Vaccaro Named Pastry Chef of the Year
ST. AUGUSTINE, FLA., July 22, 2004—Thomas Vaccaro, a certified executive pastry chef (CEPC), has earned the inaugural Pastry Chef of the Year title by the American Culinary Federation (ACF), Inc.
Vaccaro was one of four regional finalists who participated in a cook-off on July 19 at ACF’s 2004 national convention at the Orlando (Fla.) World Center Marriott. His three dessert entries – which had to be prepared, plated and served within three hours – consisted of warm chocolate sabayon with summer cherries and lime/vanilla essence; a timbale of roasted peach and white chocolate aside a milk-chocolate mousse bar; and a seven-layer gâteau, or cake, melding flavors of lavender, strawberry, banana, cinnamon, coconut, and white chocolate.
Since 1995, Vaccaro has served as executive pastry chef of Trump Plaza Hotel & Casino, Atlantic City, where he oversees a 24-hour-a-day, full-service pastry operation. He and his 34-person staff turn out 10,000 desserts, breads, and breakfast pastries a week for the hotel’s five fine-dining restaurants, five high-volume outlets, banquets, brunches, VIP functions, and room service in three buildings, plus centerpieces and showpieces for special functions and holidays.
Vaccaro and “company” have earned 40 medals in dozens of food-show competitions. He is also pastry coach of ACF Culinary Team USA 2004, a fitting assignment since culinary-arts competitions are his passion, he says. The national culinary team’s pastry chef, Patricia Nash, is a member of his staff.
Among Vaccaro’s many personal awards are: 1992 grand prize for artistic pastry buffet from the 122nd International Hotel Expo, plus the silver medal of the French government; three 1993 international gold medals from Le Salon Culinaire Mondial (Switzerland) and overall second place for his team; and four international gold medals from the 2001 ScotHot International Culinary Salon (Scotland) and third place overall. In addition, at the 1992 Internationale Kochkunst Ausstellung (IKA) International Culinary Art Competition (Germany), he earned a perfect score.
Edward G. Leonard, a certified master chef (CMC) and president of ACF, announced Vaccaro’s achievement and introduced him to the nearly 1,300 chefs, culinary educators and culinary students attending ACF’s convention and presented to Vaccaro his trophy and $5,000 cash prize.
The American Culinary Federation, Inc., based in St. Augustine, Fla., and celebrating its 75th anniversary in 2004, is the largest organization of chefs in the nation.
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Chef2Chef News Desk