FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Kylie Fanning

May 5, 2016 Public Relations Coordinator

(580) 242-2750, Ext. 226

Tyler Whitson Earns Certified Executive Chef

ENID, OKLA.  Tyler Whitson, Culinary Arts instructor at Autry Technology Center can now add the title of Certified Executive Chef to his resume.

Chef Whitson earned this accreditation through the American Culinary Federation. ACF operates the only comprehensive certification program for chefs in the United States and currently certifies more than 12,800 culinary professionals worldwide. Candidates for ACF certification must have a high level of work and educational experience, and pass both a written and practical examination. In addition, candidates must complete coursework in food safety, nutrition and supervisory management.

Once a candidate passes and becomes a CEC, they are identified as chefs responsible for all culinary units in a restaurant, hotel, club, hospital or foodservice establishment. In addition to culinary responsibilities, they may also be in charge of budget preparation, payroll, maintenance, controlling food costs, and maintaining financial and inventory records. This is the last accreditation before Master Chef.

Chef Whitson trained at the Culinary Institute of America in New York for two years. Before coming to Autry, he was the Chef de Cuisine at Palace Café in Tulsa for four years and has now been at Autry Technology Center for two years.

Chef Whitson has plans to take the next step in accreditation for both himself and the Culinary Arts program at Autry. For himself, that would mean to become a Master Chef. For Autry, that would mean ACF Education Foundation accreditation which has established standards, up-to-date and current practices, and accountability and credibility standards. These would all be reviewed annually by the ACF Accreditation Commission. This would allow students in the Culinary Arts program at Autry to receive an additional certification as well.

Autry Technology Center has been a part of the Enid community since 1967 and is one of 29 CareerTech schools across Oklahoma. The center has more than 25 career programs and offers a wide variety of evening and weekend short-term courses and certifications for many diverse career fields. Autry serves nearly 16,000 individuals each year, including many area employees who receive training through the Business and Industry Services Department that works with over 500 local businesses each year.

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Tyler Whitson has earned the accreditation of Certified Executive Chef.