DISHING WITH THE CHEFS

Dishing

WITH THEChefs

There are a few new faces in McConnell Golf kitchens — or old favorites working at new clubs — so we pulled up a chair and asked some get-to-know-you questions.

WHERE ARE YOU FROM? Raleigh, North Carolina.

YEARS OF EXPERIENCE IN THE CULINARY INDUSTRY?

15 years.

WHICH MCCONNELL GOLF CLUB DID YOU WORK FOR PREVIOUSLY? I was a sous chef at Raleigh Country Club.

WHAT’S THE FIRST DISH YOU LEARNED TO MAKE REALLY

WELL? Clam chowder.

WHAT’S THE GREATEST THING ABOUT BEING A CHEF?

The team atmosphere.

NAME FIVE ESSENTIAL INGREDIENTS IN ANY KITCHEN?

Salt, pepper, butter, oil and cream.

WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE INGREDIENT TO COOK WITH?

Thyme.

WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE KITCHEN TOOL? Chef’s knife.

WHAT’S YOUR FIRST MEMORY OF BEING IN A KITCHEN? Sitting on a stool, scrambling eggs when I was 5 years old.

IF YOU COULD PREPARE A MEAL FOR ANYONE, WHO

WOULD IT BE AND WHY? My kids—because they are the hardest people to impress.

IF YOU COULD HAVE ANY TV CHEF ON SPEED DIAL,

WHO WOULD IT BE? Mario Batali.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE COMFORT FOOD? Chicken and pastry.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE HOLIDAY MEAL TO PREPARE?

Beef tenderloin.

HOW DO YOU GET YOUR COOKING INSPIRATION?

Loving to eat and wanting something different.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE THING TO ORDER FROM

A RESTAURANT MENU? Reuben sandwich.

WHAT MUSIC DO YOU LIKE TO LISTEN TO WHEN YOU

COOK? Classic rock.

IF YOU HAD NOT BECOME A CHEF, WHICH PROFESSION WOULD

YOU HAVE CHOSEN? Helicopter pilot.

John Crawford

Executive Chef at Providence Country Club

WHERE ARE YOU FROM?

Shippensburg, Pennsylvania.

YEARS OF EXPERIENCE IN THE CULINARY

INDUSTRY? 20 years.

WHAT EXPERIENCES BEST PREPARED

YOU FOR BECOMING A CHEF? I grew up watching my mother and father get up every morning to go to work to provide a great life for me and my brothers. You need that hardworking mindset to survive in a kitchen.

Greg Lyons

Executive Chef at Raleigh Country Club

FINISH THE SENTENCE: BEING A CHEF

MEANS … being a teacher.

WHAT IS YOUR BEST WINE-FOOD

PAIRING RECOMMENDATION? Can’t really comment on wine, but Point Reyes blue cheese and IPAs are a match made in heaven!

HOW PRECISELY DO YOU FOLLOW A

RECIPE? Not very precisely at all. I read it, get an idea of the process … and then do it.

WHAT DO YOU LIKE TO COOK THE

MOST? Breakfast for my kids.

WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE KITCHEN

TOOL? Vacuum sealer and sous vide machine.

WHAT FIVE INGREDIENTS ARE

NECESSARY IN THE KITCHEN? Kosher salt, bacon, blue cheese, sherry vinegar and onions.

IF YOU COULD PREPARE A MEAL FOR ANYONE, WHO WOULD IT BE AND

WHY? My grandfather. He passed away years before I ever entertained the idea of getting into the culinary field. I would love for him to see what I’ve accomplished.

IF YOU COULD HAVE A MEAL WITH ANYONE, WHO WOULD IT BE AND

WHY? Mario Lemieux [of the Pittsburgh Penguins]. He was my childhood idol — and hockey players have the best stories.

IF YOU COULD HAVE ANY TV CHEF ON SPEED DIAL, WHO WOULD IT BE?

Sean Brock.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE HOLIDAY

MEAL TO PREPARE? Pork and sauerkraut. It was a New Year’s Day tradition growing up and I carried on the tradition when I started my own family.

WHAT MUSIC DO YOU LIKE TO LISTEN

TO WHEN YOU COOK? I love prepping to punk rock and cooking to The Avett Brothers.

IF YOU HAD NOT BECOME A CHEF, WHICH PROFESSION WOULD YOU

HAVE CHOSEN? Actor. I graduated college with a BFA in professional acting and got a job in a kitchen with the goal to save up money to move to New York. Fell in love with being in a kitchen and the rest is history.

WHERE ARE YOU FROM? Born in San Diego, California, but grew up in Virginia Beach, Virginia.

