By Javier Cabrera | News Editor

Chef Bobby Moghaddam, an instructor at Riverside City College Culinary Academy, has been nominated for Chef of the Year for the western regional of the American Culinary Federation.

He said there are 13 states in the western regional, and the convention for the region is on April 14-15, where the award will be announced.

Chef Moghaddam said he is very good and proud of being nominated for the award.

Once someone is picked for the Chef of the Year for the western regional, he or she is then in the running for Chef of the Year for nation, against other candidates who won Chef of the Year from their respective regional.

Chef Moghaddam said it is an honor to be nominated for the award because for someone to be nominated for it, he or she must have certain qualifications, background.

He said he has been a chef for a long time, saying he start sometime in the ’70s. He has been an instructor at the RCC Culinary Academy for 10 years.

He said he loves passing his knowledge to the upcoming chefs.

“We are passing the torch,” Chef Moghaddam said. “We try to teach the new generation.”

Chef Robert Baradaran, an instructor at the Riverside City College Culinary Academy, has been the educational chief for the Inland Empire chapter of the American Culinary Federation for over a year.

His duties include educating chefs, helping new chefs joining the federation and keeps chefs aware of the new trends, techniques in cooking.

Chef Baradaran has been an executive chef for over 20 years and he has been a member of the American Culinary Federation for 14 years.

The federation promotes chefs with what they do and incorporate foods into their work and it is a way for chefs to network with each other.

Chef Baradaran said it is gratifying for him to work alongside local chefs. He said the position allows him to network with other chefs.

“It is a way to network amongst the chefs,” he said. “Also, (it helps) educating and being educated, it is a two way street; life is a never-ending process.”