WORLEY, ID – Coeur d’Alene Casino Resort Hotel has announced that Alex Santos-Cucalon has earned Certified Executive Chef status from the American Culinary Federation (ACF) after completing the organization’s educational and work experience requirements. Founded in 1929, the ACF has more than 14,000 members in the U.S. and internationally.
Certification requires at least five years of experience as a chef de cuisine, executive sous chef, or chef in charge of food production; supervision of at least five full-time food preparation staff; and completion of a three-hour-plus practical exam and a written exam. Applicants must also hold a high school diploma or GED with 150 continuing education hours, or an associate’s degree in culinary arts, or complete the ACF Executive Chef Apprenticeship Program. Certification is valid for five years, with 80 continuing education hours required for recertification.
“Becoming an ACF Certified Executive Chef is a professional milestone that I take great pride in achieving,” said Santos-Cucalon. “It’s my goal and that of Coeur d’Alene Casino to provide our guests with top-notch food and beverage experiences.”
Under Santos-Cucalon’s leadership, Coeur d’Alene Casino is participating in a three-year apprenticeship program with North Idaho College (NIC) and the ACF. The property hosts an NIC student who spends one day a week on classroom work at NIC and four days in on-the-job training at the casino. Students graduate with a Bachelor of Arts in Culinary Arts and a Certified Sous Chef certificate from the ACF. The program requires the hosting property to employ a Certified Executive Chef through the ACF, and this past spring was its first semester. New apprentices can join each semester.
Under Executive Chef Santos-Cucalon’s tutelage, Coeur d’Alene Casino is working with North Idaho College and ACF in a 3-year apprenticeship program. This entails the property hosting an NIC student for three years, during which they spend one day a week doing classroom work at NIC and four days doing on-the-job training. The student graduates after three years with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Culinary Arts and a Certified Sous Chef certificate from the ACF. The apprenticeship program requires the property to have a certified Executive Chef with the ACF. This past spring semester was the first year of the program, and each semester, new apprentices can join.
“Each property is allowed a maximum of five apprentices; we currently have two,” said Santos-Cucalon. “We’re currently the only property in the area to be implementing the apprenticeship program.”