UNCW Executive Chef Wins Gold at National Competition

Ryan Andress, UNCW executive chef, received a gold medal after placing first in the Aramark Collegiate Hospitality and Harvest Table Culinary Excellence Competition (ACE). The competition brought together eight chefs from various Aramark Collegiate Hospitality and Harvest Table campuses to create four innovative menu items from a mystery basket and compete for the national title on June 27 at the Culinary Institute of America (CIA) in San Antonio, TX.  

“It was an honor to represent the UNCW community, my team and my family while showcasing my culinary skills at a national level. I am very thankful for the experience and will continue to strive for excellence through any challenge, no matter how difficult,” said Andress.  

Andress started his culinary education journey in 2009 at Cape Fear Community College with his associate’s in applied science in culinary technology. He received his CIA Pro Chef 3 Certification in July 2015. No stranger to ACE, Chef Andress was the 2019 Collegiate Hospitality National Winner/ACF Gold Medalist, 2012 Higher Education Regional Silver Medalist and 2011 Higher Education National Bronze/ACF Gold Medalist. Other competitive career accolades include first place in the Wish Upon a Chef Competition in both 2023 and 2019 and first place in the Food Bank of Eastern NC Iron Skillet in 2015.  

“Having Chef Ryan on campus is incredibly exciting! As a national award-winning executive chef, his presence elevates our culinary experience, offering students, staff, and visitors alike the chance to enjoy world-class cuisine right here at UNCW,” said Gino Galutera, associate vice chancellor of business services.  

ACE is a culinary competition that utilizes American Culinary Federation (ACF) standards and guidelines. It is about cultivating and highlighting the culinary talent within our company and challenging chefs to think outside the box and expand their comfort zones to create new and exciting dishes for our guests.