Senior Chief Derrick Davenport, CEC, CEPC, MBA, Named 2015 U.S.A.’s Chef of the Year at the American Culinary Federation National Convention
St. Augustine, Fla., August 12, 2015—The best chef in the nation, according to the American Culinary Federation (ACF), is Senior Chief Derrick Davenport, CEC, CEPC, MBA, executive chef/senior enlisted aide for U.S. Navy, Office of the Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff, Washington, D.C. Davenport received the title of 2015 U.S.A.’s Chef of the Year and $5,000 after winning a national competition, at Cook. Craft. Create. ACF National Convention & Show held in Orlando, Florida, July 30-Aug. 3.
“It is an honor to be the first member of the Armed Forces to win U.S.A’s Chef of the Year,” said Davenport. “I have been in this profession for over 20 years and have been privileged to surround myself with great culinarians. I encourage our young professionals to do the same and continue to strive for excellence on every front.”
The award, sponsored by Unilever Food Solutions, acknowledges ACF member Walter Roth, AAC, for his tireless efforts to promote and elevate the culinary profession. The award has grown in prestige, and today is the highest honor annually bestowed by ACF. It recognizes an outstanding chef who works and cooks in a full-service dining facility. This person demonstrates the highest standard of culinary skills, advances the cuisine of America and gives back to the profession through the development of students and apprentices.
Davenport, ACF Northeast Region Chef of the Year, competed against three other chefs for the award. National competitors competed and won their regional titles for a spot to compete for the national award. Chefs had 1 hour to prepare, cook and present four different show plates utilizing squab (young pigeon) and frog legs and 1 hour to cook and present plates to the judges for tasting. A panel of ACF-approved judges evaluated organization, cooking skills, culinary techniques and taste to determine the winner.
Winning Menu:
- First course: Madrilène soup with heirloom tomato compote, frog and sweet corn fritter and aioli
- Second course: Smoked squab breast with fallen goat cheese soufflé, chicory salad with citrus vinaigrette, Bing cherry gastrique, toasted pistachio and macerated fruit
- Third course: Sautéed frog legs, grits, chow-chow, wilted heirloom mustard greens, tasso crayfish gravy and crispy okra
- Fourth course: Squab crepinette with port wine sauce, mushroom bread pudding, carrot puree and summer vegetable medley
Davenport has an associate degree in culinary arts from Schoolcraft College, Livonia, Michigan; a bachelor’s degree in workforce education from Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, Illinois; and a master’s of business administration in hospitality management from Sullivan University, Louisville, Kentucky. He has received several awards throughout his service, including Joint Staff/OCJCS Action Officer of the Month in 2009, and Best Dining Facility (DFAC) in the Afghan National Army. He competed in the 2012 Internationale Kochkunst Ausstellung, commonly referred to as the “culinary Olympics,” in Erfurt, Germany, where he received gold and silver medals. Most recently, Davenport received the title of Armed Forces Chef of the Year 2013, and Armed Forces Master Chef of the Year 2014. He is a member of ACF Nation’s Capital Chefs Association.
For a list of past U.S.A.’s Chef of the Year winners, click here.
More than 1,000 chefs, cooks, students and foodservice professionals attended Cook. Craft. Create. ACF National Convention & Show, hosted by the ACF Central Florida Chapter. The event provided attendees with numerous opportunities to advance their professional development and enhance their culinary skills through informative workshops and seminars, cutting-edge demonstrations, a trade show featuring nearly 100 exhibitors, national competitions and ACF’s annual national awards.
Sponsors of Cook. Craft. Create. ACF National Conference & Show are: Allen Brothers; American Technical Publishers; BelGioioso Cheese, Inc.; Canadian Lentils; CaterSource® Magazine, Conference & Tradeshow; Custom Culinary, Inc.; Ecolab®; J.R. Simplot; Johnson & Wales; Lactalis Foodservice; MINOR’S®; National Watermelon Promotion Board; NEWCHEF Fashion Inc.; Par-Way Tryson, makers of Vegalene; Plugrá® European-Style Butter; PolyScience®; RATIONAL USA; Roland Foods; Taylor Shellfish Farms; Unilever Food Solutions; US Foods; Valrhona; Victorinox Swiss Army; Villeroy & Boch; Vitamix® Corporation; Western Region State Beef Councils; and Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board.
About the American Culinary Federation
The American Culinary Federation, Inc. (ACF), established in 1929, is the standard of excellence for chefs in North America. With more than 17,500 members spanning nearly 200 chapters nationwide, ACF is the leading culinary association offering educational resources, training, apprenticeship and programmatic accreditation. In addition, ACF operates the most comprehensive certification program for chefs in the United States, with the Certified Executive Chef®, Certified Sous Chef®, Certified Executive Pastry Chef® and Certified Culinary Educator® designations accredited by the National Commission for Certifying Agencies. ACF is home to ACF Culinary Team USA, the official representative for the United States in major international culinary competitions, and to the Chef & Child Foundation, founded in 1989 to promote proper nutrition in children and to combat childhood obesity. For more information, visit www.acfchefs.org. Find ACF on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ACFChefs and on Twitter @ACFChefs.
View all American Culinary Federation Chefs on Chef’s Roll: www.chefsroll.com/american-culinary-federation
