APPCA's Wallace honored for leadership

First-year GRCC culinary-arts students flank APPCA's Candy Wallace (holding her Leadership Award) and chef-instructor Audrey Heckwolf, who will teach the new personal/private-chef elective that launches at The Secchia Institute in Grand Rapids in January 2010.

Candy Wallace, founder and executive director of the American Personal & Private Chef Association (APPCA), was honored by The Secchia Institute for Culinary Education at Grand Rapids Community College (GRCC), Grand Rapids, Mich., with the culinary-arts program's 2009 Leadership Award on Nov. 9.

The award, which acknowledges Wallace's pioneering contributions to identifying, building and promoting the emerging career paths of personal and private chef, was founded by GRCC's Hospitality Education Department in 1990 as the Distinguished Fellow Award. Past recipients include television cooking personalities and authors Martin Yan and Graham Kerr as well as foodservice-industry luminaries and celebrity chefs from abroad.

Wallace founded the American Personal Chef Association in 1996 as the first significant national effort to recognize the impact of personal chefs on Americans' evolving lifestyles and to provide career and management training to those who aspire to become personal chefs with their own businesses. She forged the positioning of personal chefs as culinary professionals, culminating in 2002 with a formal partnership with the American Culinary Federation to award certification to qualified personal chefs. The following year, she was honored with the International Association of Culinary Professionals' Entrepreneur of the Year Award. In 2006, Wallace earned additional industry accolades by formally acknowledging the contributions of private chefs to American society and addressing their specific professional needs by restructuring her organization to become the American Personal & Private Chef Association.

The center of the plate doesn't need to be a lonely place

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GHRA Gourmet Gala raises $225,000

The Greater Houston Restaurant Association (GHRA) hosted more than 550 restaurant industry leaders at its annual Gourmet Gala, held Nov. 7 at the Hyatt Regency in downtown Houston. At this year's event, sponsored by Sysco Food Services of Houston, the GHRA raised more than $225,000, with proceeds going toward the GHRA Education Committee and Scholarship Fund, and the Texas Restaurant Association Education Foundation.

(l to r) the Ybarra family: Russell, Troy, Roland, Victor, parents Eugene and Alice, Tony, Alice Chandler and Moses (not pictured: Erick Ybarra)

The 2009 gala honorees were the Ybarra family (pictured, above). The Ybarras own several restaurants and foodservice operations and consist of parents Eugene and Alice and their eight children. The family owns and operates El Toro Mexican Restaurant, Iguana Joe's Mexican Restaurant, Gringo's Mexican Kitchen, Johnny Tamale Cantina, Bullritos and El Matador Foods.

(l to r) Cafe Adobe president and CEO Bob Borochoff, Houston city controller Annise Parker and GHRA president Michael Shine

Charlie Trotter wins NRS Spirit of Youth award

The National Runaway Switchboard (NRS) presented chef Charlie Trotter with the 2009 Spirit of Youth award for his work to raise awareness and funds to help keep America's runaway and at-risk youth safe and off the streets. Trotter received the award at NRS' annual Spirit of Youth benefit at the Four Seasons Hotel in Chicago earlier this month.

(l to r) NRS executive director Maureen Blaha poses with chef Charlie Trotter

"Chef Trotter exemplifies what it means to be a socially responsible steward in our community," said Maureen Blaha, NRS executive director, in a statement. "His positive impact on youth and dedication to helping young people is truly making a difference."

Last year, Trotter helped raise more than $18,000 for NRS in addition to raising awareness about the organization. Additionally, Trotter has been supporting youth through his Culinary Education Foundation and other philanthropic endeavors throughout his career.

NRS serves as the federally designated national communication system for homeless and runaway youth. The organization provides crisis intervention, referrals to local resources and education and prevention services to youth, families and community members across the country. Visit www.1800runaway.org for more information.

IDDBA: Calling all cake decorators

The International Dairy-Deli-Bakery Association (IDDBA) is seeking supermarket cake decorators experienced in production cakes, theme cakes and wedding cakes to compete in its 15th annual Cake Decorating Challenge. The challenge will be a featured event at the annual Dairy-Deli-Bake Seminar and Expo, to be held June 6 to 8, 2010, in Houston, Texas. The three-day challenge begins with contestants filling a case with production cakes on day one, creating a wedding cake on day two and making three cakes of the contestants' choosing on day three.

Three contestants will compete for first, second and third place trophies. There will also be a separate trophy for the store of the first place winner. To enter, cake decorators must send a photo album of the best cakes they have ever decorated, along with an entry form. The deadline for entering is Feb. 14. For more information, visit www.iddba.org.

Countdown to BC Hospitality Exposition in Vancouver

The Annual British Columbia Hospitality Exposition will take place at the Vancouver Convention Centre in Vancouver, British Columbia, Nov. 23 to 24. The expo will feature the Best of the West Culinary Competition, which is produced by The BC Chef's Association and aims to showcase new and upcoming talent from around BC. The expo will also feature the Sortilege Bartending Competition produced by Nons Drinks & Sortilege Liqueur. This year more than 250 exhibit booths will showcase foodservice industry products, products for the hotel and accommodation sector and specialized equipment, snacks, wine, spirits and beer for private liquor store and pub owners. Among those who should attend the event are general managers, housekeeping managers, food & beverage managers, restaurant and pub owners, managers and executive chefs.

This year's expo will be carbon neutral, with the help of international carbon offset and environmental solutions provider LivClean. Visit www.bchospitalityexpo.com.

Charleston chefs help feed those in need

To help feed the hungry and alleviate some strain on local emergency food providers in Charleston, S.C., Mickey Bakst, general manager of Charleston Grill at the Charleston Place Hotel, created the Charleston Chefs Feed the Need program, pulling together local restaurants, caterers and hoteliers (pictured, below) to serve weekly meals to as many as 500 people. Since its launch in April, the program has helped feed approximately 14,000 people, saving food banks an estimated total of $42,000.

Bakst created the idea for Feed the Need after learning that a budget crunch had forced Crisis Ministries to close its soup kitchen once a week. One day a week, a different restaurant, caterer or hotelier will take over soup kitchens throughout Charleston and serve meals to people in need, saving the charitable organizations about $1,500 per week. In addition to Crisis Ministries, organizations supported by Feed the Need include Tricounty Family Ministries, East Cooper Meals on Wheels and Neighborhood House. Bakst hopes to ultimately expand the initiative to other cities.

The program is set to continue into 2010, with six companies joining the original 52 participating restaurants, caterers and hotels. Other local organizations have gotten involved as well, including through monetary donations. Firefly Distillery, Wadmalaw Island, S.C., recently raised $4,700 for Feed the Need through a local charity fundraising event and has also donated proceeds from sales to the cause.