The American Culinary Federation (ACF) is proud to announce that its Certified Executive Pastry Chef (CEPC) credential received accreditation through the National Commission for Certifying Agencies (NCCA) under the Institute of Credentialing Excellence. This is the third ACF certification program accredited by NCCA.

Accreditation by NCCA provides independent validation that the CEPC program meets or exceeds 21 standards concerning various aspects of the certification program. Accreditation validates the integrity of the program and is a sign of quality. The additional certification programs accredited by NCCA are Certified Executive Chef (CEC) and Certified Sous Chef (CSC).

"Accreditation by the NCCA is validation of ACF's comprehensive programs," says ACF certification commission chair Ronald DeSantis, CMC, AAC, MBA, director of culinary excellence and quality assurance, Yale Dining, New Haven, CT. "With three ACF certification programs accredited by the NCCA, this mark of distinction emphasizes our commitment to excellence within the culinary industry and solidifies us as industry leaders. ACF is proud to provide chefs and culinary professionals with the opportunity to advance their careers through certification."

ACF provides the culinary industry's most comprehensive certification program through 14 certification levels and has been certifying chefs since 1974. Each of its certifications is designed for culinary professionals, administrators, baking, pastry chefs and culinary educators, and is based on the industry's latest skills and knowledge. Achieving ACF certification is based on education, experience and successful completion of both a written and a practical exam. Learn more about ACF's certification program and the value of NCCA accreditation by viewing a video at www.acfchefs.org/Certification .