about us

Founded in 1980, the Academy of Culinary Arts, is Britain’s leading professional association of Head Chefs, Pastry Chefs, Restaurant Managers and suppliers.

While concerned with raising standards and awareness of food, food provenance, cooking and service, its objectives are equally focused on the new generation of young industry people through its education and training programmes and the provision of career opportunities.

We are immensely honoured to have His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales as our Patron.

The Academy’s objectives are achieved through a number of initiatives and projects:

• Chefs Adopt A School
  The Chefs Adopt A School project, which began in 1990 teaches school children all about food, food provenance and cookery through taste sessions delivered by Academicians. Chefs Adopt A School has the potential to influence a new generation of food lovers and home cooks, which is where the impact of understanding food and its origins is aimed, and where the importance of nutrition, health and cooking is strongest. On the 16th July 2001, the Academy of Culinary Arts ‘Adopt A School’ Trust was officially registered as Charity No. 1087567.
  
  
• The Specialised Chefs’ Training Programme
  This is a three year vocational course for young apprentices aged between 16 and 19 years old. As part of the course the apprentices are employed by Academicians who mentor them throughout their training. The first course, run in conjunction with Bournemouth and Poole College, is a three year block release programme and has been running since 1989. The second course is a four year day release programme and has been running since 1994 with Thames Valley University.
  
  
• The Annual Awards of Excellence
  The Annual Awards of Excellence began as the Commis Chef of the Year competition in 1983. The aim of the awards is to recognise and reward the talents and ambition of young chefs, pastry chefs and waiters between the ages of 20 and 26.
  
  
• The Master of Culinary Arts
  Launched in 1987 as the Meilleur Ouvrier de Grande Bretagne (MOGB), the Master of Culinary Arts is held every four years and rewards ability and achievement of the highest degree in culinary skills, hotel pastry and restaurant management to those over the age of 26
  
  
• The Mutton Renaissance
  The Mutton Renaissance, conceived in 2003 by His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales and officially launched in November 2004, is our campaign to put mutton back on to the menu and to link farmers, abattoirs, butchers and chefs in the process. The campaign is jointly run with the National Sheep Association.
  
  
• FEAST (Food Education At School Today)
  One of the Academy’s long term aims is to restore food and cooking to the school curriculum starting with children at 5 years old.
  
  

The Academy is regarded as an authority on a broad range of issues relating to our expertise, which includes employment, health, hygiene, education and training. Working with suppliers of top quality culinary products is also vital to the Academy in order to maintain the high standards to which we are committed.

Honorary President	Richard Shepherd CBE FIH
President	Brian J. Turner CBE FIH FCGI
Executive Chairman	John Williams CMA
Director	Sara Jayne Stanes OBE
Trustees:	Sam Gordon-Clark Richard Shepherd CBE FIH Albert Roux CLH CMA OBE MCF