Club + Resort Chef April 2019

APRIL 2019 www.clubandresortchef.com

Culture

Shift

Blue Hills CC is bringing new life to F&B by focusing on who and what make the club unique.

INSIDE Ideas for Inventory Management Reinventing Snack Bars Perfect Party Desserts

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CONTENTS April • Vol. 9 • Issue 2



Shift 10 Culture Blue Hills CC is bringing new life to F&B by

- 20 Eastward Ho! Hosts Lavish Wedding For Executive Chef Mark Mathurin, success was dependent on planning and preparation.

focusing on who and what make the club unique.

D

6 Editor’s Memo 8 Publisher’s Memo Up Snack Bars with Style 14 Serving For Myers Park CC and Doylestown CC, the snack bar is evolving into an all-day dining destination.

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On Tap at the Tee

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Perfect Party Desserts

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Setting Servers Up for Success

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How to Manage Inventory Properly

26

‘Team Texas’ Takes Home 2019 Iron Chef Mystery Basket Title

American Golf hosts a beer-tasting tournament series in Southern California that introduces members and guests to local brews.

The new pastry chef of the Women’s Athletic Club in Chicago is serving up sweet endings for parties and events.

A structured and ongoing server training program will increase member satisfaction and unify the F&B team.

Having too much or too little on hand can lead to costly problems. Here are some smart management techniques to keep inventory under control.

San Antonio CC’s Executive Chef, Nelson Millán, and Austin CC’s Executive Sous Chef, Eva Barrios, won the competition at the 11th annual Chef to Chef Conference in New Orleans.

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Letting Go to Grow

Michael Redmond, GM/COO of The Metropolitan Club of the City of Washington, discovered that coming out of the kitchen to become a manager was the best thing for his club, and his career.

Chef’s Thoughts 34 Gerald Ford, CMC, Executive Chef of The Ford Plantation,

has made a name for himself in the culinary world separate from the one he shares with a former U.S. President.

30 Product Showcase 33 Ad Index PHOTO COURTESY OF EASTWARD HO! COUNTRY CLUB

www.clubandresortchef.com

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EDITORIAL

VIDEO SERVICES

PRODUCTION SERVICES

EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD

EDITOR, CLUB + RESORT CHEF

VIDEOGRAPHER

CUSTOMER SERVICE MANAGER

Joanna DeChellis jdechellis@clubandresortchef.com

Bradley Voyten bvoyten@wtwhmedia.com

Stephanie Hulett shulett@wtwhmedia.com

VIDEOGRAPHER

CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE

K. Scott Craig, CEC, CCA, WCMC Director of Culinary Operations, Myers Park Country Club, Charlotte, N.C.

412-260-9233 EDITOR, CLUB + RESORT BUSINESS

Joe Barks jbarks@clubandresortbusiness.com 610-688-5666 ASSOCIATE EDITOR

Rob Thomas rthomas@clubandresortbusiness.com 216-316-5294 NATIONAL CHEF TO CHEF CONFERENCE PROGRAM COORDINATOR

Jerry Schreck, Executive Chef

Derek Little dlittle@wtwhmedia.com

Barbra Martin bmartin@clubandresortbusiness.com

VIDEOGRAPHER

Graham Smith gsmith@wtwhmedia.com

DIGITAL PRODUCTION MANAGER

DIGITAL MEDIA/WEB/DEVELOPMENT WEB DEVELOPMENT MANAGER

B. David Miyares dmiyares@wtwhmedia.com

Merion Golf Club, Ardmore, Pa.

SENIOR DIGITAL MEDIA MANAGER

ADVERTISING

Patrick Curran pcurran@wtwhmedia.com

VICE PRESIDENT/GROUP PUBLISHER

DIGITAL MEDIA SPECIALIST

Tom McIntyre tmcintyre@clubandresortbusiness.com

Nicole Lender nlender@clubandresortbusiness.com

216-533-9186

Sean Carr scarr@clubandresortbusiness.com

DIGITAL MARKETING DIRECTOR

216-952-2753

Virginia Goulding vgoulding@wtwhmedia.com

REGIONAL SALES MANAGER

DIGITAL MARKETING MANAGER

Ashley Burk aburk@wtwhmedia.com

DIGITAL MARKETING COORDINATOR

CREATIVE SERVICES

Josh Breuler jbreuler@wtwhmedia.com

VP, CREATIVE SERVICES

Erin Canetta ecanetta@clubandresortbusiness.com ART DIRECTOR

WEBINAR COORDINATOR

Halle Kirsh hkirsh@wtwhmedia.com

Matthew Claney mclaney@wtwhmedia.com

LEADLIFT ONBOARDING SPECIALIST

DIRECTOR, AUDIENCE DEVELOPMENT

EVENTS

Bruce Sprague bsprague@wtwhmedia.com

EVENTS MANAGER

Mike Ulanski mulanski@wtwhmedia.com

Jen Kolasky jkolasky@wtwhmedia.com EVENTS MARKETING SPECIALIST

Christina Lograsso clograsso@wtwhmedia.com

WTWH MEDIA, LLC

1111 Superior Ave., 26th Floor, Cleveland, OH 44114 Ph: 888.543.2447

SUBSCRIPTION INQUIRIES

To enter, change or cancel a subscription: Web (fastest service): www.ezsub.com/crb Phone: 844-862-9286 (U.S. only, toll-free) Mail: Club & Resort Business, P.O. Box 986, Levittown, PA 19058 Copyright 2019, WTWH Media, LLC

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Lawrence McFadden, CMC, GM/COO The Union Club, Cleveland, Ohio

FINANCE

Cody Middleton, Pastry Chef, The Polo Club of Boca Raton (Fla.)

Brian Korsberg bkorsberg@wtwhmedia.com

Nelson Millán, Executive Chef, San Antonio (Texas) Country Club

ACCOUNTS RECEIVABLE SPECIALIST

Colby Newman, Executive Chef, Grosse Pointe (Mich.) Yacht Club

Jamila Milton jmilton@wtwhmedia.com

Drew Tait, Executive Chef, Kelly Greens Golf & Country Club, Ft. Myers, Fla. Greg Volle, Executive Chef, Country Club of Roswell (Ga.)

APRIL CLUB INDEX Properties featured in this issue

Lisa Rosen lrosen@wtwhmedia.com

CREATIVE DIRECTOR

Club + Resort Chef

Brian Furda bfurda@wtwhmedia.com

WEBINAR MANAGER

Mark Rook mrook@wtwhmedia.com

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Edward Leonard, CMC, Director of Culinary Operations and Executive Chef, The Polo Club of Boca Raton (Fla.)

Amanda Fourlaris afourlaris@wtwhmedia.com

737-615-8452

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DIGITAL PRODUCTION SPECIALIST

CONTROLLER

DIGITAL MARKETING

ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER

Reggie Hall rhall@wtwhmedia.com

Eric Floyd, Executive Chef, Washington Athletic Club, Seattle, Wash.

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April 2019

2011 - 2018

American Golf El Segundo, Calif. 15 Austin Country Club Austin, Texas 26 Blue Hills Country Club Kansas City, Mo. 10 Bulls Bay Golf Club Awendaw, S.C. 26 Chartwell Golf & Country Club Severna Park, Md. 14 Country Club of Detroit Grosse Pointe Farms, Mich. 22 Daniel Island Club Charleston, S.C. 26 Doylestown Country Club Doylestown, Pa. 14 Eastward Ho! Country Club Chatham, Mass. 20 The Ford Plantation Richmond Hill, Ga. 34 Hammock Dunes Club Palm Coast, Fla. 22 Grosse Pointe Yacht Club Grosse Pointe Shores, Mich. 22 Medinah Country Club Medinah, Ill. 26 The Metropolitan Club of the City of Washington Washington, D.C. 26 Myers Park Country Club Charlotte, N.C. 14, 19 Olympia Fields Country Club Olympia Fields, Ill. 26 Saddle & Cycle Club Chicago, Ill. 24 San Antonio Country Club San Antonio, Texas 26 Sunnybrook Golf Club Plymouth Meeting, Pa. 26 Upper Montclair Country Club Clifton, N.J. 24 Vicmead Hunt Club Wilmington, Del. 26 Women’s Athletic Club Chicago, Ill. 24 www.clubandresortchef.com

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See you in

CHARLOTTE 2020 TH E WESTIN CH A R LOTTE MARCH 1 -3 , 2 0 2 0

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Dishing

with

DeChellis

YOU CAN’T POUR FROM AN EMPTY CUP AS A CLUB CHEF, YOU SPEND NEARLY all of your time taking care of members and your staff. You work the line when someone calls off.

