Culinary Federation names Steve Soltz chef of the year

M Resort hosted the 2010 American Culinary Federation of Las Vegas chefs at its annual Chef of the Year award dinner on June 13.

The 2010 Chef of the Year is Steve Soltz, culinary educator at College of Southern Nevada for the past six years.

Nominated candidates from the membership are accepted during the February and March group meetings and given to the Chef of the Year selection committee, made up of former Chef of the Year winners appointed by the federation's board of directors. The committee screens and ranks candidates based on criteria from an established point system.

Top candidates are presented to the membership at the April general meeting. Mailed ballots go to active members and the ballots are counted by the election committee.

This year's guests included University of Nevada, Las Vegas football coach Bobby Hauck and his wife, Stacey, Buzz Thurber, Linda Montoya, Lillian and Jay Peters, Lein Hang, Heidi Praml, Allen Asch, Ming See Woo, Arlene Medcalfe, Susan Lednicky, Madeleine Sigman-Grant and Milt Grant, Mike Whitesides, Robert Borg, Sandy and Bill Soltz, LuAnn Sedono, Mike Fryer, Tony Tsai, Charlette Krane, Joan Soltz, David Simmons and Adrian Hill. They enjoyed hors d'oeuvres of Maryland crab poppers, ahi tuna tartare, chicken skewers and rock shrimp while socializing during the reception.

Master of ceremonies was federation chapter president Richard "Rick" Baumes, who was the 2008 Chef of the Year. Introduced were 13 previous Chefs of the Year, including Larry Chumley, 1984; Michael Ty, 1986; Christopher Johns, 1987; Van Atkins, 1990; Brenda Hitchins, 1993; Tom Rosenberger, 1997; Jean Hertzman, 1998; Richard Cino, 2001; Eric Rutsky, 2003; Heinz Lauer, 2004; Dennis Lambertz, 2005; Baumes, 2008, and John Medcalfe, 2009.

The 2010 Student Culinarian of the Year Award was presented to Sandra Munk of Le Cordon Bleu College, and the Associate of the Year Award was won by Patrick Simon, corporate executive chef for Sysco.

American Culinary Federation national president Michael Ty presented the 2010 ACF Cutting Edge Awards to chef Christopher Johns and to Susan Lednicky for their work with Chefs for Kids. The Hall of Fame Awards that recognize members who have made a commitment to the success of the Las Vegas Fraternity of Executive Chefs over the years was presented to Jean Hertzman, of the UNLV Department of Food & Beverage, and Christopher Johns, chairman at the South Point.

Dancing concluded the evening.