Brian Sode, AAC, of Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, joined the elite group of chefs known as Certified Master Chefs® (CMC®) Saturday, October. 30, 2010.

Brian is executive chef at The Bear’s Club in Jupiter, Fla.  Previously he worked as Executive Chef at La Gorce Country Club, Miami Beach, Florida.

Throughout his career, he has worked in a number   of country clubs and served as executive chef and director of dining services at Chiquita Brands International, Cincinnati, from 1988 to 2002.

For 10 years prior, he held numerous positions at the Dallas-based Club Corporation of America, and was selected to open many venues, including Rodney Square Club, Wilmington, Delaware; The Skyline Club, Indianapolis; and Rockford City Club, Rockford, Illinois. He received his culinary training through the American Culinary Federation’s apprenticeship program in Chicago, and at Triton College, River Grove, Illinois.

He earned an undergraduate degree in business management from Wilmington College, Wilmington, Ohio, and a master’s degree in business administration from Xavier University, Cincinnati.

He has received numerous awards, including more than 60 silver and gold medals in ACF-sanctioned competitions. He has also competed on numerous culinary teams, including the 1996 ACF Culinary Team USA, and 2000, 2002 and 2008 Team Midwest that competed internationally. In 2009, he was inducted into the American Academy of Chefs, ACF’s honor society.