ACF Kansas City Chefs Association

OUR MISSION: To make a positive difference for culinarians internationally through education, apprenticeship and certification, while creating a fraternal bond of respect and integrity among culinarians everywhere.

MONTHLY MEETING
DECEMBER 2024

BOARD MEETING ONLY @ 5PM
Date:
Tuesday, December 17, 2024
Location: Johnson County Community College

MONTHLY MEETING
JANUARY 2025

Date: Saturday, January 25, 2025
Location: Kansas City Marriott Country Club Plaza, 4445 Main St., KC, MO

*Please keep updated at www.kcchefs.org or our ACF KC Chefs Facebook Page

HISTORY OF ACF KC CHEFS

Back in the 1970’s, Kansas City had a small group of German Chefs who helped shape what we have come to know as the Greater Kansas City Chef’s Association. These Chefs transformed the culinary landscape of Kansas City and were the guiding forces behind the formation of the Chef’s Association.

Would You Like to Host a Chefs Meeting?

2025-2026 ACF KC Chefs MONTHLY MEETINGS

WE ARE LOOKING FOR NEW LOCATIONS TO HOLD OUR MONTHLY MEETINGS IN 2025

Would you consider hosting one of our monthly meetings? List of available dates to the right. Board of Directors needs a space with seating for 10-12 from 5:30-6:30pm. Dinner and Meeting for 80-100 guests 6:30-8:30pm. $300 stipend to host chef/location. Food can be donated from your sales reps and vendors for showcasing new and trendy menu items. The Chef’s Association can help you with this process. Educational Action Demos from 15-30 minutes from a Guest or your Staff always create membership interest. Ideas are for Pastry Demos, Flavor Trends, New Cooking Techniques, Meat/Butchery, Cheese 101, Buying Local, Being Green in the Kitchen and Molecular Cuisine.

TO HOST OR GET ADDITIONAL INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT OUR VICE PRESIDENTS:

CHEF RONNA KECK, Cell: 913-961-2303    chefrk09@gmail.com
CHEF JIM TINKHAM Cell: 816-547-1820   tinkhamj@william.jewell.edu

 – AG5PLEASE MARK YOUR CALENDAR FOR THE FOLLOWING DATES 6:30PM – 8:30PM:

2024 KC Chefs Monthly Meetings

  • SUNDAY, JANUARY 28TH – GKCCA 51ST ANNUAL AWARDS BANQUET
  • TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 20TH – JCCC CULINARY THEATER
  • TUESDAY, MARCH 19TH – MISSION HILLS COUNTRY CLUB
  • TUESDAY, APRIL 16TH – VAN HORN HIGH SCHOOL
  • TUESDAY, MAY 21ST – CHEF TITO’S
  • TUESDAY, JUNE 18TH – NO MEETING
  • JULY – NATIONAL CONVENTION (NO MEETING)
  • TUESDAY, AUGUST 20TH – BLUE HILLS COUNTRY CLUB
  • TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 17TH – KAREN PUTMAN SMALL PLATES COMPETITION @ CHEF TITO’S
  • TUESDAY, OCTOBER 15TH –  THE PROSPECT @ NOURISH KC COMMUNITY KITCHEN
  • TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 19TH – HOLIDAY MEETUP @ SYSCO KC
  • TUESDAY, DECEMBER 17TH – BOARD MEETING @ JCCC

2025 KC Chefs Monthly Meetings

  • SATURDAY, JANUARY 28TH – Kansas City Marriott Country Club Plaza

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RECIPES & FOOD TRENDS

MAKE A DONATION

KC Chefs
Karen Putman
JCCC Jess Barbosa Scholarship Fund
JR. Culinary Olympic Team
JCCC High School Culinary Team Competition

KAREN PUTMAN

Chef, BBQ Queen, Author, Mentor and Sponsor

Events

International Chefs Day 2024

International Chefs Day 2024

Happy International Chefs Day! Today, we celebrate the dedication, passion, and creativity of chefs around the world. From crafting mouthwatering dishes to bringing people together through food, chefs play a vital role in our lives. Join us in honoring the dedicated...

read more
September 2024 Monthly Meeting

September 2024 Monthly Meeting

Please join us for the next Greater Kansas City Chefs Association Meeting for "The Flower of the Flames" Karen Putman Memorial Grilling & Smoking Small Plates Competition! DATE: Tuesday, September 17, 2024 at 6:30pm – 8:30pmLOCATION: Chef Tito’s,1621 Swift...

