( St. Louis, MO - ) January 2012 – Charles J. Chambers, Executive Sous Chef at Hamilton Park Hotel & Conference Center in Florham Park, NJ captured the US position in the IACC-Americas qualifying cook-off position and the right to represent the United States at the International Association of Conference Centers’ ninth annual Copper Skillet Cooking Competition.  The event was held at the Summit Executive Centre in Chicago on January 6.  Seven other chefs from IACC chapters in North America, Europe, and Australia will join Chef Chambers at La Torretta Lake Resort & Spa in Montgomery, TX in March to vie for the crown of the Global Conference Center Chef of the Year.

The popular Copper Skillet competition was introduced in 2004 to highlight the artistry and skill of the best chefs from IACC-member conference centers around the world and to honor their contributions to the shared goal of providing an outstanding conference center experience.

Chef Chambers graduated Cum Laude from Pennsylvania Culinary Institute in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He is the Executive Sous Chef at Hamilton Park Hotel and Conference Center in Florham Park, New Jersey.  CJ has worked for the Anheuser Busch Company, Benchmark Hospitality, Dolce Hotels and Resorts and currently Destination Hotels & Resorts. He has competed in the 2007 and the 2011 IACC Copper Skillet USA Competition.

His approach to cooking is to use local, organic and sustainable ingredients when available. His style of cooking is fusion with strong emphasis of Latin and Asian flavors while using classical cooking techniques.

Other competing chefs included Matthew L. Pinner, Executive Chef at The Chattanoogan in Chattanooga, TN; Seth Weiss, Executive Chef at The Conference Center at Niagara Falls; and Jeffrey Witte, Executive Chef at Airlie Conference Center in Warrenton, VA.

Local judges evaluated the dishes based on originality of the creation, technique, presentation, textures, balance of flavor combinations and hygiene standard of the work station.  The mystery basket ingredients included Chicken Breast, King Crab Legs, New York Strip Steak, Kabocha Squash, Purple Potatoes, Cabbage, Spinach, Shitake Mushrooms, Couscous, Turnips.  Chefs are free to use as many or as few pantry and staple ingredients as they choose.

Chef Chambers’ winning creation French-cut Chicken Breast stuffed with apple and baby spinach served with Italian parsley, cous cous topped with a King Crab and Savoy Cabbage Slaw and finished with a Lemon Thyme Chardonnay reduction.

Mission Statement:  The International Association of Conference Centres is the thought leader on the meeting experience.  IACC represents its members by defining and promoting the IACC Meeting Concept and providing learning opportunities.
 
Founded in 1981, the International Association of Conference Centres is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to promoting understanding and awareness of the conference center industry and to giving member properties the tools necessary to provide an exceptional meeting experience. Active members meet a set of stringent Universal Criteria and agree to a Code of Ethics. Currently, the association includes approximately 400 members from the United States, Australia, Canada, Denmark, Sweden, Belgium, France, England, The Netherlands, Germany and Japan. For more information, visit the website at www.iacconline.org.  “There are meetings and then there are IACC meetings."