You bend and twist to meet member demands, no matter how quirky. You strive to please your Board and your GM, all the while teaching your cooks how to be better and do more.

You plan, prep and prepare. You evaluate and strategize. You work long hours on your feet.

But at what cost?

How many of you eat a sub-par dinner because you’re just too spent to make one more dish? Or go out for drinks night after night to blow off steam? Or let loose your rage on an undeserving recipient?

When was the last time you did something for you?

A number of times over the past month in my interactions with different club chefs, the topic of self-care came up. In fact, the subject has been broached to me more times recently than ever before in my career. It’s an important topic. And I’m glad we’re talking about it.

In each instance, the chefs shared stories with me about how they lost sight of themselves by taking care of others or focusing too much on their work. In a few instances, the chef hit rock bottom.

For all, it served as an important wakeup call.

All of these chefs then stepped back to evaluate their work/life balance. They realized that if they didn’t take care of themselves, they couldn’t take care of others. They focused on why they work so hard, and on who matters most in their lives.

It’s easy, when life is humming along and you seem to be nailing every dish and every service, to think that you’re fine. The constant pumping of adrenaline can fuel the illusion.

Don’t wait until you stop and it hits you. Instead, get in the habit of checking how full your cup really is, especially as summer fast approaches and many of your busiest seasons are directly in front of you.

Take a few minutes and do something for you. Find ways to fill your reserves, so you can keep doing what you do.

EDITOR Joanna DeChellis jdechellis@clubandresortbusiness.com 412-260-9233

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the

19th Hole

with

McIntyre

KEEP RUNNING PERHAPS YOU’VE ALL HEARD the African proverb about the lion and the gazelle? You know—the one where every morning when the sun comes up in Africa, the gazelle knows he has to outrun the lion in order to live? And every morning when the sun comes up, the lion knows he just has to outrun the slowest gazelle in order to eat?

It doesn’t matter if you’re a lion or a gazelle: Every morning when the sun comes up, you’d better be running.

Every season, you change your menus.

You evolve your service styles. You offer new programs and events. You constantly improve yourselves and your clubs to better serve your members and their guests.

We are doing the same thing at Club + Resort Business—but for you.

At the 2019 Chef to Chef Conference in New Orleans, more than 400 chefs and food-andbeverage professionals from clubs across the country gathered to network and share ideas.

During this 11th annual event, we revealed our newly rebranded platform: Club + Resort Chef.

This platform encompasses myriad channels including this quarterly magazine, a brand new website—www.clubandresortchef. com—new —new social handles on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn, videos, podcasts, bloggers, FAQs, newsletters and more.

Club + Resort Chef will build on the momentum of the Chef to Chef Conference and the Chef to Chef supplement. We will continue to serve as the leading platform for club and resort chefs and food-and-beverage professionals. Through all of our touchpoints, we will offer vivid, incisive content on relevant topics for this important industry segment. We will deliver ideas, strategies and opportunities relating to culinary trends, menus, à la carte dining, banquets, equipment, products, club-specific recipes and more.

Success is never an accident. Ditto for quality.

Both are achieved through careful planning and a lot of work. You don’t graduate culinary school knowing how to run a $2 million F&B operation. You claw your way up the ladder, washing dishes, working the line, apprenticing and learning. And as you have evolved, so have we.

Thank you for making this brand a relevant, necessary force in the club and resort industry. Your continued feedback is always welcome, so please reach out to me at tmcintyre@wtwhmedia.com with suggestions on how we can continue to serve your needs best.

Ready to run?

VICE PRESIDENT-GROUP PUBLISHER Tom McIntyre tmcintyre@wtwhmedia.com 216-533-9186

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From kitchen to table and golf course to clubhouse,

Club + Resort Business

provides industry leaders with all the latest news and trends in the club and resort industry.

www.clubandresortchef.com or clubandresortbusiness.com

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COVER FEATURE

Culture

Shift

Blue Hills CC is bringing new life to F&B by focusing on who and what make the club special. (left to right) Rich Fairman, General Manager/COO; Refilita Stewart, Server; Zach Brewer, Service and Banquet Manager; Todd Walline, Executive Chef and Director of Food & Beverage; Brandy Hutchinson, Assistant Event Coordinator; and Connor Stirland, Service and Beverage Manager PHOTOS COURTESY OF BLUE HILLS COUNTRY CLUB

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IT WAS 1998 WHEN Todd Walline accepted the job as Executive Chef of Blue Hills Country Club (Kansas City, Mo.). Alain Ducasse had just earned six Michelin stars, and Morimoto had finally joined the original Japanese version of Iron Chef.

Walline had been cooking at a club down the street for four years. He was ready and eager to run his own kitchen. He threw his hat in the ring, and he landed the job.

At the time, Blue Hills was only doing about $550,000 in F&B. Walline figured he could have a pretty substantial impact, and that his experience there would bolster his resume for the next step in his career.

Little did he know what was in store for him.

Two decades later, Walline has seen Blue Hills CC through its best and worst years. He and his team have grown the F&B operation into a $2.1 million powerhouse.

He’s stood by the club through renovations, recessions, and three different general managers. He has also become one of the city’s most well-respected chefs, as he serves on the culinary advisory boards of Flint Hills Technical College and Metropolitan Community College.

Walline’s style is far from pretentious. And his culinary skills, paired with his innate ability to mentor those www.clubandresortchef.com

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around him, are masterful. He deeply appreciates the people he works with and the members he serves.

When asked to describe Blue Hills, Walline usually laughs and then tells stories about how fun his membership is, and how amazing his staff is. He’ll follow that with a comment on how the club is growing more and more casual, as its members continue to seek laid-back opportunities to engage with one another.

Over the past five years, Blue Hills has come into its own as Kansas City’s premier family-oriented club.

Dining, and the people who run that arm, have played a huge part in that shift—in particular, Walline, Natalie Hirt, CMP (Director of Member Relations and Events) andRich Fairman, CCM (General Manager/COO).

Together, this trio has led Blue Hills into becoming a place that members now use daily, and that is staffed by people who genuinely care about the club’s success, and about one another.

EASING UP When Fairman inherited Walline after becoming Blue Hills’ new GM in 2012, he didn’t know what he was going to get. Especially since Walline had been in the April 2019 l Club + Resort Chef l 11

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COVER FEATURE Many of Blue Hills’ entrees are customizable so members can personalize their plates based on their lifestyle.

Currently, globally inspired dishes, like curry and shawarma, are popular. To find out what’s trending, Walline likes to test the waters with the club’s card players.

BLUE HILLS COUNTRY CLUB

at a glance

Location: Kansas City, Mo. Members: 650 Annual F&B Revenue: $2.14 Million À la carte/banquet mix: 60% à la carte/40% banquet Food Costs: 28.6% Annual Golf Rounds: 15,000-18,000 F&B Minimum: $250 (quarterly) A la carte Foodservice Spaces (and capacities): • 1912 Room (80) • 19th hole bar (50) • Family Dining room (70) • Men’s Grill (30) • Patio (90) • Snack Bar No. of F&B employees: 15 BOH, 34 FOH No. of Kitchens: 1 Kitchen Size: Xx,xxx sq. ft.

Clubhouse Size: 40,000 sq. ft.

Banquet Capacity: 225

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chef’s role for almost fifteen years. But Fairman began his relationship with his Executive Chef with an open mind.

“Chef Todd was well ahead of the curve,” Fairman recalls. “He wanted Blue Hills dining to be more than a place members came to celebrate things. He wanted to offer spaces that were less formal, so that we could attract families. He was eager to transform the menu, too, and to get rid of dinner jackets and white tablecloths.

