Party With a Purpose

Themed member events bring out the creativity in club chefs.

By Pamela Brill, Contributing Editor

WHEN DESIGNING and producing a banquet menu centered around a particular concept, chefs are given creative license to dazzle diners with food that transcends boundaries. Be it a nod to a bygone era, a multisensory feast for the eyes (and tastebuds) or a virtual passport via cuisine, themed events are an opportunity worth savoring.

100 Years And Counting

Celebrating a club’s centennial anniversary with a memorable meal comes with tremendous pressure. Still, the team at Forest Lake Club in Columbia, S.C., was up to the challenge. Led by Executive Chef/Food & Beverage Director Robert Meitzer, CEC, AAC, the club hosted its Founders Gala in January, incorporating a 1920s theme that played out across multiple venues, showcasing di erent foods and beverages.

Staging the milestone event required long-range planning and teamwork. “We had multiple meetings and made sure to distribute information to all management, so they could then relay the information to their sta ,” explains Meitzer. Weekly and monthly meetings with the club’s F&B, events and communications departments optimized brainstorming e orts, bolstered by input from outside vendors whom he credits for helping personalize the event.

To set the scene, sta donning 1920s themed costumes welcomed members, who were greeted to a tiered display of Champagne for toasting the special occasion. The festivities continued across five rooms, each outfitted with a distinct theme: “The Cocktail Party” in the Pink room, “The Carvery” in The Lounge, “The Speakeasy” in the dining room, “At the Shore” in the Lakeview room and “The Classic Sweets” in the ballroom.

In addition to passed hors d’oeuvres like beef tartare with mustard on rye and crab and pimento mushrooms, the Hamptons bar was stocked with fresh oysters, poached shrimp and other specialty seafood, while a carving station featured mushroom-and-spinachstu ed veal breast and steamship roast. Standout main dishes included tea sandwiches and escargot pu pastry in the Gatsby Lounge, along with chicken paprikash and lamb ragout pasta in the Bronx Speakeasy.

A live band playing music from the Roaring ‘20s helped get guests in the mood to kick up their heels. The evening was capped o with a selection of 1920s-era desserts, including pineapple upside down cake, cherries jubilee and cream pu swans (pictured below).

With approximately 700 guests in attendance, Meitzer and team were responsible for ensuring a steady supply of food and beverage, along with uninterrupted service.

Meitzer stresses the importance of having an event timeline in place, as well as creating detailed action lists for each group. “[This way], the sta has a specific task to focus on, and when combined, [this] creates a team,” Meitzer says.

A Night At The Museum

When food competes with fun for members’ attention, chefs must strive to make their culinary creations true showstoppers. At Lake Nona Golf & Country Club in Orlando, Fla., last November’s Pop of Art Gala—billed as “an interactive, modern art experience where edible art, living art, musical art and creative cuisine enliven your senses”—put Executive Chef Joe Sledz’s talent to the test.

With previous stints in the kitchens at the Country Club of Bu alo in Williamsville, N.Y., and The Greenbrier in White Sulphur Springs, W.Va., the three-year Lake Nona vet worked closely with an event manager to create an experience inspired by the fabled Met Gala in New York City.

“Our brainstorming sessions start six or more months ahead in order for us to develop an active master calendar of engaging events,” Sledz says of the multistep process. Before the o cial marketing kicko , weekly F&B and culinary meetings with Executive Sous Chef Jason Gonsalves—who doubled as the in-house gra ti artist—finalized the menu and strategized a cross-department game plan.

Much like an artist setting up his paints and canvas, a vignette of colorful culinary stations with a wide assortment of dishes was laid out. These included Pasta Heaven, with spaghetti ragu and cheese raviolo in sa ron brodo; Plant Eaters Gala, featuring kelp caviar and tahini eggplant; Meat Eaters Gala, starring tru ed rub filet mignon and cowboy-crusted ribeye; and Finger Foods, including a one-bite cheese board and peanut butter and foie gras macarons. The event itself drew 175 members and their guests.

Six weeks later, Sledz and company were at it again—this time, prepping for Lake Nona’s Viva Las Vegas New Year’s Eve party. The club was transformed into a Sin City-themed casino, with a live DJ, gambling and plenty of food and drink to keep members satiated. Six bu et stations fed 125 attendees and catered to a diverse palate. In the app station were petite baba ganoush plates with grilled pita and curry-pickled cauliflower and ceviche shooters, while the soup station featured coconutcarrot gazpacho and miso ramen. At the carving station, roasted prime rib went head to head with citrus-brined chicken in honey-maple butter. Salads and seafood earned their own sections, as did a dessert station outfitted with a 12-layer petite chocolate cake and mini sticky to ee pudding.

While both of Lake Nona’s events went o without a hitch, Sledz attributed their successes to well-thought-out operations.

“The timing of the food for these events was critical to make sure everything came out according to plan, all at once and the correct temperatures,” he explains, adding that both club kitchens were utilized. Knowing now what Sledz learned from these experiences, he aims to have more fun with his sta for future functions. “Some of these events will never be done again, so I think enjoying them while you are in the moment is important,” he says.

A Taste Of Tuscany

Last July, Cobblestone Creek Country Club in Victor, N.Y., hosted a women’s invitational with a Tuscan theme for about 100 women. Working closely with his culinary team, which includes a sous chef and banquet chef, Executive Chef James Campolieto uses the event concept (developed by member-run golf committees) to design a fitting menu. He then holds kitchen meetings to review the menu and write a formal prep list.

“Having a plan of attack before each large-scale event is a tremendous help when trying to execute the menu,” he says. Cobblestone Creek’s banquet department is also instrumental in putting together an event that checks all the boxes. “The vision doesn’t stop in the kitchen, and the attention to detail from our talented events manager Katelyn Brunell helps bring a di erent outlook to the dining room with décor and displays,” Campolieto adds.

Because the Tuscan event was held during prime growing season, the culinary team was able to incorporate fresh produce from local farmers into the lineup. The three-course luncheon started with an heirloom tomato and burrata salad, followed by a gnocchi dish and finished with a refreshing lemon ice, studded with confit candied orange. Guests also grazed on an extensive artisanal meat and cheese display, along with assorted pizzas and flatbreads, Tuscan-style cauliflower and salads.

Ensuring consistency with a crowdpleasing menu can be challenging when a kitchen is understa ed—a reality that Campolieto has faced of late. He circumnavigates this issue by establishing an all-hands-on-deck approach.

“I try to make my kitchen one of inclusivity and total involvement,” he says. “By utilizing this strategy, each employee, whether line cook, sous chef or prep cook, has ownership in the final product.”

This straight-shooter style of event management allows Campolieto to maintain a positive outlook and encourage his sta to improve their game with each banquet.

“We always strive to be better tomorrow,” he says. “We build on the great things we are doing to make the next event even more spectacular.” C+RC