The National Association of College & University Food Services (NACUFS) is gearing up for its big annual get-together, the NACUFS 2024 National Conference, held this year at the Kentucky International Convention Center in Louisville.
Since the founding of NACUFS in 1958, the conference has been a guidepost in collaboration and innovation in the college food space. This year's event will offer a trade show and educational sessions addressing campus dining issues from AI to allergy awareness and many topics in between.
And as the crown jewel of the conference, the much-anticipated Culinary Challenge will bring together collegiate chefs from across the country to compete for the national title, a cash prize and a medal from the American Culinary Federation (ACF). The competition puts the skills of a successful college chef to the test: organization, talent, technique, taste and style.
The competitors will face off against each other—and the clock—preparing their original recipe, featuring fresh branzino (head and fins on, gutted and scaled), bulgur wheat and tail-on white shrimp. The must use all three proteins to build a nutritionally balanced plate including starch, veggies and sauce that will impress the ACF judges, known for being real tough cookies.
Meet the chefs who will be heading into the heat of competition.
