acf apprenticeship program

I am currently a student at one of the major culinary schools, but am still exploring some different ways of approaching my learning experience. I recently heard about an apprenticeship program sponsored by the ACF...anyone heard anything about it?

[Chef David Simpson]

Does your school affilieate with the ACF. If so, become a Jr. member first. Log on to www.acfchefs.com

[layjo]

Yeah. They have a structured program that you follow in an apprenticeship. They give you a big log book to record your experience and accomplishments of certain task or skills during a course of three years in an approved foodservice establishment(ex. a minimum of 51% of the food had to be made of scratch products, now i belive its 75%, but not sure). And the supervising chef routinely checks and signs each workstation log (ex. Broiler Cook, Garde Manger, Bakeshop, Vegetable Cookery, Saute Cook, Steward, Breakfast Cookery, Lead Cook). You can also check the main site at http://www.acfchefs.org/subindex.html
to get some more info on a local chapter which may be able to help you on a local basis. If and when you decide to go through with it, be sure to keep up with it and document all your experiences, because it is hard work when back tracking. I had a few problems with mine as far as getting all the materials i needed, but when i got everything that I needed i found myself having to do alot of backtracking....not fun at all. Hope any of this helps out! By the way welcome to Cheftalk. We are a community of friendly, informative Chefs, Cooks, who are passionate about food and wine and anything that encompasses them. (ex.myself, Chef David Simpson) Oh I also forgot we, like to be funny also!

[This message has been edited by layjo (edited 11-09-2000).]

[This message has been edited by layjo (edited 11-09-2000).]

[Greg]

No offense, layjo, but either give everybody credit for their passion for food, or single out no one (e.g. yourself and David Simpson). If anything, at least give Shroomgirl her props. Anybody that has two kids, a catering business, a shroom hunting group, a farmer's market and a chef's group (Chef's Collaborative), and still finds time to post deserves a mention, don't you think?

[layjo]

Sorry about that! If I had time I would like to name everyone here, and everyone here is very passionate and dedicated, but i don't know everyones names i was just trying to go along with the people who posted on the thread. I ment "we" as a "great community" not just "myself and one other person" Again sorry about that if the post sounded "incomplete". I want to give more than a million thank you's to everyone who participates in these forums and the website as a whole. I am just like anybody else here trying to offer and trade info on past experiences dealing with the trade and food in general. Thanks everyone!

[This message has been edited by layjo (edited 11-09-2000).]

[This message has been edited by layjo (edited 11-09-2000).]

[Greg]

No apology necessary, Layjo! My post was more to make sure everybody got credit; certainly not any kind of attack on you. Great advice regarding the backtracking. I once worked with an apprentice who was somewhat remiss in his documentation of his experiences. Myself and the other cooks would get together with him and end up spending our break time reminding him of the various things he had done since he had last updated his journal. Oh, the fun we could have had with him! "Zach, remember when you had to julienne the asparagus? Remember when Chef had you steam the flour so it would be done faster for the brown roux?".

[This message has been edited by Greg (edited 11-09-2000).]

[shroomgirl]

Three children. This is my food network I don't have regular TV....just vcr

Thank you all for your responses. I first want to say that I believe my school does have a jr. ACF chapter and I have also contacted my area ACF contact (Boston). But I am thinking about this program as an alternative to my current schooling. Is this a viable option? Does anyone have comments on the positives/negatives on attending school vs. the ACF school/apprenticeship option? How is this apprenticeship viewed in the industry?

[shroomgirl]

NPWEST~ there are many different aspects of "the industry", institutional, caterers, club chefs, artistes (restaurant chefs/owners),......each one has their take on what's important (as a group and then as individuals). St. Louis club chefs and institutionals are the make up of ACF. The other guys generally are not.
ACF guys are the instructors at the F&H program at our community college.....finding a good mentor is what has worked for alot of the acf juniors I know....what do you want out of it?