Dien Ly, executive chef at The Gallery at Snyder/Phillips, recently earned her Certified Culinary Administrator (CCA) designation from the American Culinary Federation (ACF). The accomplishment recognizes an executive-level chef who is responsible for the administrative functions of running a professional foodservice operation. Culinary professionals with a CCA designation must demonstrate proficiency in culinary knowledge, human resources, operational management and business planning skills.
To earn this certification level, chefs must meet education and work experience criteria, and complete five 30-hour courses in nutrition, food safety and sanitation, supervisory management, advanced sanitation and human resource management. In addition, they submit a 400-word narrative detailing related responsibilities and successfully complete written and practical exams.
Born in Saigon, Vietnam, Chef Dien began cooking at a young age, learning French-Vietnamese fusion cuisine. She is a graduate of the Saigon Women’s Cooking Institute and earned a Culinary Arts and Hotel Management degree from Lansing Community College. Before transitioning to her current role at The Gallery, she served as a sous chef at Heritage Commons at Landon, helping craft a new menu for the renovated hall before it reopened in 2014. She uses her more than 20 years of culinary experience to create innovative meals with unique flavors for Spartans and their families. In addition to earning her CCA designation, she became an ACF Certified Executive Chef in November 2017.