Under the signature chandelier in the 10th floor Crystal Ballroom of the Church of Scientology’s Fort Harrison, nearly 100 people gathered to celebrate culinary excellence, now and for the future. The event, consisting of a seven-course dinner, was held under the auspices of the American Academy of Chefs (AAC), the honor society for the American Culinary Federation (ACF).

Attendees included Chef Joe Aiello – the Chair of the AAC and Chef Rene Marquis, the President of the ACF.

The occasion? A dinner to raise scholarship funds for culinary students.

Dinners such as these are important to the culinary future of the US, said Chef Vanessa Marquis – the President of the Tampa Bay Chapter of the ACF.

“Being a chef doesn't just involve the kitchen duties,” said Chef Marquis. “It's also about what you do outside of the kitchen. What do you do to help the next generation? What do you do for your community? I see the AAC as true leaders always trying to make a difference in their community or with the young chefs through mentorship.”

The mentorship was in full play as student chefs worked alongside veteran chefs to plate up an array of courses that included cheese donuts filled with Tellegio cheese, lobster sausage, grilled lamb and wagyu beef short rib. The menu was created by the Church of Scientology’s Executive Chef Zoltan Vajna and Certified Executive Chef Barry Reid and Certified Executive Chef Geoffrey Blanchette.

“What we are is a guide to the next generation and for chefs wanting to improve their communities,” said Marquis, who served as the evening’s MC.

“These events raise funds, assist chefs on mentoring young chefs, and in this case, will provide six scholarships to young chefs who need assistance,” said Marquis. “However, what made this event unique was the Chefs at the Fort Harrison – the Church of Scientology’s religious retreat in Clearwater. Their chefs are of high caliber. Their dedication and passion for the craft makes the unique dining experience and really sets a new standard of what the AAC dinners should be.”

Flag’s chefs regularly ply their skills by creating menus for events where the general public is invited. If you are interested in being included on the guest list for future non profit, charity or community events, please call 727-467-6860.



About the American Academy of Chefs (AAC)

The honor society of ACF, the American Academy of Chefs (AAC) represents the highest standards of professionalism in the organization, society and industry. The Academy’s primary mission is to promote the education of all culinarians by mentoring culinarians, awarding scholarships to students seeking a future in the culinary industry, and by providing grants to professional working chefs looking to further their career. To learn more, visit www.acfchefs.org.



About the Church of Scientology Flag Service Organization

The Scientology religion was founded by humanitarian and philosopher, L. Ron Hubbard. The first Church of Scientology was formed in the United States in 1954 and has expanded to more than 11,000 churches, missions and affiliated groups, with millions of members in 167 nations. Flag is a religious retreat located in Clearwater, Florida. It serves as the spiritual headquarters for Scientologists planetwide. Flag is the largest Church of Scientology in the world. Flag represents the hub of the greater Scientology worldwide community as a dynamic, multilingual organization. To learn more, visit www.scientology-fso.org.