but throughout the day — can do wonders for our mental health and truly change lives. If you’re not already into meditating, however, it can seem like a daunting task. How do I start? How do I commit? How do I work it into my busy day as a chef or student or educator?

ACF Chef Paul Bringas, CEC, brought his team from Joliet Junior College in Illinois, to victory as 2024 ACF Central Region Student Team Champions following the qualifier competitions this spring. We spoke to Chef Bringas about how he coached his team — made up of students Ryan Radetski, Olivia Valentino, Nalia Warmack, Nicole Wiseman and Thomas Yanek — to not only bring home a gold medal, but also the chance to compete for the national title at the 2024 ACF National Convention.

By Kenya McCullum ACF Pastry Chef Kelli D. Marks, who was named the 2024 ACF Central Region Pastry Chef of the Year following the regional qualifier competitions this spring started out studying advertising in college, earning an MBA, and working as a writer at an advertising agency before switching gears to the culinary industry.

By Kenya McCullum Nickolas C. Abbott, CC, was named the 2024 ACF Southeast Region Student Chef of the Year after winning gold at the ACF regional qualifier competition in April. As someone who grew up on a farm and always associated cooking with an expression of love, it was natural for him to go to culinary school to share that love with others. We spoke to Chef Abbott about his studies and what he plans to do in the future.

By John Bartimole The 2024 ACF Northeast Regional Student Pastry Chef of the Year, Jewelia Ralston, earned a gold medal during the ACF national qualifier competitions this spring. Ralston is a student at SUNY Broome Community College in Binghamton, N.Y. We caught up with her to learn more about her background. How did you get into culinary? I’ve always liked to cook, but baking has always been more of a passion for me.

By Kenya McCullum On April 12-13, 2024, during the ACF Southeast Region national qualifier competition, ACF Chef Chris Bugher, CEC, of Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College, led his team to victory as the 2024 ACF Southeast Region Student Team Champions.

By Kenya McCullum ACF Student Pastry Chef Ila Seamans didn’t expect to pursue culinary school. After all, she was studying to become a nurse. But once she decided that path wasn’t for her, it just made sense to turn her love of food — and her knowledge of how it affects the body — into a career. So far, that decision has paid off: Seamans was named the 2024 ACF Southeast Region Student Pastry Chef of the Year after competing in the ACF qualifier competitions this spring.