Chefs from IACC properties in the US recently vied for the honor of representing the country in the fourth annual Copper Skillet competition at the 26th annual conference of the International Association of Conference Centers.

Chef Leonard Elias of Aberdeen Woods Conference Center in Peachtree City came one step closer to claiming the coveted International Copper Skillet award by edging out three other American chef finalists at the USA Cook-off competition at the James L. Allen Center in Evanston, Ill.
Contestants were provided with 50 pantry and staple ingredients to create a Thai-themed dish. Two secret ingredients were unveiled just prior to the start of the competition. Both secret ingredients were to be incorporated into the final dish.

Thai cuisine is among the world’s most popular and flavorful cuisines incorporating a unique blend of particular tastes: hot (spicy), sour (piquant), sweet, and always highlighted with citrus (lemongrass and lime). Although popularly considered as a single cuisine, Thai food is really better described as four regional cuisines corresponding to the four main ingredients of the country, Northern, Northeastern, Central, and Southern.

Similar competitions have been held around the world - including Australia, Denmark, Canada, Sweden, The Netherlands, and the UK - competing for the honor of sending their winning chef to represent their country at the final competition at the annual conference to be held April 19-22 at The Heldrich in New Brunswick, NJ.
The popular Copper Skillet Competition was designed and launched 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.

Celebrating its silver anniversary, the International Association of Conference Centers, founded in 1981, is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to promoting understanding and awareness of the conference center industry.

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, France, England, The Netherlands, Germany and Japan.

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