Every day, students at Stony Brook University enjoy meals created by a chef who isn’t just passionate about food, but a national culinary champion. SBU Eats Regional Executive Chef Kevin Kenny won a gold medal at the renowned National Association of College & University Food Services (NACUFS) 2025 Culinary Challenge. This prestigious competition, sanctioned by the American Culinary Federation (ACF), took place in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, bringing together top collegiate chefs from across the nation.
“I am incredibly proud of Chef Kevin Kenny and this recognition is a testament to his exceptional talent, dedication, and passion for the culinary arts,” stated Rich Maha, SBU Eats regional director of operations. “On behalf of our entire team, I congratulate him on this remarkable accomplishment.”
Competing against some of the most skilled culinary professionals in higher education, Chef Kenny showcased his exceptional creativity, technical expertise and sportsmanship. The annual NACUFS Culinary Challenge provides a platform for chefs to demonstrate their mastery in preparing innovative and high-quality dishes under strict competition guidelines. His performance earned him not only a gold medal from the ACF but also an impressive second-place finish in the Northeast Region.
“This is an incredible honor, and I am grateful for the opportunity to represent Stony Brook University at this prestigious event,” said Kevin Kenny. “Competing at this level pushes me to elevate my craft, and I am proud to bring this recognition back to our campus community.”
Each year, chefs create an original, nutritionally balanced dish featuring a designated protein, competing on organization, cooking skills and culinary technique, and taste, all judged on a 100-point scale.
Individual competitors have 60 minutes, with 10 additional minutes for plating, to prepare four portions of an original hot entrée featuring the mandatory ingredient(s) selected for the competition. This year, the competitors prepared their original recipe featuring one 3.25- to 3.5-pound whole fresh chicken without giblets and one pound of chicken liver. Both were required to be used to build a nutritionally balanced plate including starch, vegetables and sauce to impress the judges. Contestants created four plates for the judges with meat from only the one chicken provided, along with the livers.
Chef Kenny’s delicious recipe “Chicken Two Ways” featured a pan-seared stuffed chicken breast with chicken liver and wild mushroom duxelle, natural pan jus, and apple cider brined braised chicken with sautéed swiss chard and herb polenta cake with asiago cheese. His recipe impressed the judges with his creative ability to blend unique flavors.
“SBU Eats Regional Executive Chef Kevin Kenny’s passion for the culinary arts, leadership abilities and dedication to our dining program is to be applauded,” said Diana Kubik, executive director, Auxiliary Services Association. “This national recognition is well-deserved, and we are incredibly proud of his success and honored to have him as part of the SBU Eats team.”
Elevating the culinary experience through innovative menus, sustainable food initiatives, and a commitment to excellence, Chef Kenny continuously raises the bar of the SBU Eats program making Stony Brook University a leader in college and university foodservice.