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March 2024 Monthly Meeting

March 2024 Monthly Meeting

ACF Members and Guests, please join our chapter with your team on Tuesday, March 19th, 2024 from 6:30pm – 8:30pm at Mission Hills Country Club | Board Meeting @5:30pm. ️ Don’t miss out on this opportunity to gather with fellow KC Chefs, students, and friends!

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Our Associate Members & Sponsors

Interested in becoming an associate member of ACF Chefs?

US Foods

US Foods® is one of America’s great food companies and a leading foodservice distributor, partnering with approximately 250,000 restaurants and foodservice operators to help their businesses succeed. With nearly 25,000 employees and more than 60 locations, we provide our customers with a broad and innovative food offering and a comprehensive suite of e-commerce, technology and business solutions. The company also operates 14 processing facilities. These include 12 Stock Yards® facilities that provide high-quality center of plate, custom cut and packaged to customer specifications; Freshway Foods, a fruit and vegetable processor, re-packer and distributor; and Save On Seafood, a seafood processor and distributor.

Kansas Gas Service

Kansas Gas Service, a division of ONE Gas, Inc., is the largest natural gas distributor in Kansas proudly serving more than 645,000 customers in 360 communities across the state. With natural gas being vital in professional cooking, we’re committed to serving the food service industry to provide local chefs with an energy source that allows for faster cooking and precise temperature controls. In addition, we work with local chefs to provide innovative and forward-thinking solutions to support their energy needs in the kitchen while helping to lower operating costs and increasing efficiencies. As a trusted energy partner, we’re dedicated to delivering natural gas to kitchens that’s safe, affordable, reliable and environmentally friendly for a better tomorrow.

Tasteful Olive

The Tasteful Olive opened its doors and began its storefront operation March 4, 2010 in historic downtown, Overland Park, KS. We expanded to a second location and opened doors on November 25, 2015 in Topeka, KS.

We are pleased to provide the Kansas City and Topeka areas with fresh olive oils from around the world, and aged, naturally flavored balsamic vinegars from Italy. Our stores also carry gourmet accessory items like olives, pastas, sauces, pestos, bruschettas, sea salts, spice blends and loose leaf teas. The Tasteful Olive provides an old world feel, quality products, and excellent customer service.

The Core Group

A diverse national foodservice sales agency focused on growth, performance, and people. A contagious culture connected by proprietary technologies fuels a team of over 1,100 happy, hungry and humble associates.

Regal Distributing Service

For more than 60 years, Regal Distributing Company has been helping our customers grow their business by providing the right products and solutions for their needs. We specialize in the distribution of food service and professional cleaning supplies to a variety of industries. Regal Distributing Company’s affiliated companies offer a wide range of supplies, equipment and repair services to both corporate and individual customers. 

Sysco Kansas City

Sysco Kansas City is one of Sysco Corporations’ 177 subsidiaries and divisions throughout the contiguous United States and portions of Alaska, Hawaii, and Canada. Sysco Corporation is the largest foodservice marketing and distribution organization in North America, providing food and related products and services to approximately 400,000 restaurants, healthcare and educational facilities, lodging establishments and other foodservice customers. Sysco’s operations are located throughout the United States and Canada and include US Broadline companies, specialty produce and custom-cut meat operations, Asian foodservice and hotel supply operations and SYGMA, the company’s chain restaurant distribution subsidiary.

