President of ACF, Michael Ty, CEC, AAC, Receives North American Association of Food Equipment Manufacturers Doctorate of Foodservice Award
American Culinary Federation (ACF) National President Michael Ty, CEC, AAC, chef/owner, MT Cuisine, LLC, Las Vegas, received a Doctorate of Foodservice award from the North American Association of Food Equipment Manufacturers (NAFEM) Feb. 10 during the NAFEM Show at the Orange County Convention Center, Orlando, Fla.
Ty was chosen to receive the award for his contribution to the foodservice industry and his leadership through ACF, the nation’s largest organization of professional chefs. Each year, NAFEM bestows its Doctorate of Foodservice award on association presidents, past presidents, presidents elect and chairpersons of major industry associations for their commitment to the foodservice industry. This year, 53 recipients were honored, representing more than 30 organizations.
“It is an honor to be chosen by the North American Association of Food Equipment Manufacturers as a recipient of this prestigious award,” said Ty. “ACF strives to make a lasting impact on the foodservice industry and advance professional and educational opportunities available for professional chefs. This award is a symbol of ACF’s significant position in the culinary industry.”
Ty has served ACF as national president since July 2009, and he previously held the office from 1993 to 1994. In Las Vegas, he owns and operates MT Cuisine, LLC, which offers event management, chef consulting, and sales and marketing of foodservice products for Chefs Hat, Inc.; and Hospitality Culinaire, Inc.—a family owned business that is a quick-service restaurant operation featuring two branded concepts at McCarran International Airport. Ty received his Associate of Science degree in culinary arts from the State University of New York (SUNY) at Cobleskill in 1973. He continued his education with coursework at the University of Nevada Las Vegas (UNLV) in Harrah Hotel College’s Hotel Management and Food and Beverage Management departments.
In 1975, Ty moved to Las Vegas and took a job at Caesars Palace Hotel and Casino. He moved up through the ranks until he was promoted to executive chef in 1982 and food director in 1986. In 1989, he assumed the position of executive chef at the world-renowned Desert Inn, Las Vegas. From 1997 to 2000, Ty served as executive chef at Lawry’s The Prime Rib, Las Vegas.
The ACF Chef & Child Michael Ty Endowment Fund was established in 2000 to provide a scholarship for an ACF chef who has dedicated countless hours to fighting childhood hunger, working on behalf of the foundation and teaching the children who benefit from Chef & Child Foundation programs.
Ty was born to Chinese parents in Manila, Philippines, the third of six children. His family immigrated to the United States in 1966 and settled in Waterbury, Conn. In 1968, they moved to Waverly, N.Y., where Ty lived until his move to Las Vegas. Ty is the father of four children.
He has received many awards and recognitions throughout his career, including ACF Western Region Chef of the Year Award in 1991, 1994 and 1997; U.S.A.’s Chef of the Year™ in 1997; an honorary doctorate from Johnson & Wales University in 1998; and induction into SUNY at Cobleskill’s Business School Hall of Fame in 2008.