Marriott Syracuse (N.Y.) Downtown’s award-winning executive chef Tom Kiernan was inducted into the American Academy of Chefs Culinary Hall of Fame. The ceremony at Walt Disney World Resort’s Coronado Springs Resort honored Kiernan along with several fellow chefs whose outstanding attributes have earned the respect of their peers.
The American Academy of Chefs is the honor society of the American Culinary Federation, and represents the highest standards of professionalism in the industry. Its goal is to promote scholarship, training and mentoring to students and up-and-coming culinary professionals.
“We’re thrilled, and not at all surprised, to see Tom recognized by his peers on the national stage,” said Marriott Syracuse Downtown GM Paul McNeil. “Our hotel benefits daily from the considerable talent, vision, and commitment he brings to the dining program at Eleven Waters and at our new Shaughnessy’s pub, both of which he has masterfully ushered from concept to fruition.”
Kiernan has helmed the kitchens of Marriott Syracuse Downtown since 2015, where he continues a decade-long commitment to sustainable sourcing. Working with Central New York farmers, producers and processors is a significant aspect of his kitchen philosophy. His past experience is varied and extensive, spanning kitchens in New York City, the Boston waterfront and the Caribbean.
No stranger to the culinary spotlight, Kiernan was honored as a guest chef at the James Beard House’s famed Empire State Fest in 2015. That same year, he was named Chef of the Year by the Syracuse chapter of the American Culinary Federation. He graduated from the Culinary Institute of America.