“He and Natalie saw the potential for Blue Hills to be relaxed and approachable through dining,” Fairman adds. “And they had a lot of good ideas for how we could get there.”

Fairman bought into Walline and Hirt’s vision and found ways to support them as the club moved in this new, exciting direction.

“Rich was such a breath of fresh

air,” says Walline. “He saw the vision, trusted the people here, and gave us the support we needed to achieve it.”

The process began subtly. Menus changed. Dress codes relaxed and white tablecloths disappeared. Beanbag chairs and TVs were introduced in the dining room. More families joined.

Cooks came out of the kitchen to interact with members at their tables.

And members came into the kitchen to interact with chefs on the line. Students from local culinary schools took up internships at the club. Walline began entering culinary competitions again (including the Chef to Chef Conference “Mystery Basket” cookoff, which he won in Atlanta in 2017).

Turnover dropped, and job satisfaction among employees grew. Things were changing—and all in good ways.

MORALE BOOSTERS For the first decade and a half of Walline’s career, he was more dictator than coach. He’d bark orders and demand

Natalie Hirt (left) started at Blue Hills as Walline’s sous chef 13 years ago. She moved to the front of house in 2012 to take over banquets, which she’s successfully grown by 10%. www.clubandresortchef.com

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About a year and a half ago, Blue Hills began offering wine dinners.

Limited to 32, these events consistently sell out weeks in advance while allowing the culinary team to push the envelope.

that things be done his way. As a result, turnover in the back of the house was high, around 30%.

After Fairman came to Blue Hills, he began teaching and mentoring Walline.

He took note of all of the challenges that frustrated the chef, and then fixed them. He built into the budget investments into new kitchen equipment and continuing education. He also supported Walline in competing again.

“Fairman’s leadership approach taught me how much more effective it is to coach and mentor than to demand and pressure,” says Walline, who has since adopted a similar philosophy and is reinvesting in his team members, too.

“I was unhappy before, and I let that rule my world,” Walline adds. “I’m happy now. I meditate daily and take care of myself. And I am a better manager and chef because of it.”

Happy staff members lead to happier club members, and Walline is the perfect example. But it doesn’t end with him. Blue Hills recently started a qualityof-life initiative for its staff, says Walline.

“We try to keep salaried staff to 50 hours a week—unless there is a big member-guest event,” he explains.

“We’ve also changed the culture in the kitchen so that it’s not frowned upon to take a vacation, like it had been.”

Now, at a time when so many in the restaurant industry are struggling to find qualified staff, Blue Hills’ turnover has dropped to 10%.

“Our ‘stay interviews’ have been a big part of that change,” says Walline.

During those sessions, Walline and a team member will sit down over lunch, and Walline will ask that individual why he or she is still at Blue Hills.

“We want our staff members to have

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career ambitions, and we want to help them achieve their goals,” he says. “We talk about what’s holding them back and what they want to learn. We create a timeline and we help to get them to the next stage of their careers, whether that’s with us or with another club.”

Continuing education is also an important part of this approach. Blue Hills encourages education for staff at every level. Connor Stirland, Service and Beverage Manager, just earned his Level 1 Sommelier. Hirt is working toward her Certified Club Manager certification.

Walline is active in the American Culinary Federation community and with industry publications such as Club + Resort Chef.

“In most clubs, continuing education is the first thing that gets cut,” says Hirt.

“But it’s vital to our survival and it helps us improve the membership experience. Blue Hills has been excellent about making education a priority.”

MAKING WAY FOR WELLNESS Today, Blue Hills is working toward becoming what Walline dubs a “lifestyle club.”

Much as lifestyle brands attempt to embody the values, aspirations, interests, attitudes, and opinions of a group for marketing purposes, Blue Hills is hoping to embody those same attributes of its members, to better their experience at the club.

At the top of this initiative is a push toward wellness. The club is looking to partner with a nutritionist, and Walline is working toward becoming a certified dietary manager.

“We already run a ‘clean’ kitchen where we don’t use excess additives or preservatives,” he says. “All of our meats are antibiotic- and hormone-free, too. But we want to take this further, with nutrition consultations and more plant-based options on all our menus.”

Green initiatives, like composting, also tie into this plan, says Walline.

ALL THIS— AND GREAT BBQ, TOO

Exec. Sous Chef Jacob Picking (left), a former student of Walline’s, now works closely with local farmers, including Jeff Bingham from Rollin B Farms.

“You have to take risks in F&B,” says Fairman. “And you need to measure your success. It helps to do that when you have a chef like Walline, who is incredibly talented.

“He’s curious about everything—especially food,” Fairman says. “And he’s passionate about the people he serves and the people working around him.

He makes each of us better, and he makes this club better by being consistent and steady.

Fairman then adds what may be the boldest and most impressive testament for his Executive Chef: “He also makes the best bbq in Kansas City.” C+RC April 2019 l Club + Resort Chef l 13

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FOOD + BEVERAGE À La Carte

Clubs Serve Up

Snack Bars with Style For Myers Park CC and Doylestown CC, the snack bar is evolving into an all-day dining destination.

By Joanna DeChellis, Editor

SNACK BARS ARE SHEDDING their reputations as no-frills food counters that only dish up hot dogs, packaged snacks and candy bars. Many of these outposts are now being transformed into bona fide casual-dining destinations with unique identities—not to mention really good food.

Of course, members can still get hot dogs, packaged snacks and candy bars at the turn stand and by the pool.

But they can also get prepackaged salads, sandwiches and sushi, all made in-house. Or, if they’re pining for something hot, they can opt for lamb tacos or hand-tossed pizzas.

“Most club snack bars were built as an afterthought,” says Scott Craig, CEC, CCA, WCMC, Director of Culinary Operations at Myers Park Country Club, Charlotte, N.C., who presented on the topic at the 2019 Chef to Chef Confer-

PHOTO COURTESY OF MYERS PARK CC

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ence in New Orleans.

“The kitchen space is usually inadequate, and there’s typically a walk-up counter serviced by cooks who have to do double duty, cooking as they take orders,” Craig notes in describing what’s often found in snack-bar setups.

This was certainly the case at Myers Park until five years ago, when the club went all-in on a snack bar renovation.

“During opening weekend at the pool, the membership came out in full force,” says Craig. “Our snack bar was completely overwhelmed. Orders were taking too long and the staff was deep in the weeds. We knew something needed to change—and fast.”

Myers Park decided to renovate the snack bar, retooling it for speed and efficiency. Craig worked with a designer and architect to come up with a layout that would better suit the needs of the members. He pitched the plan to the Myers Park house committee, and then to its Board. His budget of $75,000 was approved, and the three-month project began.

“We didn’t add hood space or change the physical structure,” says Craig. “Instead, we turned counter space into a service window, and

ON DECK

Myers Park CC’s new display cases are filled with pre-made cold items to make service quicker for members and for staff.

When Jason Hembree, Executive Chef of Doylestown (Pa.) Country Club, listened to Craig’s Chef to Chef presentation on the snack bar transformation at Myers Park, he was shocked.

created a new counter ahead of that window.

“We reduced the space for the membership by making it a walk-up concept,” he adds. “And because of that, it allowed us to capture more space for the culinary team. We even added a full-time expeditor.”

Now, Myers Park prepares its cold food in advance of service. Cold items are lightly cryovac’d to maintain freshness, and packaged with a shiny goldfoil seal that reflects beautifully off the pin lighting that was added above the display cases. All hot-food options are listed on a digital menu board above the counter, which gives the club the added advantage of changing the menu à la minute.

Thanks to these improvements, Myers Park’s snack bar now runs six minutes on its ticket times.

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On Tap at the Tee

PHOTOS COURTESY OF (LEFT) DOYLESTOWN CC; (RIGHT) AMERICAN GOLF

American Golf hosts a beer-tasting tournament series in Southern California that introduces members and guests to local brews.

Doylestown CC will add two new snack bar concepts this year—at the pool and at the turn—to better serve its members.

According to Hembree, Doylestown CC is on the cusp of a similar snack bar renovation.