The Roasterie

One of the most renowned specialty coffee roasters in the nation, The Roasterie stands apart from other specialty and direct trade coffee companies. Nobody else does it like we do. We are committed to finding the best green coffee beans from around the world, for a fair price. Those beans are then roasted using a convection air-roasting method instead of the more traditional drum-roasting method, to ensure superior consistency and a tastier, smoother cup of coffee. Quality, freshness, education. That's what The Roasterie story is about. Try any of our coffees and you'll be able to taste and smell the difference our commitment makes.

Scavuzzo's Foodservice

There's a lot of reputations at stake when choosing which products to bring into our warehouse – it travels to your kitchens & restaurants and ultimately making it to your customers. We stand by the brands we choose to create a realtionship with. Our partnerships become an honest relationship between, Us, our manufacturers and ultimately the customer; this team is the ultimate trilogy.

Hiland Diary Foods

Hiland Dairy was born in America's heartland, beginning with a small herd of cows and a couple of trucks delivering farm-fresh milk to local grocers. Today, we continue to proudly support the communities in which we live and the businesses whose customers rely on our wholesome products every day. Just as it was back in 1938, our company is still led by people whose professional lives are dedicated to the industry. And our passion for this business extends from our president to our farm families and all the way to the drivers of our delivery fleet.

Martin Brothers

As a full-line distributor, we're able to offer you an extensive inventory of food products, kitchen supplies, janitorial/cleaning supplies, large equipment, small wares and medical supplies. Our mission is to serve you with innovative solutions and give you the food service tools necessary for you to succeed. Martin Bros. grew into an independent, full-line supply and food distributor with a focus on “Foodservice With A Difference”. Martin Bros. is now the top regional distributor serving Iowa and seven surrounding states, made up of over 600 experienced, knowledgeable employees.

Ben E. Keith Co.

For more than a century, Ben E. Keith has been a leader in fine food and premium beverage distribution, and we strive to provide excellent customer service to all our partners. Our food division is a complete broad line distributor servicing fifteen states, and our beverage division serves more than 62 Texas counties and is a proud distributor of Anheuser-Busch InBev products, craft and import beer brands, and fine wine. We are dedicated to the growth and success of our customers, our industry, our partners, and our employees—continuing our commitment to delivering quality since 1906.

Reinhart Foodservice

Founded in 1972 in La Crosse, WI, Reinhart is a family-owned enterprise and one of the largest foodservice distributors in the country, serving independent restaurants, delis, sporting venues, schools, nursing homes, hospitals, the military, and regional and national chain restaurants. Our scale and resources, combined with local insights and focus, make us an employer and distributor of choice across each of the markets we serve.

Golden Boy Pies

We are a commercial wholesale bakery dedicated to the production and distribution of top quality desserts. We offer a gourmet-quality line of fresh-baked pies, crisps, cakes, brownies, and pre-cut cheesecakes. From our plant and office in the Kansas City Metro area, we deliver desserts to casinos, restaurants, hospitals, and plant cafeterias in Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, Iowa, and Illinois.

News

International Chefs Day 2024

International Chefs Day 2024

Happy International Chefs Day! Today, we celebrate the dedication, passion, and creativity of chefs around the world. From crafting mouthwatering dishes to bringing people together through food, chefs play a vital role in our lives. Join us in honoring the dedicated...

read more
Hospitality Day at the K

Hospitality Day at the K

The Greater Kansas City Restaurant Association is hosting Hospitality Day at the K. This is a ticketed tailgating event at Kauffman Stadium on July 11th. We will have our Smoke’NFast smoked meats food truck there. This is a great networking event with other chefs and...

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ADDICTION RESOURCE: Free & Confidential Drug Hotline

If you or a loved one is struggling with a drug or alcohol addiction, you can rely on us to guide you to the best rehabilitation and treatment resources. Call now to take the first step to overcoming addiction.

Interested in becoming member of ACF Chefs?