SUNY Delhi Hot Food Team Wins Ninth ACF State Championship

February 15 , 2010 , Delhi, N.Y. … SUNY Delhi’s hot food team won the 2010 American Culinary Federation State (ACF) Championship on February 13 at Schenectady County Community College, achieving Delhi’s highest score ever at a state culinary competition. This is the ninth time the Delhi hot food team has won this honor in 10 years and the third time the team has earned a gold medal at the state level.

SUNY Delhi’s state champions now advance to the ACF Northeast Regional Championship to be held March 13-15 in Hershey, Penn., where they will cook off against other state champions from across the northeast region for the right to advance to the national championship August 2-5, 2010 in Anaheim, Calif.

In addition to winning nine ACF state titles, SUNY Delhi has the distinction as the only New York State student team to ever win the ACF Northeastern Regional Championship and go on to the national championship in the 19-year history of the event. Delhi’s culinary team has placed in the ACF National Championship four times, earning a gold medal and three sliver medals.

Members of Delhi’s winning team include: Sarah Thurgood, Team Captain, a fourth-year student from Bovina Center; Kenny Liranzo, a third-year student from New York City; Joe Michaud, a fourth-year student from Gansevoort; Julie Hernandez, a third-year student from Bainbridge; and Mike Specioso, a third-year student from Binghamton. Chefs Victor Sommo and James Margiotta coach Delhi’s hot food team with Chef Tom Recinella, CEC, AAC, program director of Delhi’s culinary arts, serving as the team’s manager.

SUNY Delhi’s culinary hot food team is currently being filmed for a full-length documentary, Mise En Place. The documentary, produced by Kent Garrett Productions, is due to be released Summer-Fall 2011 and will chronicle the work of Delhi’s culinary team as the members compete, perform community service, and grow together as a family.