Currently, Doylestown CC doesn’t have dedicated destinations for golfers at the turn or for kids at the pool. Instead, golfers are served either through the locker rooms or at the pool bar, while kids can order from a walk-up window by the kitchen.

“This spring, we’re going to build a stand-alone snack bar for our kids near the kiddie pool,” says Hembree.

Once the pool season is finished, Doylestown CC will begin renovating what is currently an outdoor barbecue area. The plan is to add another small building with soft seating, along with a gas-fired pizza oven. Inside, members will be able to select pre-made cold items from display cases—much like members can do at Myers Park—as well as a limited menu of hot items.

“We expect this new snack bar to become a destination for golfers and members alike,” says Hembree, who has been instrumental in selecting the equipment and design for both of the new spaces. “Both outlets will become amenities all on their own.” C+RC www.clubandresortchef.com

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AMERICAN GOLF CONTINUES to capitalize on the bond between birdies and brews with its annual Beer Tasting Golf Tournament Series.

Hosted on the last Friday of each month, March through October, the tournament series takes golfers to eight different courses where they play nine holes—sampling different beers as they go—before finishing up with a dinner prepared by the host club.

This schedule was set for participating courses in 2019: • March: Vista Valencia Golf Course, Valencia, Calif.

• April: El Dorado Park Golf Course, Long Beach, Calif.

• May: Recreation Park 18 Golf Course, Long Beach, Calif.

• June: Knollwood Country Club, Granada Hills, Calif.

• July: Diamond Bar (Calif.) Golf Course • August: La Mirada (Calif.) Golf Course • September: San Dimas (Calif) Golf Course • October: Mountain Meadows Golf Course, Pomona, Calif.

“It’s a fun way to introduce our golfers to different local breweries and beers in the area,” says Kimmy Arrañaga, Regional Director of Sales for American Golf.

Structured as a shotgun start, each event features a different lineup of beer vendors, ranging from emerging local brewers to larger, national brands. American Golf typically contracts with the national brands, while the host clubs work directly with the smaller breweries.

At the end of the tournament, the host club prepares and serves a casual meal to all of the golfers, often with pairings based on the beers being sampled. “Our chefs love working directly with the vendors to come up with interesting pairings,” says Arrañaga. “The series offers fantastic exposure for our clubs, and it helps to bring the club experience full circle.”

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FOOD + BEVERAGE Banquets

Perfect Party Desserts

PHOTOS COURTESY OF WAC

The new pastry chef of the Women’s Athletic Club in Chicago is serving up sweet endings for parties and events.

PASTRY CHEF LAURA HERMAN spent the first ten months of her new position at the Women’s Athletic Club (WAC) in Chicago refining the pastry program and introducing her own style and recipes.

In doing so, she has looked beyond trends to focus more succinctly on what members want. She watches what they gravitate toward when creating pastry displays, and incorporates what she learns to make each dish, menu and event better than the one before.

When she arrived at the WAC after serving for six years as Pastry Chef of Conway Farms Golf Club (Lake Forest, Ill.), Herman was handed a WAC cookbook that features dozens of desserts spanning the club’s 120-year history.

“There is definitely beauty in tradition,” says Herman. She has found ways to update many of the members’ favorites so they retain their nostalgic flair and flavor, while featuring a more modern makeup.

One of the more surprising discoveries was that the lion’s share of the WAC membership requests gluten-free des16

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serts. So for all banquets and events, gluten-free is now standard.

“There are plenty of desserts that don’t need flour to taste great,” says Herman, who shies away from recipes that demand substitutions, and instead chooses desserts that are naturally gluten-free. Most of the time, she says, members don’t even realize that’s the case with those items.

One of Herman’s most popular banquet desserts is a chai tea streusel with a chocolate cremeux. “You can change the flavor profile based on the season,” she explains.

Panna cotta is an equally flexible (and gluten-free) favorite. “Panna cotta is also a great option to size up or down, if you want to do them as a plated dessert or as a mini,” says Herman.

When creating pastry buffets, Herman goes to great lengths to design them in such a way that each member will experience all that she and her pastry team have to offer.

“I never put two chocolates next to each other,” she says. “And I spread out the favorites. If you put all the favorites

at the very beginning, the members won’t walk all the way through the display. We use lots of different elevations and we put the super-popular items toward the end” Herman also likes to play with different vessels for party displays. “Threetier stands are great for cookies and tarts,” she says. “They’re traditional, but still elegant, which is great for our club.

“We also try to have something on a stick, like a brownie bite or a Rice Krispie treat,” she adds. ”We also always have a rod of homemade doughnuts.”

Herman has introduced a donut-making action station that has been one of the hottest add-ons for kid-friendly events. “We live-fry the donuts, and the kids devour them,” she says.

Mini-donuts are also popular for latenight snacks served right at the end of a party, but nothing beats Herman’s homemade chocolate chip cookies.

“Cookies are an especially great latenight option because if you have any extras, the guests or the members can take them home to enjoy the next day,” she says. C+RC www.clubandresortchef.com

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Buttermilk Panna Cotta Yields: Approx. 60 ozs.

INGREDIENTS: 2 cups 6.5 sheets 1 qt.

1 cup 2 tsp.

buttermilk gelatin heavy cream sugar vanilla paste or extract

DIRECTIONS: • Bloom gelatin by soaking in cold water until soft.

• Slightly warm buttermilk and sugar on medium heat in a pot until sugar dissolves. Squeeze excess water from gelatin and add to buttermilk.

Stir until combined then strain into bowl and add heavy cream. Immediately portion into glasses, bowls or fleximolds*.

Recipe courtesy of Laura Herman, Pastry Chef, Women’s Athletic Club, Chicago

© 2019 Hatco Corporation. All rights reserved.

* If using fleximolds you will need to freeze them to unmold panna cotta.

OK, maybe that’s a slight exaggeration.

The point is, Hatco foodservice equipment is so dependable, you’ll likely forget it’s even there. As part of our 360-degree customer experience, we design innovative, highhigh-performance cooking, warming, holding and cooling equipment that’s so reliable, there’s little to no downtime. Don’t you wish all of your equipment was this forgettable?

Visit www.hatcocorp.com or call 888.814.0054

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People who serve, products that solve.®

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FOOD + BEVERAGE

Liquid-Center Chocolate Cake Makes 4 Individual Cakes

INGREDIENTS: 460 grams chocolate 200 grams butter 160 grams almond flour

8 eggs (separated) 360 grams sugar 160 grams flour

DIRECTIONS: • Melt chocolate and add softened butter.

• Once chocolate is cooled, add almond and all-purpose flour.

• Add egg yolks to chocolate and flour mixture.

• Beat egg whites to soft peaks.

• Once egg whites have peaked, add sugar.

• Fold meringue into the chocolate mixture.

• Butter parchment paper strips and line a 3-inch ring mold.

• Pipe batter into the mold • Keep batter in ring molds frozen until baking.

• Bake at 350°F for 20 minutes.

Recipe courtesy of Arnaud Berthelier, CMC, Executive Chef, The Union Club, Cleveland, Ohio

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FOOD + BEVERAGE Banquets

Eastward Ho!

Hosts Lavish Wedding

The only way to serve the caliber of food Mathurin is known for on such a large scale was to erect a dedicated kitchen tent.

(Separate tents were set up for scraping china and as a service station.)

SOME WEDDINGS GO BEYOND being a simple cel-

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Mathurin chose the equipment needed and set up how he wanted the kitchen to function and flow. The club brought in two rollaway ovens, a fryolator, two hotboxes, two refrigerators, a six-burner stove with an oven, four tables for plating, three plate trees, heat lamps and a china cabinet. But even that wasn’t enough. “We still had to bring out some of the club’s equipment, like a hot box and rolling stainless tables, because we didn’t have enough storage or work space,” Mathurin says.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF EASTWARD HO! CC

ebration of love, to become show-stopping events that call for huge and extravagant parties. The betrothed spare no expense as they “wow” guests with custom menus, elaborate décor and even fireworks displays.

