The ACF and I

[brie]

How important is it for me to become a card-carrying ACF member? We have a gentleman in our class who has been flashing his newly-laminated member card around to everyone with two eyes to see from, and in his opinion it should be every culinary student's job to become a member ASAP. In his eyes, the ACF is like a big fraternity, except without the Friday night house-parties and with bigger professional perks.

Is this something I should be looking into?

[Rivitman]

It's a good way to schmooze, get seen, and network. And you do have the chapter dinners once a month (at leeast with my chapter).
It does offer something to put on your resume, and a path towards certification if you wish.

It certainly doen't hurt, and the student dues are low.

[chrose]

This is only my personal opinion for how it worked for me and should not be construed as advice for or against it. I looked into membership on more than one occasion. I had enough points to become a CWC & something else, I don't recall. But it always seemed to me that it was more a way of someone (the ACF itself) making money than anything else. The higher I was on the list, the more I paid in dues. I did not need it to get any jobs, and the people I looked up to did not belong to the ACF, nor felt a need. To me it's a club nothing more, nothing less. To some people it may be a way of seeing your accomplishments, but I think a good resume does that equally. A "title" by a group does not make you a good Chef and more than "tenure" makes you a good teacher. I could go on, but again, this is how I saw it. It's great for those who are into it, and un-necessary for those who aren't. My 2 cents only.

[Rivitman]

ACF is not a powerful organization.
Though it's been around awhile.

But with the somewhat newfound respectability of cooking as a profession in the United States, it's on the rise albeit slowly.

Auto mechanics never used to be certified either, but now certified ones are in demand, and have a better shot at better jobs. Slowly, the old school kitchen culture of either sex, drugs and rock n' roll, or long hours of hard hard toil in obscurity are begginning to melt away.

ACF is the culture and organization needed to foster professionalism, and a better life for cooks and chefs. It may seem like just an old boys club, and sure it's not all powerful, but the goals are there, and they are beggining to work. This won't be a quick process. Nothing worthwhile ever is.

[kuan]

You don't have to be a member to become certified. Having a real life someone to turn to for advice helps. Those chapter dinners are fun too. Not much work unless you're hosting.

[chef john]

Dear Brie-
Like many organizations, The ACF is what you make it. It is, on one hand, a professional fraternity whose main benefit is networking and the comfort of knowing that there are "others" like us that share our unique life style. That is not a bad thing at all. Comfort is as comfort does.
I do feel that the ACF does have a growing place in the marketplace. I get that opinion by looking at the ads for good chef's jobs and I mean the good ones. Fifteen years ago I didn't see any requirement for certification, but now, just look and a growing number are requiring ACF certification as a minimum standard. Sure, you can be a chef, and a fine one at that, without it. It just depends upon what type of work you are looking for and what niche you are going to fill.
But beyond that, I think the value, to me at least, was that to get certified ( I got certified years ago when it was quite a bit more challenging) I had to be well rounded in my craft. And knowledge is it's own reward. The training was outlined in the test rules ( which I got years before certification) and necessary for me to guide my career. I am not as self-motivated as some, I guess, so I relished the direction the ACF gave me. But by no means would I think that the ACF is the only way to get that craft knowledge. It just was that way for me.
So, like I said, it is as important as you make it and that answer comes from you. Just congratulate your friend on his accomplishment and make up your own mind.
Bye