What’s Cooking?

THE NEW ALPINE KITCHEN

QR CODES, SINGLE SERVE PACKAGING, PARTNERSHIPS & PLEXI

By Julie Carter

THE ALPINE MEMBER EXPERIENCE HAS ALWAYS REVOLVED NOT ONLY AROUND THE SKI HILLS BUT ALSO THE SHARING OF FOOD AND DRINK WITH FRIENDS AND FAMILY. AS WE TURN ALL THE OVENS BACK ON AND OPEN THE BEER TAPS, WE KNOW THAT THIS WILL CONTINUE TO BE A MAINSTAY OF CLUB LIFE. HAVING WEATHERED THE STORM WITH THE HELP OF THE ALPINE MEMBERSHIP AND COMMUNITY AT LARGE, MEN WITH KNIVES CATERING IS BACK THIS WINTER TO LEAP INTO A NEW SEASON OF FOOD SERVICE AT THE CLUB.

As we navigate how to keep the lunch and dinner tables full, the caesars mixed and taps pouring, we have a new reality to face as the purchasing, preparation, service and promotion of food have all changed. The pandemic has seen all of us face shortages of certain ingredients and skyrocketing prices. In addition, the changes to how we eat and socialize safely have led to new service models, for example, the QR code menu, the growth of home delivery options, online ordering, Plexiglas, and single-serve packaging. On top of these changes, the food industry suffered the greatest loss of jobs during the pandemic, which has led to a staffing crisis with many people leaving the industry. The MWK team has had to be creative to rebuild and implement changes including an increased focus on local food and partnerships, a hunt for new ingredients and creativity in menus, and a transition to online ordering, revamped packaging and simplified menus to utilize our team as efficiently as possible. THIS YEAR’S HIDDEN SECRET: SKIP THE LINE Online and advance ordering will be at the heart of eating safely this season. Members can select their Saturday or Sunday lunch options in advance and skip the line. Family picnics and platters, as well as a selection of favourite lunch items, will be available to order through the Alpine website and mobile platform with direct charging to member accounts. With the clubhouse set to operate at full capacity, the key will be to eliminate congestion in the food service areas. QR code menus will be available throughout the clubhouse promoting different food options such as prepared and frozen meals and Après-to-go kits, as well as tableside service for bar and coffee bar items. As we kick off the season, our team will be available to help guide you through the online options and get you set to beat the rush with advanced ordering.

THE UPPER CHALET To continue to build the Alpine food experience, this year we are continuing the tradition of inviting a local vendor to showcase their food at the Upper Chalet. Joseph and Alejandra Griffin of Loco por el Asado are bringing the membership their Argentinian outdoor BBQ, empanadas, hot drinks, and snacks with picnic tables and a bonfire. Joseph will be familiar to members as one of our MWK faces from years past as well as a farmer’s market staple in the region and a frequent vendor at the Collingwood Brewery this past summer. Working closely with Mother Nature, our goal is to create an outdoor dining experience second-to-none. We are excited to strengthen the Alpine food culture by supporting local vendors and building partnerships.

THE “KNIVES” BEHIND THE SCENES The past six months have seen MWK in a period of re-growth and we are entering the season with a new energy and new look. The magic of our kitchen is in combining the old and the new to create a delicious recipe. Leading our winter team is Ashlea Kennedy as General Manager aka ‘Mountain Ninja’. Ashlea’s role is to keep the kitchen and staff out front working together and communicating to deliver a great service and product. You will find her behind the bar, at the fryer or delivering take-out. Supporting her in the back is a team of sharp “Knives” as we like to call them. Jamal Benabdeslam will be entering his first winter as Head Chef/Kitchen Manager. With expertise at ski clubs and restaurants in Simcoe County, his inventory and pricing skills, development of recipes, and management of the kitchen team will ensure we can continue to offer a great menu and competitive price point despite challenging changes in the industry. Working alongside Jamal, Rebecca York will continue to manage our line crew and has moved into the role of Assistant Kitchen Manager. Part of our team for over five years, she has spent the pandemic mastering desserts and new flavours as she led the MWK kitchen operations through our MWK grocery and take-home experiences such as the Epicurean Traveller. As the building opens, so do the bars and under the leadership of Amanda Wright we know we have a strong season ahead. You will see your favourite bartenders (Adam, Courtney, Natali, Deb, and Kristen) back and ready to mix up a winter cocktail.

The sharing of food has always been part of the human story. From Qesem Cave near Tel Aviv comes evidence of ancient meals prepared at a 300,000-year-old hearth, the oldest ever found, where diners gathered to eat together. Retrieved from the ashes of Vesuvius: a circular loaf of bread with scoring marks, baked to be divided. “To break bread together,” a phrase as old as the Bible, captures the power of a meal to forge relationships, bury anger, provoke laughter. Children make mud pies, have tea parties, trade snacks to make friends, and mimic the rituals of adults. They celebrate with sweets from the time of their first birthday, and the association of food with love will continue throughout life—and in some belief systems, into the afterlife. Consider the cultures that leave delicacies graveside to let the departed know they are not forgotten. And even when times are tough, the urge to celebrate endures. In the Antarctic in 1902, during Robert Falcon Scott’s Discovery expedition, the men prepared a fancy meal for Midwinter Day, the shortest day and longest night of the year. Hefty provisions had been brought on board. Forty-five live sheep were slaughtered and hung from the rigging, frozen by the elements until it was time to feast. The cold, the darkness, and the isolation were forgotten for a while. “With such a dinner,” Scott wrote, “we agreed that life in the Antarctic Regions was worth living.” — Victoria Pope