Last summer, Eastward Ho! Country Club in Chatham, Mass., hosted a wedding of this ilk for 350 guests. The couple selected the club for its beauty, reputation and for the caliber of its cuisine. A wedding planner from New York City was hired to tend to all the details, big and small, and to work with the club’s staff to make sure the bride and groom’s dreams came true.

To bring their vision to life, the wedding organizers rented a series of tents that were erected all across Eastward Ho!’s property. The structure that served as the main dining tent was so large, it has only been used one other time since the tent company purchased it five years ago.

Eastward Ho!’s Executive Chef, Mark Mathurin, worked diligently with the wedding team on the menu. It featured a mix of upscale hors d’oeuvres, including an elaborate sushi display, a raw bar with oysters and clams, mini lobster rolls, tomato and mozzarella skewers, a riff on pigs in a blanket, and truffle fries.

For dinner, guests were served a golden beet carpaccio with baby arugula, crumbled goat cheese, lemon oil and almonds. Next, a series of family-style sides were served that included roasted root vegetables, green beans with bacon and shallots, and potatoes. The entrée proteins were a lemon honey-glazed salmon (see photo, pg. 3) and a grilled filet.

For Mathurin, the event was unique compared to typical weddings at the club. But it was not outside the scope of his experience or expertise. “It all comes down to planning and preparation,” he says. “We timed this event down to the minute. My team knew where they needed to be and when. And we didn’t miss a beat.” C+RC

The party began in a tent pitched near the Eastward Ho! clubhouse. Inside was a cocktail bar, a raw bar, and a sushi bar with a dedicated chef rolling sushi live. Passed appetizers, all of which Mathurin and his team prepared from scratch, were also offered. www.clubandresortchef.com

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Dinner service presented a number of challenges—all of which Mathurin overcame without breaking a sweat. For instance, the couple wanted the salad to be plated, the sides to be served family-style, and the proteins to be served individually by servers. They also wanted guests to be able to choose between salmon and filet as they sat down, instead of placing an order in advance.

Service for the cocktail hour ran from the club’s main kitchen.

Toward the end of the cocktail hour, Mathurin and twelve of his staff members relocated to the kitchen tent to begin prep for dinner service.

Once the ceremony was over, guests were shepherded to the dining tent, which featured elaborate decorations and seating options.

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FOOD + BEVERAGE Front of House

Setting Servers Up for Success A structured and ongoing server training program will increase member satisfaction and unify the F&B team.

By: Penelope L. Wong, CEC, Contributing Writer

WHEN A MEMBER ASKS a ques-

nine nightly features (see photo, below). Cook reviews specifics for each feature, including which items require a temperature request, proper pronunciation of the dishes, and where all seafood items are harvested.

Cook also conducts a basic culinary review during pre-shift to discuss current menu items. Staff is given the opportunity to see and sample any items discussed, and to ask questions.

“Training is non-stop,” says Cook.

“It is done every day with every team member, and used at every table.”

Sharing in Cook’s strategy, Colby Newman, Executive Chef of Grosse Pointe Yacht Club in Grosse Pointe Shores, Mich., also offers the opportunity for the front-of-house team to see

PHOTO COURTESY OF HAMMOCK DUNES CLUB

tion about where the featured fresh fish is from, a server should be able to answer that question, in detail, without having to leave the table to speak with the chef first.

But getting to this point is not as simple as connecting point A to point B. A well-trained server can make or break a dining experience. So training these individuals is critical for continued success—and many clubs are investing more time and money into improving their training programs, and their people.

At Hammock Dunes Club in Palm Coast, Fla., Executive Chef Lance Cook takes advantage of daily pre-shift lineups to go over the restaurant’s

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and sample new menu items.

“We make our FOH training interactive, and let the staff eat and ask questions,” he says. “This gives them a better understanding of presentations and flavor profiles.”

For each menu item, Newman shares a story about its sourcing or seasonality, so the servers can draw on that knowledge to provide an added, personalized touch.

“Servers need to know the menus, but they also need to be able to sell the dish,” says Newman.

Just down the road from Newman at the Country Club of Detroit (CCD) in Grosse Pointe Farms, Mich., Clubhouse Manager Bryan Sandzik stresses the importance of menu knowledge to his team regularly. He does so by distributing weekly features ahead of time, to allow his team to review menu items and come up with questions.

At CCD, service standards are exact and are reviewed frequently. Teamwork and discipline are both emphasized.

“Creating a friendly and inviting environment for your members and guests is number one for us,” says Sandzik.

“The goal is the pursuit of perfection,” adds CCD’s F&B Manager, Chad Bryson. “We achieve this by utilizing every individual’s strengths.”

CCD hosts daily, weekly and even annual training meetings. During this time, staff members are given training packets to review one-on-one with their managers. Much of the content in these packets is gleaned from the nightly www.clubandresortchef.com

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Five Things You Can Do for Your Mental Health The life of a chef is physically and creatively demanding. It’s marked by long days, intense stress and high expectations.

“It’s so important to take care of yourself—and each other,” says Scott Craig, CEC, CCA, WCMC, Director of Culinary Operations at Myers Park Country Club, Charlotte, N.C. In addition to sharing his culinary skills and knowledge, Craig is actively focused on helping other chefs find a better balance between work and life. “We can’t lead if we are broken,” he says.

Here are Craig’s top five strategies to help boost your mood, build resilience, and strengthen your mental health.

1. Make time for yourself. You’ll never “find” time. You have to make it. Set aside a block of time during the week that is dedicated exclusively to physical exercise, a hobby, or special interests outside of work.

2. Make your office a sanctuary. Add a plant or desktop water feature, or repaint the room. Do whatever needs to be done to make your office feel like a place where you can take a moment to re-center yourself.

3. Communicate. Rather than bottling emotions or concerns, express them to the individuals who need to hear them.

4. Eat the elephant one bite at a time. Instead of letting large, intimidating tasks sit until it’s too late, break them up into smaller, more manageScott Craig, CEC, CCA, able pieces, and build on small WCMC, Director of achievements until the goal is Culinary Operations, reached.

Myers Park CC 5. Write down your short-, medium- and long-range goals, and stick to them. When the job gets tough, it’s good to have something that reminds you of the progress you’re making.

service reports collected by Sandzik. This helps the team to see what’s working and what’s not, so their service skills can continue to evolve.

HELPING HANDS Success for CCD’s training program is dependent on more than F&B and Clubhouse Managers.

“Front-of-house training is the responsibility of all management and even the veteran servers of the club,” Colby Newman, Executive says Bryson.

Chef, Grosse Pointe YC Shadowing is especially helpful for both CCD and Grosse Pointe YC. “Training is best learned by doing and understanding the whole process,” says Newman. “A new server will spend several shifts shadowing a veteran server to better understand the nuances of the club, the food and the membership.”

Regardless of what the term might imply, front-of-thehouse training is really an all-hands-on-deck task. No matter what parts of the house are involved, the training should unify an operation and elevate each club’s ability to serve and satisfy its members. C+RC www.clubandresortchef.com

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FOOD + BEVERAGE Back of House

How to Manage Inventory Properly

Having too much or too little on hand can lead to costly problems. Here are some smart management techniques to keep inventory under control.

By Joanna DeChellis, Editor

PERISHABLE INVENTORY MUST be treated like piles of cash on fire.

This little tip comes from Jacksonville (Fla.) Golf and Country Club’s former Executive Chef, Mike Ramsey, who would recite this line to all of his sous chefs every chance he got.

“You can’t stop the piles from burning, but you can keep it to a smolder by managing it effectively,” he says. “Rotate it. Create specials with it. Freeze it, if needed. But above all else, keep it moving.”

Effective inventory management approaches like these are critical to the success of club and resort kitchens.

Knowing how much you have on hand, how much you need and what you’ll do with the leftovers is the only way to keep the fires under control.

UPPER MONTCLAIR COUNTRY CLUB

Location: Clifton, N.J. Annual F&B Revenue: $9.5M Food Cost: 36.5% If you look at the numbers, Ryan Foo, CEC, Executive Chef of UMCC, carries a massive amount of inventory. But that’s because the club has its own dry-age room that holds at least $20,000 in product.