YEARS OF EXPERIENCE IN THE

CULINARY INDUSTRY? Since I was 15 years old — so 21 years and counting.

WHAT EXPERIENCES BEST PREPARED

YOU FOR BECOMING A CHEF? At a young age, I was always in the kitchen with both of my grandparents and great grandparents. Those moments are the reason I wanted to cook my whole life.

WHAT’S THE FIRST DISH YOU LEARNED TO MAKE REALLY WELL?

Golumpki (Polish stuffed cabbage).

WHAT’S THE GREATEST THING

ABOUT BEING A CHEF? Simple: being able to make people happy with food.

WHAT IS YOUR BEST WINE-FOOD

PAIRING RECOMMENDATION? Short ribs with either Domaine Charvin from Châteauneuf-du-Pape and CanetValette from Saint-Chinian, or my favorite Bin 128 shiraz from Penfolds.

WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE SOMEONE CONSIDERING A

CULINARY CAREER? The greatest gift that you can give to yourself and others is passionate cooking. Make sure every dish that you cook is like cooking for yourself. Be proud of the plate you make.

WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE INGREDIENT

TO COOK WITH? I am a huge fan of leeks and parsnips. But my favorite spice is probably cardamom.

WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE KITCHEN

TOOL? Most chefs would probably say a chef’s knife but mine is the micro plane.

IF YOU COULD PREPARE A MEAL FOR ANYONE, WHO WOULD IT BE AND

WHY? My grandmother, if she was still alive. She was always my biggest supporter growing up and I would be honored to show her how all the hard work, dedication and cherished words of wisdom she gave me have paid off.

Michael Dontigney

Executive Chef at The Water’s Edge Country Club

IF YOU COULD HAVE A MEAL WITH ANYONE, WHO WOULD IT BE AND WHY?

Without a doubt my favorite chef, Thomas Keller. I just love his technique and food pairings. His style is like no other.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE HOLIDAY MEAL

TO PREPARE? Christmas dinner for my family. It is usually a huge feast with lots of different offerings from main course all the way to holiday family cookies.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE COMFORT

FOOD? Wood-fired pizza.

WHAT MUSIC DO YOU LIKE TO LISTEN TO

WHEN YOU COOK? The Roots’ jazzy-style music.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE THING TO ORDER FROM A RESTAURANT MENU?

Chef’s special (if available).

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Anders Benton

Executive Chef at Sedgefield Country Club

WHERE ARE YOU FROM? High Point, North Carolina.

YEARS OF EXPERIENCE IN THE CULINARY INDUSTRY? 15 years.

WHAT’S THE FIRST DISH YOU LEARNED TO MAKE REALLY WELL?

Biscuits.

WHAT’S THE GREATEST THING

ABOUT BEING A CHEF? The opportunity to connect to people through creativity and passion.

WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE INGREDIENT

TO COOK WITH? Root vegetables, from beets to turnips. I love their versatility.

WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE KITCHEN

TOOL? The humble spoon. There are endless things that you can do with a spoon, from decorating a plate to turning a piece of protein in a hot pan.

WHAT’S YOUR FIRST MEMORY OF

BEING IN A KITCHEN? When I was in Scouts and had to prepare raw chicken — and I passed out.

IF YOU COULD PREPARE A MEAL FOR ANYONE, WHO WOULD IT BE

AND WHY? It would be my Grandma Tutterow. She was always supportive of my curiosity and creativity. Unfortunately, she passed away before I started to get my rhythm as a chef.

IF YOU COULD HAVE A MEAL WITH ANYONE, WHO WOULD IT BE AND

WHY? My wife. We do not get to enjoy a meal together often enough.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE COMFORT

FOOD? Persimmon pudding.

EASIEST MEAL TO IMPRESS

SOMEONE? Pasta. There are so many great prepared products out there that you can doctor up to make a meal that blows the socks off of people.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE HOLIDAY MEAL TO PREPARE?

Thanksgiving! My extended family all gathers together and it’s always a good time helping everyone finish their dishes and carve the bird.

WHAT MUSIC, IF ANY, DO YOU LIKE TO LISTEN TO WHEN YOU COOK? It all depends on my mood—everything from classical to low-fi hip-hop beats.

WHAT’S THE NEXT BIG CULINARY

TREND? One of the next trends is cooking over open fire.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE THING TO ORDER OFF A RESTAURANT MENU?

Octopus.

WHAT EXPERIENCES BEST PREPARED YOU FOR BECOMING A

CHEF? One experience was my study of classical guitar. It taught me how to give and receive feedback in a constructive way.