ACF CEC exam?

[chef1x]

Has anyone here taken this exam before? I'm in the preliminary stages of preparing for it. It doesn't look over-challanging, but I'd be curious what others experience has been, and also with the ACF in general. I just joined, and it seems like a good thing.

Thanks

[kuan]

If you apply before Dec 31st the old rules still apply. Nobody has taken the exam yet, and as far as I know, the subject matter has yet to be finalized.

Kuan

[chef1x]

Thanks for the info, but I guess I'm not clear. No one here has taken the CEC exam? Is it all written? There don't seem to be any revisions according to the ACF page from what I gather.

[kuan]

Right now you only need education, experience, courses in sanitation, nutrition, and management. A certain number of points are awarded for each category. When you have enough you get your certification.

The new certification requirements include practical testing. The CEC is three hours. You need to prepare a display a three course meal from a mystery basket. Fish, salad, and main course. You also have to include a variety of elements in this meal such as a variety of cuts, sauces, methods of cooking.

In addition to practical testing, you are required to participate in culinary competition. I'm not sure how many or if you need any medals.

I think the new way is better. Sous chef certification requires that you filet a fish. You can't imagine how many sous chefs I know who have never seen a halibut.

Kuan

[chef1x]

Thanks for the clarification. I see that now on the ACF web site. I think it's better too; certainly more challanging.

Anyone who is a CEC, please share your thoughts and relate any details of the written exam.

[Pete]

CEC now requires competition experience?!. If that is true that is a load of BS. Many of us chefs do not have the time or the desire to do competitions. Nor do I feel that participating in competitions is in any way a gauge of a chef's ability. I have seen recent culinary grads do great and "great" chefs fall short in competition. I have, recently, been thinking about getting my certification, but if that means I have to do the competition thing, then forget it. I guess that the ACF prefers to keep its titles among Hotel and Club chefs, because I know very few restaurant chefs that have the time or desire to do competitions. I imagine also that for a competition to be valid, it must be an ACF sanctioned competition. Seems a little self serving to me. When is this country going to wake up and realize that we do need some form of certification program for chefs. A program that adaquately measures a chefs ability on the important aspects of cheffing. Proper food handling techniques, cooking techniques, proper sanitation, proper cost controlling. Most other "crafts" or "artisan" jobs have certification programs. These certifications measure a persons skill and experience, not how many competitions they have entered or won. Sorry about the rant (I haven't ranted in awhile and it was about time), but every time I start to warm up to the ACF, they do something to p*** me off once again.

[chef1x]

Hey Pete, I totally agree with you....I thought it was a little too simple to get a CEC; and the reason I'm posting here in the first place is to help me decide if it's worth it or not. I'm unemployed right now and I thought it might be a good way to "network" or possibly provide an in if I decide to (gasp!) go corporate. And you're right: I 've never had even time to go to a stupid trade show, let alone compete for the last 14 years.

I was just relating to a friend last night how I KNOW I could do it, but I'm inclined NOT to because, as you know, it really has nothing to do with the business of REAL cooking. I admit to becoming a bit nervous at things like that, which is odd considering it's no problem to push out hundreds of plates under extreme pressure every night. The last time I did that was for a culinary school final exam which consisted of 4 mini-portions of a "suprise" dish. I blew everyone away and received the highest score, but I remember standing there trembling, partly out of rage, as some stodgy judges picked apart my dish and deducted some points on a "technical" issue. Argghh!!!
The friend who steered me to the ACF is a club chef and regularly "competes." The whole thing mystifies me. So like I said, I feel confident I could do it, but why? Is it like going to the Dark Side???

Anyone? I'd love to hear from someone who has been through this.

[fodigger]

I've been a CEC for over 15 yrs now and I've even taken the master chefs test(I made to the last day and the mystery basket before falling to bad scores on presentation) The CEC test was rather easy if your know your stuff if not you're in trouble. I'm w/ Pete though, the ACF is a joke. I'd go as far to say that if you had to be a member to be in the field I'd get out. Bitter grapes? Perhaps, but I truely feel that I wasn't awarded my CMC grade because of my age I was 29 at the time and was told to come back in 4 or 5 yrs. If I didn't have the skills I would've been booted in the previous 9 days. the fellow that was awarded his presentation was no better than mine. Anyway, that is the way the cookie crumbles I spent around 10 grand but I had a good time and meet some good people. Most in the industry don't know what CEC stands for or do they care. It was a goal for me, and while some might what to see that certification I think it is solely a personal desision as to weither it is important to you.
Good luck in your quest and your job search. There are many avenues here on the web. check out the postings on here about mid-life career crisis it seems that there were some leads there.

[shroomgirl]

I call them the tall white hat guys.....I've sat in their meetings, seen a recent competition, Played with several of their members.
Mostly they are club/academics type....the reason I started the farmer's market and chef's collaborative at all was because a room full of 50 ACF members sat through a presentation and saw some glorious produce....NOT ONE started buying from the seven farmers there. It took a bunch of indepedant restauranteurs to back me and get local foods into StL.
ACF runs cooking classes using food pantry foods....<this is a great community service!> I run classes using garden or local products......different focus.
There are a handful of chefs in ACF that I would enjoy eating their food....there are plenty more independants I'd like to have cook my meals.
A CMC just did a demo in STL ACF meeting......he said," we all make mistakes, what is different about me is I know how to cover them up" Gotta Love IT.