Dig further, and you’ll find that UMCC actually carries very little in inventory, as the culinary team diligently turns the bulk of its products every few days.

Foo—an Excel junk-

ie—keeps careful track of everything coming and going by relying on the “shelf to sheet” method. Each week, either Foo or his Chef de Cuisine, Kirk Richardson, will walk through dry storage, freezers and walk-ins, to ensure that what’s on the shelf matches what’s listed as inventory on the par sheets.

“Having a comprehensive history is really important on the par system,” says Foo. “It allows us to compare year over year, and helps to prevent overpurchasing.”

Over the course of his career, Foo, who has found that chefs often don’t make time or have the bandwidth to stay on top of inventory, has helped a number of clubs regain control.

His first step is to record every single piece of inventory in Excel. Then, over three to four months, he tracks what moves and what doesn’t. He pulls these products to the front of the storage rooms, so they are easily accessible. Then he plans specials, buffets and staff meals around the product that still needs to be used.

“On Mondays, [Richardson] and I walk through the freezer with my receiving steward, Helber Saurez, and brainstorm what needs to be used and how we can use it,” Foo says.

When prices change, Foo notes, is

UMCC’s Ryan Foo urges chefs to stay on top of inventory, to know their prices and to update records every two weeks.

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Chartwell G&CC’s Andrew Maggitti works with 22 different purveyors to ensure he gets the best quality product at the best possible price.

when things can start to slip. “If the pricing, pack size or quantity is wrong, your numbers will not be correct,” he says. “If you don’t update your sheets, you will start to see errors.”

Foo urges chefs to stay on top of inventory, to know their prices and to update records at least monthly, though every two weeks is ideal.

“When your vendors know you’re on top of it, they’ll let you know when a price changes instead of the other way around,” says Foo. “Pay attention to actual market conditions, too, to make sure you’re getting the best price.”

For example, Foo reads the cattle report to stay abreast of market conditions.

“I see a lot of chefs bring in a vendor because they’re a friend,” he says.

“But at the end of the day, you need to make sure your numbers are correct.

If your ‘friend’ gives you the best price, that’s great. But your job is to be a good steward of price. Be smart about your purchasing. Sometimes it’s less expensive to buy one unit of a product than a whole case.

“Set up proper controls,” he adds.

“Create a system of cross-utilization.

And stay on top of it.”

SADDLE & CYCLE CLUB

the-plate proteins sitting in the freezer for four to six weeks,” he says. “That’s a waste. We have to wind down, so we cross-utilize product and only buy what we know we will use.”

Being clean, organized and tidy is imperative, Violante adds. “How will you know what you have if you aren’t?” he asks.

The S&C staff uses POS handhelds for digital inventories in the club’s bar.

But that system doesn’t work as well with food. Instead, Violante and his sous chefs take inventory weekly on Sundays, when the club is slower. But for dairy and produce, it’s done daily.

“This way, we don’t have any surprises,” says Violante.

S&C relies on two universal labels for all products: “Use First” and “FIFO,” which stands for “first in, first out.” The team also marks everything with weights and dates. Dry storage, walk-ins and freezers are organized for success, too.

Location: Chicago, Ill. Annual F&B Revenue: $2.7M Food Cost: 38.3%

CHARTWELL GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB

Marshall Violante, Executive Chef of Saddle & Cycle Club (S&C), incorporates expert inventory management within his menu engineering. This is most evident during March of each year, when S&C has its annual shutdown. Violante spends the weeks leading up to the club’s closing carefully planning menus, specials and events, so he doesn’t begin the shutdown with excess product sitting on his shelves.

“We don’t want high-end, center-of-

Andrew Maggitti, Executive Chef of Chartwell Golf & Country Club (CG&CC), works with 22 different purveyors.

“I don’t want to be married to any one supplier,” he says. “Because I’m not locked in, I can find the best product at the best price.”

To keep all of the moving parts

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Location: Severna Park, Md. Annual F&B Revenue: $2.5M Food Cost: 41%

organized, Maggitti uses a timeline to help him know what he needs to order, when, and from whom. Then, CG&CC’s executive sous chef, PM sous chef and AM sous chef are each given responsibility for ordering a specific category, whether it’s for meat, fish, bread or cheese.

The bulk of Maggitti’s deliveries arrive on Tuesday, so he and his Exec Sous will go through each order with the order sheet, to make sure what they purchased is there.

“This system works best for me,” says Maggitti. “It’s a little long-winded.

But I’m all about the quality of food. I don’t accept sub-par.

“I like having 22 purveyors,” he adds. “And because I stay on top of our inventory levels, costs don’t spiral out of control.”

Maggitti relies on utilization sheets and offers daily chef’s specials and family meals to keep product moving.

He also loops in his sous chefs to help write the specials, so they are also aware of what product needs to move.

“It doesn’t work if you don’t have good communication and organization,” he says. “Make sure your counts are correct and pay attention to the market to make sure you’re getting the best quality at the best price.” C+RC April 2019 l Club + Resort Chef l 25

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2019 Chef to Chef CONFERENCE

‘TEAM TEXAS’

TAKES HOME 2019 IRON CHEF

MYSTERY BASKET TITLE

San Antonio CC’s Executive Chef Nelson Millán and Austin CC’s Executive Sous Chef, Eva Barrios, won the competition at the 11th annual Chef to Chef Conference in New Orleans.

By Joanna DeChellis, Editor

ON MARCH 11TH, 2019, attendees of the 2019

PHOTOS BY DEREK LITTLE AND BRAD VOYTEN, WTWH MEDIA

Chef to Chef Conference in New Orleans gathered to watch four teams of club chefs race the clock to create dazzling dishes using a mystery basket of ingredients. The Golf Channel was also on hand for the event, with hosts Kira Kazantsev (Miss America 2015) and Jerry Schreck (Executive Chef of Merion Golf Club and National Program Coordinator for the Chef to Chef Conference) providing running commentary and interviewing the contestants and judges throughout the competition (see photos).

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Participants in the Iron Chef Cookoff included: • Tyler Dudley, Daniel Island Club (Charleston, S.C.) and Joe Strickland, Bulls Bay Golf Club (Awendaw, S.C.) • Eva Barrios, Austin (Texas) Country Club and Nelson Millán, San Antonio (Texas) Country Club • David Daddezio, Vicmead Hunt Club (Wilmington, Del.) and Greg Garbacz, Sunnybrook Golf Club (Plymouth Meeting, Pa.) • Michael Ponzio, Medinah (Ill.) Country Club and John Beck, Olympia Fields (Ill.) Country Club After three exciting rounds, Barrios and Millán—who presented on guest-chef programs the following day, alongside Richard Jallet, Executive Chef of Baltimore Country Club—emerged as the winners, earning a Vitamix blender in the process.

Each dish was judged by a team of taste testers, including (left to right) James Smith (Chef to Chef Conference), Nick Barrington (East Lake Golf Club) and Marshall Violante (Saddle and Cycle Club).

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11TH ANNUAL CHEF TO CHEF CONFERENCE

Eva Barrios (below, left) and Nelson Millán won the competition with a Cajun-themed South African U8 prawn seasoned with curry power, paired with a red curry sauce and Thai-style grits.

The first dish Millán and Barrios prepared in their semi-final faceoff with Dudley and Strickland was a Szechuan-dusted duck breast, paired with a Cajun fried rice made with crawfish, swiss chard and eggs.

Beneath it all was a spiced beet purée.

The second dish prepared by “Team Texas” for the finals competition vs. Ponzio and Beck (who had defeated Daddezio and Garbacz in their semifinal faceoff ) was a Cajun-themed South African U8 prawn seasoned with curry power, paired with a red curry sauce and Thai-style grits made with tomato and basil (see photo, top right).

Each dish was judged by a select team of taste testers, including: Marshall Violante, Executive Chef of the Saddle and Cycle Club of Chicago; Nick Barrington, Executive Chef of East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta, and James Smith, a member of the Chef to Chef Conference event team.

