Chef Andrew G. Iannacchione CEC, AAC, 62, of Bedford died on Friday, April 22, 2016 at UPMC Presbyterian Hospital in Pittsburgh.  He was born on May 12, 1953 in Pittsburgh, a son of Louis H. Iannacchione of Pottstown, and the late Regina M. (Christman) Iannacchione.  He is survived by three adopted children:  Patsy Snyder of Long Island, N.Y., Andrew Pasquale of Punxsutawney, and Mary Beth Pratt of Altoona and six grandchildren.  Also surviving are the following brothers and sisters:  Michael Iannacchione, of Grosse Ile, MI, Therese Gorrell, and husband Kris of Elkton, MD., Paula Craig and husband Rob of Philadelphia, and Ann Shepherd, and husband Mike of Philadelphia; many nieces and nephews; and his caregivers Julie and Danny Chappell of Bedford.  He was preceded in death by one sister Laura Shepherd wife of Thom who survives of Pottstown. 

Chef Andy was of the Catholic Faith and attended both Saint Thomas the Apostle and Saint John the Evangelist Catholic Churches.  He enjoyed all sports and was an avid golfer and fisherman.  He was employed by US Foodservice, Western Pennsylvania Group as their Consulting Corporate Chef.  He spearheaded the culinary team that handled the Middle East Peace Conference in Shepherdstown, WV, in January of 2000.  He was in complete charge of the Food & Beverage Operations.  Chef Andrew met with the Ambassador French, Chief Protocol Officer of the White House, and her staff to discuss all of the food and beverage requirements of the conference.  The challenge from the Ambassador French was to create a blend of cross-cultural styles of cuisines that would bring both the Israeli and Syrian delegations to break bread at the same table for the first time in over forty years.  By weeks end the challenge had been met on several occasions.  President Clinton personally expressed his thanks for a job well done.  Chef Andrews was inducted into the American Academy of Chefs, the honor society of the American Chef, in 1997 along with such notable chefs as Paul Prudhomme and Henry Haller, former White House executive chef.  Honored as chef of the year in 1995 by the Southern Allegheny Chefs Association, Chef Andrew owned and operated hospitality Referrals/Consultants located in Bedford.  Formally the executive chef of the Bedford Springs Resort Hotel, Chef Andrew has been a very active member of the American Culinary Federation.  He began his affiliation in 1973 as a member of the then Chefs and Cooks Association of Pittsburgh.  He was a charter member of the Mason-Dixon Culinary Association where he served as the chapter’s vice president for two years and was the chapter’s certification chairperson.  In 1991 he became a member of the Southern Allegheny Chefs Association where he was the chapter president from 1994-2002.  He earned his certification as an executive chef in 1986 with successful re-certifications in 1991, 1995, 2000, and 2009.  He achieved a lifetime of certifications as an executive chef in 2008.  He was the founding father and coordinator of the Southern Allegheny Chefs Association chef apprenticeship program.  He was a chef instructor at the Greater Altoona Career and Technology Center, which co-sponsored the program.  He is a board member at the Schools Food Production and Management Occupational Advisory Committee. Chef Andrew has been a guest instructor at Indiana University Academy of Culinary Arts and was the keynote speaker for the schools commencement ceremonies in 1992.  He has been a member of the advisory council since 1993. He also serves on the Academy’s Culinary Arts Advisory Committee for the Pennsylvania Tech Prep Consortium.  Chef Andrew was a guest chef at Johnson and Wales University in Providence, RI, where he conducted a lecture and hands on seminar entitled “Cross-Cultural Cuisines of the New Millennium.”  He is an ACF approved accreditation team member and visits, evaluates, and accredits college level culinary arts programs.  In 1991 Chef Andrew was chosen to participate in a bi-lateral ambassadorship delegation to the former Soviet Union.  He met with government officials, chefs, hotel operators, culinary educators, and caterers while traveling to the Republics of Russia, Georgia, and the Ukraine.  He was inducted as an honorary member for the Moscow Culinary Association.  Chef Andrew has had many appearances on television and has authored numerous articles for local and national publications.  He was a featured chef in the cookbook entitled American Harvest, which is authored and sponsored by the American Academy of Chefs, and Heart Soul and Journey of a Chef, which is in the publication. 

A funeral service will be held on Friday, April 29, 2016 at 10:00 a.m. in the Chapel at the Timothy A. Berkebile Funeral Home in Bedford, with Father Donald Dusza officiating, burial at St. James Lutheran Cemetery.  Friends will be received on Thursday from 6-8 p.m. at the funeral home.  Our online guest book is available at www.berkebilefuneralhome.com.

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