Roland E. Schaeffer has been a Senior Experimental Chef for Heinz U.S.A., a division of the H. J. Heinz Company for the last 21 years. He is also a Certified Executive Chef. Prior to joining Heinz in 1978, Schaeffer was Executive Chef at the Lakeview Inn and Country Club Resort in Morgantown, W. Va. He also served as chef at the Bel Air Country Club, Bel Air, California; Chaparral Club, Dallas, Texas; and the Sheraton Blackstone Hotel, Chicago, Illinois.
In 1980, 1984, 1988, 1992, 1996 and 2000 Schaeffer competed as a member, team advisor, culinary judge and apprentice team coach of the U. S. Culinary Olympic Team, which participates in the International Culinary Competition held every four years in Germany. The U.S. Culinary Team is sponsored by the U.S. Culinary Team Foundation, under the auspices of the American Culinary Federation (ACF). Schaeffer received three gold medals and an honorary diploma at this most prestigious culinary competition in the world.
He is a member of the American Academy of Chefs, which is a national honor society (AAC). Schaeffer has been Chef De Cuisine of the most leading gourmet and food societies across the United States and is an Honorary Member and Ambassador of the Chefs and Cooks Association of Pittsburgh, a chapter of ACF. In 1979, the local organization named him "Chef of the Year".
At the ACF's 1991 National Convention in Honolulu, Hawaii, Schaeffer was named both Chef Professionalism Award Winner and National Chef of the Year - the first time one individual has garnered the federation's top two annual recognition's in a single year. In 1994, Chef Schaeffer received an Honorary Degree of Doctor of Culinary Arts from the Johnson and Wales University. In 1998, he was the recipient of the American Academy of Chefs chairman's medal and in 2000, he was inducted into the (AAC) Hall of Fame for the lifelong dedication to the advancement of the culinary profession.
The Oregon Coast Culinary Institutes invites students and staff to participate in this one-of-a-kind lecture February 18, 2008 at 8:00 am at the OCCI.