“I have known Chef Millán for a while, but we have never had the pleasure of working together as a team until we were in New Orleans,” says

Barrios. “The competition went very smoothly and it felt like we knew exactly what the other was thinking, based on flavors and presentation. It felt natural, and it was even more fun in the second round.”

Added Millán: “We went into it trusting our instincts and not holding back. When we won, Chef Barrios froze. I congratulated her, the other team congratulated her, and she was just frozen. Finally, when they presented her with the Vitamix, she unfroze, looked me in the eye and said in shock, ‘How cool is that?’”

For finishing as the runners-up, Ponzio and Beck earned a gift boxes from Spiceology, one of the Conference’s newest sponsors.

After the competition, attendees enjoyed an exclusive pop-up dining event at New Orleans’ Pythian Market. (A full report on all of the New Orleans activities can be found in the April 2019 issue of Club + Resort Business.)

The 12th Annual Chef to Chef Conference will be held March 1-3, 2020 in Charlotte, N.C. Visit www.Chef toChefConference.com later this year for registration information and other details about the 2020 Conference as they are announced. C+RC

David Daddezio (left) teamed up with Joe Strickland (right) worked with Tyler Greg Garbacz for the Iron Chef cookoff. Dudley to form “Team S.C.” www.clubandresortchef.com

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Michael Ponzio (left) and John Beck finished as runners-up.

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4/3/19 2:33 PM

MANAGER to CHEF

Letting Go

Grow

to

Michael Redmond, GM/COO of The Metropolitan Club of the City of Washington, discovered that coming out of the kitchen to become a manager was the best thing for his club, and his career.

By Joanna DeChellis, Editor

IT’S NEVER EASY TO leave the kitchen—especially when you’ve been on the line for nearly two decades. But when the opportunity was presented to Michael Redmond, CEC, CCM, General Manager/COO of The Metropolitan Club of the City of Washington (D.C.), to take on an assistant general manager role, despite having served only as a chef, it was an opportunity he couldn’t pass up.

The transition was difficult, but it has given Redmond—who was tapped in 2012 as a “Rising Star” through the Excellence in Club Management Awards co-sponsored by Club + Resort Business—valuable perspective about what it takes to run a world-class culinary operation, and how important it is to trust your chef.

C+RC: Why did you decide to leave the kitchen?

Michael Redmond (MR): After nine seasons in a full-service club, I met Reinhard Danger. He was the General Manager of the Genesee Valley Club (Rochester, N.Y.). Reinhard hired me as his Executive Chef.

After eight years, Reinhard informed me of his move to The Metropolitan Club in Washington and of his desire to take me with him as his Assistant General Manager. I was flattered, but didn’t know much about Washington or the club. The idea of giving up the kitchen was daunting. Having been a chef himself, Reinhard convinced me there would be a lot of opportunities and it would be worth it.

Michael Redmond, CEC, CCM (right), General Manager of The Metropolitan Club of the City of Washington (D.C.) with Executive Chef Vincent Horville.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF THE METROPOLITAN CLUB OF THE CITY OF WASHINGTON

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r.

C+RC: You obviously said yes. But do

you miss the kitchen?

MR: I miss the kitchen every day, but I do not miss the hours. I miss the intimate team and controlling everything in my environment.

C+RC: What was the F&B operation like at The Metropolitan Club when you first came on board?

MR: The club was a beautiful place filled with impressive people, but F&B had fallen flat. There wasn’t any chemistry left.

C+RC: What did you do next?

MR: We interviewed many talented chefs from in and out of our market.

And then we hired Vincent Horville as Executive Chef. [Horville] will tell you we didn’t even discuss cooking during his interviews. It’s all about soft skills in a club. Yes, you have to be talented, but if you can’t speak to members, if you can’t feel comfortable in the dining room and cannot nurture and build a team, you’ll never survive in the club industry.

C+RC: What is your relationship like with Chef Horville? And how has it changed or evolved?

MR: The first two years were the hardest for us. There was a lot of work and fine-tuning on both sides of the wall and, let’s face it, my career change presented some challenges.

When we would have tough days, I would retreat to where I was most comfortable—the kitchen. I’m still to this day not sure how [Horville] put up with all of my input and time spent in there.

Reinhard Danger was incredibly patient and explained to me more times than I can count that if I continually stayed in the kitchen, no one would want to work for me. And that was true.

[Chef Horville] and I eventually learned how to trust one another, and I pulled back from interjecting myself in the chef’s role.

Since then we have grown together with mutual respect. And he has really done a great job for the club over the last 12 years. He possesses all the traits of a truly great club chef. www.clubandresortchef.com

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[Chef Horville] and I “ eventually learned how

to trust one another, and I pulled back from interjecting myself in the chef’s role.

”

C+RC: What do you value most in Chef Horville?

MR: He is a leader and he can be counted on to handle his piece of the puzzle. He is also an incredible problem solver. I always say to my senior management team that if I found myself in a canoe without paddles, I would want [Horville] in it with me.

C+RC: How does your experience as a chef help you as a GM/COO?

MR: Having spent more than half of my life in the kitchen, I can help understand and promote the overall vision while also helping to build and develop the team.

retention. To achieve the engagement levels we want, it’s imperative to have enthusiastic, creative, well-trained individuals on your team.

C+RC: How has the industry’s focus on F&B evolved?

MR: It’s an exciting time to be an F&B professional. Who would have thought 20 years ago that a club would need a mixologist, a sommelier and a sushi chef? C+RC

C+RC: What should a club manager’s role be in the F&B department?

MR: The General Manager should be supportive and guide the team while communicating the overall direction and desires of the membership. Then we must let the team develop. I believe you hire “thoroughbred race horses” and let them run. If you, as the manager, have really done your job—meaning you have recruited the right team—you should let them take care of business.

C+RC: What kinds of people thrive on your club’s F&B team?

MR: Happy, self-driven professionals at all levels. We can teach a lot of things, but we can’t teach drive, and I can’t force a smile.

C+RC: What drives F&B success?

MR: We measure success by engagement, and not solely by the P&L. The F&B operation is an amenity within the club that plays a major role in member April 2019 l Club + Resort Chef l 29

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PRODUCT SHOWCASE

CLAREMONT CHAIRS

KEY LIME CRUNCH SNACK MIX

Features:

Features:

• Elegant stacking hardwood chairs designed for the Claremont Country Club in Oakland, Calif., in July of 2013 This spring, Eustis took its 22nd and repeat order from the Rolling Rock Club in Pennsylvania • No other chair offers this level of elegance and comfort in a full-function stacking hardwood chair • No other company offers a 20-year warranty against joint failure on a stacking hardwood chair • Check out the website, and see why so many top-tier clubs are choosing Eustis Chair

• Key Lime Crunch takes a trip down South with sweet and tangy flavors. This bright snack mix is a perfect choice for spring at clubs and resorts • It’s a blend of textures and tastes with smooth key lime bits and miniyogurt pretzels blended with crunchy roasted and salted pecan halves, honey graham toasters and roasted and salted cashews • Key Lime Crunch is low sodium • Available in 10-lb. bulk

Truly Good Foods

www.trulygoodfoods.com

Eustis Chair

www.eustischair.com

MODWATER DISPENSER Features:

• Patented carbonation technology delivers up to 20 gallons of sparkling water per hour without the use of a carbonator tank or pump • Dispenses chilled, hot and alkaline water options • Save space while offering your customers a refreshing beverage • Save money by not having to buy water bottles or pay labor to clean and refill decanters • Save the environment by not purchasing single-use plastic bottles

Hoshizaki America, Inc. www.hoshizakiamerica.com

SIMPLYPROTEIN™ SNACKS Features:

• Offered in Crispy Bars, Baked Bars and Crunchy Bites • Products are Non-GMO Project Verified, gluten-free, with high-quality ingredients • Each has 11 grams of protein or more with 3 grams of sugar or less • #SimplyU created to exemplify the importance of simple solutions associated with well-being, energy and lifestyle

SimplyProtein

www.simplyprotein.com 30

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GLO-ICE SET Features:

• Banquet serving set includes clear tray, light box, mirrored skirt and sneezeguard • Light box is UL-approved for safety • Place an order online at www.gloice.com

