He was notified of the award on Jan. 30 in Atlanta. According to a news release from VWCC, Polfelt faced off against three other chefs and came away the winner at Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts during the ACF Southeast Regional Culinary Salon.
Polfelt, who teaches in the Al Pollard Culinary Arts Program, will represent the ACF Southeast region in the national competition at the Cook, Craft, Create Convention & Show in Phoenix on July 15-19. The national winner will receive the title of 2016 USA Chef of the Year along with a $5,000 top prize.
“Winning the title of Southeast Chef of the year is truly an honor,” Polfelt said in the news release. “Any competition to me is always more about the drive of personal education and the goal of being a better cook today than I was yesterday.”
According to the news release, during the competition Polfelt had 1 hour, 40 minutes to create a main course with pheasant for the four judges. Polfelt served stuffed pheasant breast over farro with kale, Bold Rock cider-braised thigh, with glazed butternut squash, cider jus and an olive oil crisp.