Chef Aaron Guerra Earns National Culinary Honor

Clark’s culinary instructor to be inducted into the American Academy of Chefs honor society

Congratulations to Clark College’s own Chef Aaron Guerra, who has recently reached an impressive milestone in his career: an induction into the American Academy of Chefs (AAC), the prestigious honor society of the American Culinary Federation (ACF). This achievement is quite the feat — there are about 14,000 certified chefs in the ACF, and fewer than 5% are inducted into the AAC. 

Aaron was nominated by Chef Patti Curfman — a longtime mentor of his — and Chef JJ Maynard, with whom Aaron had attended culinary school, making this honor especially meaningful.  

Aaron moved to the area in 2001 and started culinary school in Portland. Just two years later, Chef Patti, who was the president of this region’s ACF chapter at the time, invited Aaron to serve as a chair member of the ACF’s Western Regional Conference. This was the launching point that helped set him on a path that would eventually lead to AAC recognition.  

“Now, for Patti to be one of the ones to nominate me and know I’m getting in is pretty surreal — a total full circle,” he said. 

When Aaron first started his culinary journey, he didn’t initially set out to be a teacher. That career unfolded gradually, beginning in the kitchen at The Grant House, where he found himself teaching the restaurant’s cooks while serving as head chef. When the restaurant’s owners later asked him to help open the Northwest Culinary Institute at the International Air and Hospitality Academy, he pivoted into an official teaching role.  

From there, his teaching career expanded. Aaron went on to teach at Le Cordon Bleu during its affiliation with a Portland culinary institute before joining Clark College, where he has spent the past 10 years as a cornerstone of Clark’s McClaskey Culinary Institute (MCI) team. 

Beyond the classroom, Aaron’s industry experience isn’t the only thing that led him to the AAC — he is certified by ACF to evaluate post-secondary schools’ curricula and facilities to ensure they meet national ACF standards. While a minimum of four evaluations is required to be AAC consideration, Aaron has completed six. He also served as both an evaluator and administrator for ACF practical exams on multiple occasions, including exams hosted at the MCI. [Read more here about a recent exam held at the MCI.]

His leadership is also seen at the SkillsUSA Culinary Regional Championship for high school students, held annually on Clark’s campus, which Aaron evaluates. Additionally, Aaron judges the ProStart championships for high schoolers, which is coordinated by the Oregon Restaurant & Lodging Association. From knife skills to tasting — understandably his favorite kind of judging — Aaron has evaluated a multitude of skills and levels across these competitions.

Eligibility for AAC induction is rigorous. Candidates must be certified as an ACF Master Chef, Executive Chef, or Culinary Educator for at least six years and maintain at least a decade of ACF membership. Guerra has been a member for 22 years, meeting — and exceeding — every requirement. 

“For me, it just solidifies my love for what I do,” Aaron said of the induction. “I want to do for my students now what my mentors did for me. They gave me that groundwork, and hunger, and excitement for discovery, and told me to go for it. Here, what I’m doing is lighting that fire in them and letting them be creative, and at the same time, letting them know the reasons we do things the way we do.” 

Aaron will be formally inducted into AAC this summer at the ACF National Convention and Show in Grand Rapids, Michigan. True to form, he is already looking ahead with eyes on his next challenge: becoming a certified working pastry chef, and working towards earning his Certified Culinary Educator credential through the ACF. 

“This just solidifies in my mind that I’m doing what I believe is my calling. This is my dream job.” 

Photos: Clark College/Malena Goerl and Jenny Shadley

Story by Malena Goerl, Staff Writer, Communications and Marketing