Skip to main content
  • Home
  • About
  • Faculty Experts
  • For The Media
  • Videos
  • Topics
    • Alumni
    • Events
    • Faculty
    • Library
    • Research
    • Students
    • All Topics
  • Contact
  • Submit
Health & Society
  • All News
  • Arts & Culture
  • Business & Economy
  • Campus & Community
  • Health & Society
  • Media, Law & Policy
  • STEM
  • Veterans
  • |
  • Alumni
  • The Peel
  • Athletics
Sections
  • All News
  • Arts & Culture
  • Business & Economy
  • Campus & Community
  • Health & Society
  • Media, Law & Policy
  • STEM
  • Veterans
  • |
  • Alumni
  • The Peel
  • Athletics
  • Home
  • About
  • Faculty Experts
  • For The Media
  • Videos
  • Topics
    • Alumni
    • Events
    • Faculty
    • Library
    • Research
    • Students
    • All Topics
  • Contact
  • Submit
Health & Society

Kiernan receives 2010 Chef of the Year honors from Syracuse chapter of American Culinary Federation

Thursday, June 17, 2010, By Michele Barrett
Share
awardsFalk College of Sport and Human Dynamics

KiernanHospitality management chef instructor Mary Kiernan lives by her own advice and likely, it is one of the reasons she was named the 2010 Chef of the Year by the Syracuse chapter of the American Culinary Federation (ACF).

“Be passionate about all you do. If you can’t find a passion for it, find something else to do,” says Kiernan, which is wisdom she shares as she is often sought out by College of Human Ecology students for professional and practical guidance.

Kiernan received this prestigious honor on June 28 during the annual awards dinner at Mohegan Manor. “To me, this honor is validation by chef colleagues of my contributions to the profession, the local culinary scene and the Syracuse ACF chapter,” explains Kiernan, who received the good news from the Syracuse chapter president shortly before meeting the ACF national president, who was on business in the Rochester area, later that day.

The U.S.A.’s Chef of the Year™ award recognizes an outstanding culinarian who works and cooks in a full-service dining facility. This person has demonstrated the highest standard of culinary skills, advanced the cuisine of America and given back to the profession through the development of students and apprentices. To be considered for the award, candidates must hold a sous chef title or higher, and be nominated by any ACF member or chapter in good standing.

This latest award, which complements an impressive record of professional accomplishments and community service, is something she hopes will inspire the students she teaches.

As part of the ACF, Kiernan works with the American Red Cross each year to raise money for both organizations through a gala event. This year, the group put on a ‘kitchen arena’ in Iron Chef fashion. She is also involved in encouraging local chefs to understand the importance of certification and what it can bring to their careers. She is also co-chair of the Skills USA culinary competition, a state-wide event held in Syracuse each spring for high school students in vocational training programs.

Skill sets and philosophies that have contributed to Kiernan’s successes have always been grounded in the fundamentals. “One of the biggest mistakes young people make is that they don’t see the value in “paying their dues,” notes Kiernan. They want to start at the top. What they need to understand is that mastering the fundamentals will give them a solid foundation as their career path becomes more challenging. If they ever hit a point where their path is too challenging and they need to back up for a time they can, if they have fundamental learning. This allows a person to continue to pursue their chosen path while they are maturing as adults in the workforce.

In 2000, Kiernan came to SU to work in Carrier Dome Catering where she managed 42 private suites and numerous other functions related to games and floor dinners.

Currently working on her MBA at the Whitman School of Management, Kiernan received a bachelor of science degree in hospitality management from Florida International University and an AOS in culinary arts from the Culinary Institute of America where she also completed the professional chef immersion II course. “Achieving this dual certification from the Culinary Institute of America in 2007 has had tremendous impact on the path of my career and my ability to contribute to my profession,” says Kiernan.

  • Author

Michele Barrett

  • Recent
  • Q&A With Keith Henderson, the University’s New Chief Compliance Officer
    Monday, March 1, 2021, By News Staff
  • Honeywell and Syracuse University Establish Research Partnership to Develop Next-Generation Air Quality Technology
    Monday, March 1, 2021, By Alex Dunbar
  • First-Years, Seniors Invited to Complete Student Engagement Survey
    Monday, March 1, 2021, By Shannon Andre
  • ‘ADA Live!’ Focuses on Protection and Advocacy Systems for People with Disabilities
    Sunday, February 28, 2021, By News Staff
  • Hilda A. Frimpong Becomes the First Black Student to Lead Syracuse Law Review
    Saturday, February 27, 2021, By Robert Conrad

More In Health & Society

CAS in Intercollegiate Athletic Advising and Support Addresses Unique Needs of College Student-Athletes

The Department of Higher Education in the School of Education is expanding their curriculum offerings to prepare current and future higher education professionals (e.g., advisors, administrators and coaches) to learn how to support and advocate for the success of intercollegiate…

Boost Your Immune System With These Expert Tips (and Recipes!)

A healthy immune system is important throughout the year, but even more so during cold and flu season and while we remain at-risk of contracting COVID-19. In honor of National Nutrition Month, celebrated in March, we tapped into campus experts…

Application Deadline Approaching: Five Reasons to Be a Barnes Center at The Arch Peer Educator

The deadline to apply to be a Barnes Center at The Arch Peer Educator for the 2021-22 academic year is Sunday, Feb. 28, 2021, and all students are encouraged to submit an application. Students who are interested in applying for…

CRS Professor’s New Book Focuses on the Rhetoric of Antisemitism

Amos Kiewe, a professor in the College of Visual and Performing Arts’ Department of Communication and Rhetorical Studies (CRS), has authored the new book, “The Rhetoric of Antisemitism: From the Origins of Christianity and Islam to the Present” (Lexington Books). It…

Spring 2021: Barnes Center at The Arch Services and Hours; Virtual Recreation Jan. 30–Feb. 4   

As the Spring 2021 semester begins, the Barnes Center at The Arch announces hours, services and more surrounding holistic health and well-being. Visit the Stay Safe: Barnes Center at The Arch webpage for information surrounding how to access services, resources…

Subscribe to SU Today

If you need help with your subscription, contact sunews@syr.edu.

Connect With Us

  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Youtube
  • LinkedIn
Social Media Directory

For the Media

Find an Expert Follow @SyracuseUNews
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Youtube
  • LinkedIn
  • @SyracuseU
  • @SyracuseUNews
  • @SUCampus
  • Social Media Directory
  • Accessibility
  • Privacy
  • Campus Status
  • Syracuse.edu
© 2021 Syracuse University News. All Rights Reserved.