Beyond the Chef Coat

For any business, staying on top of new trends is imperative to staying relevant and engaging. With all the growth the Urbana Country Club has seen, Executive Chef Noe Rodriguez spends more and more time analyzing these trends of new technology, new processes and new innovations to figure out what can (and cannot) be provided to the membership to elevate their experience.

There are a few areas trending in the industry right now that Rodriquez is researching to potentially implement for the membership. While not every brand-new shiny thing can be incorporated into the Club’s processes, Rodriguez makes sure to consider which changes in the industry will benefit the membership the most. For him, and for the Club, health and wellness and the elevation of the experience are always top priorities. While these are simply considerations for the future, the focus is always on what is the benefit to the Club and to the membership.

On-Property Gardens

Imagine sitting in the dining room at the Club, ordering a caprese salad for lunch, and, when you’re finished, being able to walk outside and enjoy the warm summer air on a bench across from the garden growing the tomatoes that were just in your salad.

More and more the restaurant industry is moving towards more dramatic interpretations of the “farm-to-table” movement. Some restaurants have moved beyond sourcing from a local farmer or farmers markets, and instead have cultivated their own small supply chain by growing their food directly. And on the flip side, farmers have moved into the restaurant industry, using their own product to supply their new business.

While it’s not feasible to directly supply every ingredient necessary for a restaurant to function, the benefits of this for the Club are evident immediately. First and foremost, the members’ health is paramount, and the implementation of organic-based farming on the property will provide members with the freshest possible food with the least amount of chemical impact. Ingredients grown on-property will also incorporate a convenience in sourcing not seen before at the Club, making processes that much more efficient. And of course, Rodriguez would love to take advantage of the opportunities from a flavor standpoint.

In the places where the UCC garden couldn’t support the dining experience, Rodriguez’s focus is always to source as much from local farmers as possible. But a garden on the property could provide not only an elevated flavor and freshness to members but also new inspiration for the chefs at UCC.

Chicken Coops

Knowing exactly where your food comes from always makes you feel a little bit better about eating it. The same as on-property gardens, chicken coops have become popular both in the restaurant industry and in people’s own homes.

The benefits of on-property chicken coops are surprising and yet somewhat expected. First and foremost, organic eggs used in all areas of the cooking process will only serve to benefit the flavor and the quality of the food. Healthier chickens, raised organically with no antibiotics or hormones and not cooped up in tiny cages, result in a dramatic increase in the taste of the eggs. Eggs picked fresh from the coop every morning will have firmer whites and bright orange yolks. And not only that, but farm-raised chickens produce eggs that have 25 percent more vitamin E, 33 percent more vitamin A, 75 percent more beta carotene and more omega-3 fatty acids.

There are more intangible benefits that chickens bring to the property that aren’t directly food related. Chicken compost is high in nitrogen and is great for fertilizing gardens. And their foraging for food can help dig for grubs and aerate the land they’re living on. There is, of course, the benefit of knowing that the animals producing your food are well taken care of and are able to actually be animals. And just as the Club would work to increase the well-being of the animals, the animals can, in turn, enrich the lives of the members. Members and their kids could feed the chickens, collect eggs, interact with them and watch as they grow, making the connection between farm-to-plate that much clearer.

On-property chicken coops, while having numerous benefits for the quality and taste of the food at the Club, would also speak to the Club’s dedication to continuing local and sustainable food systems.

Fine Casual Dining

Another trending initiative in the industry is the move towards “fine casual” dining. In the wake of busier and busier lives, people have found it necessary to eat quick and casual but don’t want to sacrifice quality. Without compromising on the quality of food, considering new innovations on making dining convenient and comfortable for members is a top priority for the Club.

One aspect of consideration is simply in the presentation of the dining room. The days of white linen tablecloths signifying fine dining are fading fast. Dressing every table with bulky tablecloths—at lunch too, no less—is unnecessarily cumbersome to the staff and to the members. Tablecloths get damaged and cost money to be replaced, can be messy and hard to manage and take up valuable time for staff that could be allocated elsewhere. Not to mention the waste of electricity and water in a time where care for the planet is an absolute must. Adapting to design trends is an important aspect of keeping up-to-date, but also improving, the aesthetic of the dining room. The Club wants its members to feel like they’re at home having the best meal in the area, no matter what. Top quality food, but with a casual, at-home feel.

The introduction of the Chef’s Table Express Lunch is another implementation of the “fine casual” movement that’s becoming so popular recently. Geoffrey Zakarian, Chopped judge and restaurateur, has noticed the advent of fast, casual dining, saying, “My prediction is that fast casual will make significant inroads. We’ll continue to see luxury ingredients served in a very simple fashion with self-service.” As the Club analyzes the experience of the members and adapts to what they need, the Express Lunch caters to the business crowd who may only have a short period of time to grab lunch. Quick, robust meals bring the casual element while always providing the top quality food that members expect.

Beyond Meat

With concern for animal welfare and the impact on the environment increasing in the recent years, vegetarianism and veganism have become more popular lifestyle choices for many people, including UCC members. The UCC staff is always considering members' dietary needs when developing menu items and flavors. With that in mind, the advent of vegan meat, in brands like Beyond Meat and others, has given Rodriguez and the other UCC chefs new potential avenues to provide members with delicious dishes.

Everyone craves a burger every once and awhile. Beyond Meat is one brand that has made it exceedingly simple for vegetarians and vegans to enjoy the experience of a (vegan) burger. Made with all plant-based products, Beyond Meat focuses on four main issues with their product: human health, climate change, constraints on natural resources and animal welfare.

For members that are completely vegan, or for ones who may just want to cut down on meat, Rodriguez wants to figure out ways they can still enjoy classic UCC dishes. These plant-based alternative options are great potential solutions to that. And they contain around 20 grams of protein (compared to the approximately 30 grams in the same amount of ground beef) allowing members to still get their daily allotment of protein. That combination of providing taste and nutrition is what Rodriguez is always looking for with any new ingredient considered for addition to the menu.

Out-of-the Box Flavors and Spices

New technology is nice and all, but at the end of the day everyone just wants delicious food. And not just delicious, but different. Beyond the steak or burger that will always be staples of the menu, Rodriguez and the UCC chefs are constantly looking for new ingredients that haven't made their way into a UCC dish yet.

Rodriguez notes that Latin American cooking in particular is becoming more and more popular across the country. Whether it's adding a little guajillo or habanero pepper heat to a dish, or using chayote (a squash-like Latin American ingredient) in a salad or in place of potatoes, different cultures and techniques are making their way into the minds and recipes of the UCC chefs.

Rodriguez is always thinking of ways to introduce the membership to new experiences in cuisine. And incorporating new and interesting flavors and ingredients into dishes is just one way of achieving that. The overall growth of the Club is leading to improvements on every level. And keeping his eye on trends in the industry speaks to Rodriguez’s commitment to elevating the dining experience for the membership. While these trends offer new considerations for the Club that could possibly be implemented in the future, be sure to keep an eye out for them at your local restaurants and around town as well.