[chef1x]

fodigger, thank you for such a great and insightful response. Ya know, I belong to a couple of other similar organizations, and I've never really GOTTEN it, and I thought it was just me.

I did kind of make this a goal, and money is not really an issue, I just don't want to start down the wrong path. You say you've been a CEC for over 15 years which would mean that you have to take "refresher" courses. How does that go? To what extent do you participate in ACF functions? I can't believe thay charge $10k for that, especially when it seems so subjective!!! Being from CA myself and having achieved a lot at a young age here on the East Coast, I often felt like I was being "ignored" because I was young and even more 'cause I never played the same game. I always get myself psyched up to go to some black tie dinner/dance thing, then I chicken out; I'm just not a very good schmoozer, but I also feel like I should be reaching out more.

Do you find any redeeming qualities in being a member?

I have checked out some of the mid-life career things here as well, and they are encouraging.


Shroomgirl, thanks for your insight as well. You can't imagine what pleasure it gives me to hear you call them "tall white hats," Hahahahaha.... !And the quote at the end is classic as well. No offense to anyone, but I've heard CIA grads say similar things.
But please, you say you attend meetings, why? What do you get from it?

I reallly really appreciate these answers you two......


Is there anyone else? Is there someone out there who thinks becoming a CEC and belonging to ACF is this GREAT thing??? Anyone with REALLY good experience???

Thanks!
1X

[fodigger]

I guess what I should have stated was that I earned the CEC title about 15 yrs ago. I have not been a member of the acf for over 10 yrs now and I don't ever plan to be one again. I think that is a personal desision for every body to make for themselves though.
As for the 10 grand that was total expenses to take the test, Hotel room, food, travel, your commis everything. The actual amount for the test was only a couple of grand.

Tall hat guys. Goodone shroom girl I'll have to remember that one.

[shroomgirl]

I go to meetings but as a guest.....they, like so many do not know where I fit <kinda tough when I make my own rules>. This past year the change of power to more creative leaders with an emphasis on good food has lead me to show up at their dinners and programs. Part of my goal is to get young up and comers introduced and cooking with local products.....the ACF Juniors were at the market selling local Go-Food....it did not pan out for them. Sat. AM is a BEAR for these guys, they also did not have one of the BIG guys really backing it. I got the "I can do it myself"shtick....oh man! So they wanted to make Gazpacho in May, Crab Avacado salad in Mo, etc....they had 5 guys at a booth where 2 max was enough....
So, 2 of their members asked to do FArmer/chef dinner series this summer <check archives for past posts 2000-2001> and I'll continue to reach out to those cooking. PLUS their continuing ed is not half bad.
It really ticks them when I tease them about cooking in the middle of the woods or street with butane for loads of folks.....I never realized how few can cook without their fridges/stoves etc... or feel intimadated showing up and not knowing what will be available to do a cooking demo with<I can give a rough good guess but don't always know produce availability> Rattles a few chains that I didn't go to culinary school, took Early Childhood ED instead and it serves me welllllll.

[panini]

Pete,
I can't agree with you more! without some type of professional standardizing and apprenticeship program for our profession we will never get the respect we deserve.
The AFC has positioned themselves away from the public eye. It's become a club (which I am a member, so not bashing so much).
The new CEC and such testing is such a joke! In places where we are viewed as a profession(Europe etc) testing is based on following recipes and having a full understanding of cooking and baking. This reality TV, iron chef, concept of mystry baskets is a joke.
This will be my last year for ACF, forfiting my 5000. life ins. I agree that they have totally eliminated all of us in the private sector trying to make a living because we do not have the compensated time or monies to be active. I'll just stick with CT.
Maybe I'll forward my dues to CT, I get more out of it.
pan

[kuan]

First of all, you don't have to be a member to get a C-anything. There are actually only two written exams I think, or at least that was a few years back. One was for CC and CSC and the other one worked for CCC and CEC. Before that you could get your CEC solely through participation points.

I totally agree with panini. The ACF needs to be more mainstream. My chapter has a decent mix of University chefs, club chefs, restaurant chefs, hotel chefs, and students. Very few have the time to go to the national convention, even fewer have time to participate in competition. I can't remember one of us participating in a competition in the last 5 years.

The financial mismanagement of a few years back was a joke. Their answer to this was to raise dues over the next 5 years. I've seen my dues go from $95 to something like $135 this year.

How the ACF is structured is that your local culinary chapter is its own 503c corporation, which itself is a member of the ACF. Depending on the constitution of your chapter, you could probably join the chapter without joining ACF national.

Kuan

[kuan]

I don't think the new testing is a joke. There are things you HAVE to do, like prepare 2 sauces, one for the appetizer and one for the entree. One emulsified vinaigrette for the salad, use at least four classical cuts (okay, maybe THAT'S a joke). I think you also have to prepare at least two mother sauces. It ain't that easy, forget to strain your sauce and you're SOL brother!

Kuan