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learning experience. Working one year with team is like working seven years on the job. It’s meant for a few, those who really believe that this is an opportunity to not only advance their knowledge, but contribute to a cause that elevates the American chef.”

Richard Rosendale, CMC, executive chef at The Greenbrier, White Sulphur Springs, W.Va., understands all about the benefits of being on the team. He was a member of 2004 ACF Culinary Team USA and served as captain of the 2008 team. “It has helped hone my skills at an accelerated rate compared with traditional career paths,” he says. “It forced me to be relentlessly organized as well as think creatively. I think the team is a great option for chefs who want to invest in their skills and eventually see a return on that investment. The return is tenfold if you put in the hard work necessary to be successful with the team.”

And although team members must be prepared to sacrifice, it’s worth it, he says. “It was a lot to ask my family to go through during the years on the team. I could not have done it without them and the brilliant team of chefs around me. You also have to sacrifice your personal time, days off and downtime. It’s hard, but anything worth doing requires this kind of dedication.”

He says he learned important lessons from his team experience. “I learned how to persevere, how to work well with a team, and I also learned discipline. Making a commitment to such a rigorous activity forces one to not procrastinate. You have to train, you have to be ready, because people are depending on you and the world is watching.”

Rosendale has this advice for those who will try out for the 2016 ACF Culinary Team USA in Charlotte, N.C., and Denver this month: “You have to aspire to be great, and then listen to the people around you. The more you know, the more you realize how much more there is to know. You can do yourself a lot of good by asking questions and being open to feedback. This is a process that the team relies on in its evolution, to be open and honest with each other. Be ready to embrace that, and if you do, then you will thrive in your years on the team.”

PHASE I, cold-food tryouts, will be held June 1-2 at Johnson & Wales University, Denver, and June 15-16 at Johnson & Wales University, Charlotte, N.C.

If there is one thing that Ferdinand Metz, CMC, WGMC, AAC, HOF, knows about team competition, it’s that Murphy will be part of the experience—Murphy’s law, that is.

“Murphy’s law has been a part of every competition I have been a part of, and it always will be,” says Metz, who served as a member of 1968 ACF Culinary Team USA and was captain of the 1976 team and manager of the 1980-88 teams. “You have to be able to adjust mentally and physically and move on without getting flustered. Things are not always what you prepared for.”

Metz, executive dean at Le Cordon Bleu, Hoffman Estates, Ill., and managing partner of Las Vegas-based Master Chefs Institute, says that in culinary competition, one should always count on something going wrong. “In 1984, we were in the middle of serving our hot food, and the electric stoves went out. You have a choice. You can take your apron off and say, ‘Sorry, I can’t cook.’ That was not in the cards. We finished the meal with Sternos and any other kind of heating element. We got a gold medal.”

That ability to deal with pressure is just one characteristic of a good team member; there are others. “No question that culinary competency is a major factor,” Metz says. “You also need a person who can be organized and get along with other chefs, because it is a team environment. And, it must be someone who can endure a lot of physical and emotional stress. I have seen people totally falling apart because they internalize the pressure and, ultimately, can’t deal with it anymore.”

All these requirements make the job of making team selections difficult. “It’s not just a matter of looking at someone’s résumé,” Metz says. “You have to get to know the people, you need to sit at the table with them, have a cup of coffee with them, to understand what drives them, what motivates them. The dynamics of working within the team are important. You could have the most competent individual, but if that person doesn’t get along with the other members of the team, then that individual is worthless to the team.”

Team members need to be able to commit to the task, Metz says. “It takes a lot of devotion, and it takes a lot of your time. You should have the support of your family and your place of work. There are practice sessions and individual assignments. There’s a lot of pressure on the individual to perform on the ultimate stage.”

But, he says, there are benefits, as well. “It’s an opportunity to work with a team of highly competent individuals and measure yourself against other teams around the world. Within that is an incredible

ACF CULINARY TEAM USA in pursuit of excellence

IN PURSUIT OF EXCELLENCE

METZ ROSENDALE

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