The American Culinary Federation, Worldchefs and the
culinary community have lost of one of our finest leaders and ambassadors.
L.Edwin Brown, HAAC, HHOF, the ACF's first executive director
(1980-1994) passed away on May 25th, 2018, while at home in St Augustine,
Florida!
Brown's impact
on culinarians is profound. He was a driving force in in the effort to
transform chefs from “domestics” to professionals. While an educator
in Pennsylvania, Brown created a three-year, 6,000-hour apprenticeship program
that established a path for students into a culinary career. This program was
adopted by the Army, recognized by the Department of Labor in 1976 and remains
the genesis for modern culinary education.
ACF Board
President Stafford DeCambra, CEC, CCE, CCA, AAC, remembers Brown as a guiding
force for culinarians, himself included. “It wasn't only his passion for
food, for chefs, for cooking and travel that endeared him to all of us. It was
his kindness. He knew everyone's name. He knew the names of their children. And
in turn, everyone knew him. I never went to a competition or event where 'Uncle
Ed' didn't have friends everywhere. Any chef who has ever attended culinary
school owes him a debt.”
Brown was born
in Centre Hall, Pennsylvania, and attended Potter High School, Centre
Hall. He began his career in foodservice at age 17 at The Nittany Lion Inn on
the campus of Pennsylvania State University, State College, Pennsylvania. He
worked in all areas of the inn, receiving room and board and earning enough to
cover tuition. Brown received a bachelor's degree in hotel administration in
1958, and served as the inn's food and beverage manager 1958-1969. He received
a master's degree in education from Indiana University of Pennsylvania,
Indiana, Pennsylvania, in 1977.
Brown's many awards
and honors include ACFEI's Educator of the Year Award, 1977; Howard B. Meek
Award for Hospitality Educator of Year from the Council of Hotel, Restaurant
and Institutional Education, 1979; honorary membership in the Swiss Chefs
Association, 1982; honorary lifetime membership in the German Chefs
Association, 1989; an Antonin Carême award from the Chefs Association of the
Pacific Coast (now, ACF San Francisco Chapter), 1990; and induction into the
Order of the Golden Toque, 1991. In 2000, he was awarded an honorary doctor of
business administration degree from Johnson & Wales University, Norfolk,
Virginia. He received a Distinguished Alumni Award from Indiana University of
Pennsylvania in 2014.
In addition,
Brown traveled with ACF Culinary Team to the Internationale Kochkunst Ausstellung (IKA) in Germany on several
occasions as a support staff member. From 1992 to 1996, he served as
secretary-general of Worldchefs.
Please join us
in honoring and remembering L. Edwin Brown, HAAC, HHOF.
