Virginia Chefs Association - How To Join

What steps must you take?

Come to a meeting, every food service professional is welcome. We always have applications and would be glad to help you.

or...

Watch the ACF Membership Video

Types of Membership

There shall be nine categories of membership as follows:

1 - Junior Culinarian

A Junior Culinarian shall be a high school student between 16 and 18 years of age.

2 - Student Culinarian

A Student Culinarian shall be a person that is involved in the culinary profession and has fewer than two years work experience at the time of joining. A Student Culinarian shall be a student enrolled in a post-secondary culinary education program, or a registered apprentice as defined by the ACF apprenticeship training program. A Student Culinarian membership shall be subject to a lifetime limit off our years.

3 - Culinarians

Culinarians shall be individuals including line cooks, bakers, pastry cooks or other culinarians not involved in the management or supervision oft he respective property with a minimum of 6 months full time employment. A Culinarian shall be pursuing on-the-job training and experience necessary to advance to the membership level of Professional Culinarian. A Culinarian membership shall be subject to a lifetime limit of five years.

4 - Professional Culinarians

A Professional Culinarian shall be a person with at least three years full-time employment in the culinary profession. This membership category shall include all National Honorary and National Life Members.

5 - Senior Professional Culinarians

A Senior Professional Member shall be a person at least 65 years of age, retired from employment and who shall have been an ACF Professional Culinarian Member for a minimum of ten (10) consecutive years at the time of retirement. Regardless of age, a member with at least seven (7) years tenure in any category who is permanently and totally disabled from culinary employment shall be eligible for Life Senior Professional Culinarian membership.

6 - Associate Member

An Associate Member shall be a representative of a group, company or corporation providing products or services to the culinary profession.

7 - Allied Member

An Allied Member shall be a person employed in a field related to the culinary profession, such as dietetics, home economists, food stylists, etc., who does not qualify at any level of professional membership of the ACF. Additionally, any person who wishes to support and promote the ACF and culinary profession may become an Allied Member.

8 - Culinary Enthusiast Member

A Culinary Enthusiast Members shall be a person of the general non-food professional community that has a passion for the culinary arts.

9 - National Member

The National Membership Category may include all levels of membership as defined and stated in the ACF Bylaws. This category is designated for potential members that are located overseas and cannot take advantage of attending a chapter meeting/function. National Membership within the United States shall be designated "National Membership Status." Chapter membership is encouraged over National membership whenever possible. A National Member shall have all voting privileges as reflective of his or her membership level and shall be eligible to vote only in the National election.