The next ACFAZ Meeting is Monday, Oct. 12th featuring, Shandee Chernow President and CEO of CertiStar. This meeting is a Zoom meeting with the meeting information belown. Open to all to attend.
[Read more…] about Monday, Oct. 12th featuring, Shandee Chernow President and CEO of CertiStarACFAZ
ACFAZ Food Boxing Event
Hello, ACF Chef’s Association of Arizona members and friends.
Come join members of our chapter as we build food boxes for our community members in need. Click on the link below to sign up!
ACFAZ September Meeting
The ACFAZ September meeting will be held via Zoom with featured guest, Jeff Bacon, CEC, CCA, AAC, Executive Director, Founder and Managing Chef of Providence Programs Second Harvest Food Bank of Northwest North Carolina.
[Read more…] about ACFAZ September MeetingYou’re right, you’re right, I know you’re right- Write!
A line from When Harry Met Sally, it’s something that plays in my head when someone says I need to write more content for the site. I agree, so here I am.
Part of my writing goals is launching two newsletters. Yes, not one, but two. One for the American Culinary Federation Chef’s Association of Arizona and one for the Arizona Food Service Network.
The ACFAZ newsletter is being refreshed and at the next board meeting, that structure will be confirmed. There’s an email blast that goes out to share information but the feedback from members and meeting attendees is, they would like to see a newsletter.


For the AZFSNetwork newsletter, that’s a little more involved as that’s directly tied with the website which we’re working on the finishing details there as well. Pricing and structure are the main focus, something easier said than done.
I’d show you the template for the AZFSNetwork but I want to work on that some more so I’ll wait for now. They both have similar formats but have different goals and the same applies to the audience. Part of the AZFSNetwork Newsletter will include a link to the ACFAZ Newsletter.
For the ACFAZ, my goal has always been for members of the association to talk about their “why’s” for ACF Certification and getting involved with their local chef’s association. I’ll have more to add to this next week in preparation for the March 9th meeting and then, of course, the follow up from the meeting.

WordCamp Phoenix was February 7-9 and I’m still following up from that conference too. Great networking and information about the WordPress platform, online marketing, and small business tips, I always enjoy WordCamp, I highly recommend this to marketing managers and especially those using the WordPress platform for their website.
Here are a few of the slides from presenters from this year’s event. Still filtering through this information as we make changes. Always something to do or fix in the digital space. As for writing, my confidence level has increased with my subscription to Grammarly Pro. Woohoo, that helps.
Some of the presenter’s slides are below, would like to list them all when I find them.
Kimberly Lipari – Understanding Website Health
Aaron D. Campbell – Why WordPress in a World with Options?
Rich Tabor – Designing & Building Gutenberg Blocks
Bet Hannon – The Business Case for Accessibility
Zac Gordon – 100 Things to Know About Building, Selling and Supporting Online Courses and Content at WordCamp Phoenix 2020
Francesca Marano – The Art of Networking
As for writing, yes, I know what I’ve gotten myself into and that makes me laugh a bit when I think about it. “What the hell was I thinking?
As for writing styles, Anthony Bourdain became the voice in my head for writing, even with all his arrogance and disdain for vegetarians, it was his voice that helped me write and encouraged me to develop a writing style.
Surprisingly, remembering how much Anthony has influenced me, reminds me of how much of a loss his passing means to me. My two favorite episodes of his are from Part Unknown, they are of are Punjab, India and Lyon, France, and I may have to revisit them soon. Shout out to Anthony, you are missed, my friend.
Onwards and upwards, keep moving forward, and that I am.
ACFAZ with 2020 vision
It’s the middle of February and past the New Year, New Me stuff yet for the ACFAZ, it continues. The first meeting of the year, and with the new board happened January 13th at Agave Farms and yes, it was a good turn out with many reasons to get excited about the new year for the association. Pictures of that event are below.
Agave Farms is a great place to hold an event, get involved with a community garden, but also a great place to purchase plants as well. I was impressed with their selection of roses. Roses grow very well in Arizona yet the colors of roses offered at local retail stores are very limited. Only one color is what I found last year.

The new board election confirmed at the November 4th meeting held at Southwest Gas. Below are pictures from that event, and here is a list of the new ACFAZ Board of Directors.

Fast forward to February again, much follow up happening and have to get into blogging again and getting the newsletter(s) fired up too. There is also chapter information I need to share too, and working on that too. You can see some of that on the ACFAZ.org website and on the ACFAZ Facebook page.
The next ACFAZ meeting is March 9th at Barry Goldwater High School in the school’s restaurant, Avenue 27, which is also their culinary arts department.
Here’s information about this event.
“On March 9th, ACF Chef’s Association of Arizona welcomes Culinary Love, a local collective of chefs promoting wellness in the hospitality industry.
Culinary Love believes we are “an industry in need” of supporting the individuals who give so much of themselves in kitchens and dining rooms across all venues of foodservice. The meeting will feature a panel discussion with ACF and Culinary Love members.
ACF Chef’s Association of Arizona is Walking to End Homelessness on April 18th at the Phoenix Zoo. Participants get a free pass to the Zoo that day!
Walk the Walk to support UMOM New Day Centers as we fight to end homelessness in our community.
Wear a chef coat, toque, or apron, to show your chef pride! If you cannot join us or the walk, please consider a donation in support.
Find our team page here:
https://fundraise.umom.org/team/279554
Click “Join Team” and follow directions to register for $5 or Click “Donate” if you cannot join the walk, but would like to donate in support.
Thank you!”