UMass Dining Takes Home Gold, Silver Medals At National University Dining Conference
UMass Dining. Photo: umass.edu
Source: UMass News and Media
University of Massachusetts Amherst Dining Services chef Jeffrey MacDonald was awarded an individual gold medal and UMass Dining won a silver for a special campus dining event at the American Culinary Federation National competition.
MacDonald was one of six chefs to make it to the finals of this national, highly competitive culinary contest, held in July during the annual National Association of College & University Food Services (NACUFS) conference in Baltimore. His gold medal dish featured pork tenderloin, soy and cognac braised pork belly, apple compote, parsnip potato puree and Tuscan kale.
His road to the finals included a hard-fought win at the 2023 Northeast-Mid Atlantic NACUFS Regional Conference hosted on the UMass campus in March. The National NACUFS Chef Culinary Competition is always highly competitive, with a total of 40 chefs vying for one of six spots in the finals.
“I am incredibly proud of Jeff and his accomplishment,” Executive Chef Anthony Jung says. “As a former champion and chair of the competition, to see someone I’ve worked so closely with represent UMass at the highest level is an honor.”
The UMass Dining team also brought home a silver medal for their Lunar New Year event in the Residential Dining-Special Event category of the Loyal E. Horton Dining Awards. The award is the ultimate professional tribute in college and university dining, celebrating exemplary menus, memorable dining experiences, special events and new dining concepts.
The UMass Dining team’s spring 2023 semester event featured a live cooking demonstration by celebrity chef Martin Yan, performances by the student-led UMass Lion Dance club, as well as an authentic menu featuring traditional dishes of countries that celebrate Lunar New Year.