Glo-Ice by Engineered Plastics www.gloice.com

KOLDCUBE3 INSULATED REFRIGERATOR Features:

• Transport and hold cold food safely indoors or out with or without a cord • Use indoors with standard 120 Volt electric, then unplug and use outdoor cooling system • Cutting-edge battery and solar power hold up to 4 to 6 hours outdoors without a cord • Provides capacity up to (22) 12 x 20 steam table pans • Heavy-duty 8” all-terrain swivel casters, front two with brakes • Smooth interior coved corners prevent food particle/ grease buildup • Constructed with sun-reflective coating to shield the unit from sun rays

Cres Cor

RAPIDE CUISINE COUNTERTOP HIGHPOWERED/HEAVY-DUTY INDUCTION RANGE ®

Features:

• Pan Sense Technology activates the unit only when a suitable pan is placed on top • Magnetic Power System provides the highest cooking power possible of any induction range available • High-resolution TFT display instantly communicates precise power, temperature and timer settings • USB port allows chefs to download system updates and add new programmable modes

Hatco® Corporation (800) 558-0607 www.hatcocorp.com/en

www.clubandresortchef.com

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www.crescor.com

TABLESIDE POS AND KITCHEN DISPLAY SYSTEM Features:

• Reduce ticket times by four to eight minutes • Increase speed and accuracy of orders • Personalize member service with member preferences • Keep dining room “out of the weeds” by tracking fulfillment times • Make better decisions with analytical tools • Integrated online ordering process

Northstar

www.globalnorthstar.com

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PRODUCT SHOWCASE

SELFCOOKINGCENTER® Features:

• On a footprint of less than 11 ft² (1 m²), chefs can fry, roast, grill, steam, poach, bake, and much more regardless of whether they want to prepare meat, fish, poultry, vegetables, egg dishes, baked goods, or desserts for a service of 30 or several thousand • Brings the support any kitchen team would wish for • Cooks quickly and is easy to use • Provides the food quality chefs specify, and even saves money, time, and energy • Does all of the monitoring and checking. Sets the temperature, humidity and cooking time by itself.

• Monitors the cooking climate and the browning, and even saves chefs from having to flip or turn items, such as panfried foods • Minimum running costs • Cook different foods at the same time • Automatic cleaning and descaling

WORLD® PORCELANA STACKABLE DINNERWARE Features:

• New stackable additions to Libbey’s top-selling World® Porcelana dinnerware • Modern aesthetic and minimalist style create an ideal canvas for your creations • Stackable and works in small spaces, minimizing storage space that is often at a premium • Steep rim is deep enough to hold sauces and aids grip for servers • Soft white color creates a clean look without being harsh • “Just right” sizes aren’t too big or small, ideal for serving during multiple day parts—everything from full meals to apps and shareables • Works with other stackable Porcelana items

Libbey Foodservice

www.foodservice.libbey.com

RATIONAL

www.rational-online.com

SERVEWISE® DISPOSABLES Features:

• Eco-friendly, guilt-free plating and serving solution • Its distinctive style and unique finish allows you to serve all kinds of culinary creations in an eco-chic, highly sustainable wood plate • The super-affordable Servewise® Disposables make food look as good as it tastes • Microwave-safe and can withstand up to 350°F in an oven • Available in several shapes and sizes • Servewise® plates and PET covers are a match made in heaven, perfect for all your take-out, leftover, or on-the-go lunch needs

Front of the House

www.frontofthehouse.com

GEORGETOWN Features:

• Stacks up to eight high • High-strength ribbed aluminum construction • Webbed deck seat • Gasser’s multi-surface glide • Molded foam seat and back cushion • Eco-friendly powder coat • Manufactured in the USA

Gasser Chair

www.gasserchair.com

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MIRAGE® INDUCTION BUFFET WARMERS Features:

SYNERGY NESTING TABLES Features:

• Fusion of rolling buffet tables and transitional furniture • Ideal for retail and merchandise display furniture • Discrete casters effortlessly mobilize buffets and breakout stations • Feature classic lines and quality craftsmanship • Create flexible furnishings in event spaces • Functional, yet high-end residential style

• Used for holding/warming foods for serving • Ideal for banquets and catering • Fewer cords—connect up to three units together with an inter-connect cord and only run one power cord to outlet on wall • Subtle, low-profile, attractive design • Four power levels—low, medium, high and chafer preheat • Custom decorative patterns or logos available on 16×16 units • Available in countertop and drop-in

Vollrath Company www.vollrath.com

Southern Aluminum

800-221-0408 www.southernaluminum.com/synergy-tables

BUSH’S BEST® CHILI STARTER Features:

• Enhance menus with simple preparation and the delicious taste of classic, hearty chili • With rich pinto beans masterfully simmered with chili powder, cumin, garlic, onion and oregano, simply add diced tomatoes, meat and vegetables to create limitless chili possibilities • Vegetarian 4-Bean Chili is a quartet of delicious beans, plus a helping of sautéed veggies, to make a healthy, satisfying chili that’s perfect as a meat-free meal • The Harvest Chili is the ultimate comfort food, adding a bit of maple sweetness and a touch of pumpkin

Bush’s Best®

www.bushbeansfoodservice.com

A D I N DE X ChefTec

303-447-3334 / www.cheftec.com

Chef to Chef Conference

www.cheftochefconference.com

Cres Cor

877-CRESCOR (273-7267) / www.crescor.com

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Hatco Corp.

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800-711-1740 / www.gloice.com

Minor’s

800-243-8822 / www.flavormeansbusiness.com

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Montague Company

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Northstar Club Software

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Truly Good Foods

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800-345-1830 / www.montaguecompany.com www.globalnorthstar.com

www.trulygoodfoods.com

VGM Club

800-363-5480 / www.vgmclub.com

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Engineered Plastics

888-814-0054 / www.hatcocorp.com

www.clubandresortchef.com

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CHEF’S THOUGHTS

Gerald Ford, CMC

Gerald Ford, CMC, has been the Executive Chef of The Ford Plantation (Richmond Hill, Ga.) for the past nine months. He is also Captain of the American Culinary Federation’s Culinary Team USA 2020. A Culinary Institute of America graduate, Ford has competed in both hot- and cold-food competitions around the globe, is a gold-medalist ice sculptor, and the 2010 winner of the Les Amis d’Escoffier competition. He is also one of 68 ACF Certified Master Chefs in the country.

1. The best part about having the same name as a former U.S. President is people generally remember me because people generally remember the name, The worst part is I am often asked if I am as clumsy as he was. (I’m not.)

2. You’d be surprised to learn that I am an animal lover—especially dogs.

3. If I could trade places with one chef it would be Francis Mallmann.

4. My go-to drink is soda water. I love bubbles. Plus, my palate gets taxed daily, so I love the cool, plain effervescence.

5. If I could change one thing about my club it would be my labor budget (but I am working on it).

6. My favorite junk food is pretzels and potato chips, eaten together.

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PHOTO BY THE FORD PLANTATION

Executive Chef The Ford Plantation Richmond Hill, Ga.

“

13. I want to learn more about people because they are the most important resource I have to work with, and they are responsible for our daily successes.

”

7. My favorite celebrity chef is Thomas Keller, because he has been consistently great in every step of his career. He has failed and then built an empire. He is a great role model and has spent a lot of time giving back, building for the future and putting American food up against the best food in the world.

8. My favorite ingredient is egg.

Micro greens are the most overrated ingredient. Onion is the most undervalued ingredient. I detest durian, and I can’t live without fresh thyme or bay leaves.

9. I don’t like to brag, but I have the most amazing fiancé.

10. My most embarrassing moment in the kitchen was when I had to wear a burnt toast “necklace.” I earned it after burning two trays of crostini three days in a row. I donned the charred remains for two shifts. To this day, the smell of even dark toast gives me flashbacks.

11. My favorite kitchen hack is the combi-oven. It is easily the hack of all hacks for almost everything.

12. The most important thing in my kitchen is communication.

View the extended conversation with Chef Ford at www.clubandresortchef.com www.clubandresortchef.com

4/3/19 2:35 PM

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