Chef Brian Mattice, a resident of the Town of Walworth, recently received the American Culinary Federation Rochester Chapter 2023  “Chef of the Year” award, Award, recognizing him as a culinary professional who has distinguished himself through exceptional support and service. Chef Mattice has over 27 years of culinary experience and is a member of the Culinary Institute of America. He has been the Culinary Arts Instructor at Wayne Finger Lakes BOCES Career & Technical Center in Williamson teaching, encouraging and supporting students for the past four years.

The title of Chef is only realized through hard work, passion and a focus on excellence, and Chef Mattice has operated in the highest level of culinary standard 

Qualifications for the Chef of the Year honor included that candidate:

Hold the equivalent position of a sous chef or higher in the food service industry (including restaurants, country clubs, educators in high schools or higher education institutions) with a minimum of 50 percent hands-on cooking responsibility. 

5 years of experience in the food industry with at least 3 years as Executive Chef or be a graduate of an ACF recognized college-degreed Culinary Arts Program and have worked for at least 3 years at the level of Sous Chef of higher,

Be a member of Chapter for at least 3 years and attended at least 50% of Chapter functions 

In addition, the candidates must have completed at least 3 of any of the following actions: 

• Obtained ACF Certification prior to nomination 

• Served as an elected officer of the Chapter  

• Coached/instructed/presented about food/nutrition/food industry opportunities to public school students, colleges, other public forums(ex.: Cooking Matters, coaching BOCES teams) 

• Judged school food skills competitions (ex: Skills USA) 

• Participated in Chapter events as support staff to Chef de Cuisine (ex: CURE Brunch) within the previous 3 year period. 

 Brian originally went to SUNY Brockport to obtain a degree in Sport Science. To earn spending money, he started washing dishes at a local small restaurant and quickly developed a passion for being “on the line” and feeding people. He left college his senior year and became the Chef of Prince George’s restaurant where he stayed for 8 years. Chef Mattice then went to the Culinary Institute of America at Hyde Park.

Once finished Brian returned to Rochester and worked in several different culinary areas (fine dining at the Lodge at Woodcliff, large venue at Finger Lakes Gaming, multi kitchens under one location – University of Rochester and Senior Living facilities -Highlands at Pittsford and The Rochester Presbyterian Home). 

Brian’s goal evolved into being able to teach and share his knowledge with future culinarians which was realized by becoming a Chef Instructor at the Wayne Technical Career Center in Williamson. His other passion in life is raising his teenage daughter Mollie.

He has received the following awards: Medaled in over 30 Culinary Competitions,  Grande Champion of 2013 Dish it Out competition for raising funds for Missing and Exploited Children (over 20 local Chefs competed),  2014 Iron Chef Rochester,  2022 ACF Rochester Chef of the Year

He has been an ACF Rochester member since 2008,  BOD member and Vice President 2015 -2018, and currently serves as Certification Chair for Rochester ACF since 2017.

In 2021, Mattice was also in the running for Chef of the Year, but lost by 1/2 a point. He says that he was quite devasted to lose, as he has prepared an acceptance speech that honored his mother, who had just passed away a day before Mother’s Day 2021. That feeling stayed within him this year, and as he accepted his Chef of the Year award, the heartbreak made for a very emotional speech, honoring his mom.

For the title, Brian will serve as representative for the ACF for a year, he was awarded a medallion and a trophy.