A native of Michigan, Chef Recinella returned after fourteen years teaching and owning his own restaurant in New York and joined Baker College in September 2012. He has over thirty five years’ experience in the food and beverage industry. Chef Recinella was, hired by Baker College to open its second location of The Culinary Institute of Michigan (CIM) in Port Huron, which opened July 2013. In April of, 2017 Chef Recinella was, promoted to Dean of Culinary and assumed leadership and oversight of both CIM campuses in Port Huron and Muskegon.
Chef Recinella holds an Associate Degree of Applied Science in Culinary Arts from Schoolcraft College and a Bachelor’s of General Studies from Baker College On-Line. He has been a very active member of the American Culinary Federation for over thirty years. Chef Recinella is an ACF Certified Executive Chef, an ACF Certified Culinary Judge, and an ACF Certified Ice Judge. He is also one of only six Approved Certification Mentors/evaluator in Michigan. Chef Recinella is a fellow of the American Academy of Chefs class of 2004 and was, inducted into the Honorable Order of the Golden Toque in June 2015, which has a membership of only 100 lifetime members. He serves the Golden Toque as Historian and Archivist. He served as a Senior Adviser to the United States Army Culinary Arts Team for the World Cup in 2010 and the Olympics in 2012. Chef Recinella has won over forty ACF medals and six best in show awards. He has competed domestically and internationally as a member of the New York Culinary Olympic Team winning the Italian Individual National Championship in Marina di Massa Italy.
He has, been, named, Chapter Chef of the Year, in two different ACF Chapters and was, awarded the ACF National Educator of the Year Award in 2003. In 2008 he received The Chancellors Award for Excellence in Teaching from the Chancellor of the State University of New York. In 2013, he was, awarded the American Academy of Chefs Award for Sharing Culinary Traditions by the Academy Chair. Recently he won the 2021 National Hermann G. Rusch Chef’s Achievement Award at the ACF National Convention. He currently serves on the ACFEF Accrediting Commission.