Club + Resort Chef March 2021

March 2021 www.clubandresortchef.com

How Apprenticeships Bridge the Skills Gap The Greenbrier’s apprenticeship program—renowned as the industry’s best—links talent to opportunity.

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Inside Palm Beach YC’s Culinary Operation Banquets: Small is the New Big

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Joanna DeChellis jdechellis@wtwhmedia.com

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Chef, Farmington Country Club, Char-

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Lawrence McFadden, CMC, GM/COO,

Michael Matarazzo, CEC, Executive The Union Club, Chef, Farmington Country Club,Cleveland, Ohio Charlottesville, Va.

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Lawrence McFadden, CMC,(Mich.)

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Charlotte (N.C.) Country Club

Fort Myers, Fla.

Drew Tait, Executive Chef, Kelly GreensJ.Golf & Country Club, Kevin Walker, CMC, AAC Fort Myers, Fla.

Executive Chef, Ansley Golf Club

J. Kevin Walker, CMC, AAC Atlanta, Ga. Executive Chef, Ansley Golf Club Atlanta, Ga.

N OV E M B E R C L U B I N D E X

M AProperties R C H featured C L U Bin this I Nissue DEX

BallenIsles Club Palm Beach Gardens, Fla. Properties featuredCountry in this issue

Boca Grove Golf and Tennis Club Boca Raton, Fla. Austin Country Club Austin, Texas 70 Cherokee Town & Country Club Atlanta, Ga. Bonnie Briar Country Club Larchmont, N.Y. 56 The Country Club of Pittsfield Pittsfield, Mass.

74 Charlotte City Club Charlotte, N.C. Desert Mountain Scottsdale, Ariz.

77 Dallas National Golf Club Dallas, Texas The Everglades Club Palm Beach, Fla. The Greenbrier White Sulphur Springs, W. Va. 58 Fiddler’s Elbow Bedminster, N.J. Hilton Sandestin Beach Golf Resort & Spa Forest Club Columbia, S.C. Miramar 70 Beach,Lake Fla. Fort Wayne Country Club Fort Wayne, Ind. 72 LedgeRock Golf Club Mohnton, Pa. The Gasparilla InnLexington, & Club Ky. Boca Grande, Fla. 66 Lexington Country Club

JW Marriott Miami Turnberry Resort & Spa66 Midland Country Club Midland, Texas Miami, Fla. Newport Beach Country Club Newport Beach, Calif. 72 Kalamazoo Country Club Kalamazoo, Mich. 66 North Hills Country Club Glenside, Pa. Kenwood Country Club Cincinnati, Ohio Palm Beach Yacht Club West Palm Beach, Fla. 62 Kings Creek Country Club Rehoboth Beach,70Del. StoneWater Golf Club Highland Heights, Ohio MyersClub Park Country Club Charlotte, N.C. 66 Traditions Bryan, Texas Quail West Golf and Country Club Naples, Fla. Victoria National Golf Club Newburgh, Ind.

74 River Run Country Club Davidson, N.C. Winged Foot Golf Club Mamaroneck, N.Y. 78 Sedgefield Country Club Greensboro, N.C. Sherwood Country Club Thousand Oaks, Calif. www.clubandresortchef.com

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-8How Apprenticeships Bridge the Skills Gap The Greenbrier’s apprenticeship program—renowned as the industry’s best—links talent to opportunity.

CONTENTS March • Vol. 11 • Issue 2

F

4 Editor’s Memo Chefs for Change

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Chef’s Thoughts

Matt O’Connor, CEC, Executive Chef Bonnie Briar Country Club

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A New Take on Teamwork

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Corks and Forks

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Perfecting the Finishing Touches

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Small Is the New Big

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Six Beverage Trends for 2021

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Making It Work

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How Colin Burns Uses Empowerment to Build Trust and Excellence

The culinary team at Palm Beach Yacht Club is stacked with creative strategists who find meaning and purpose in challenges.

Wine dinners have shape-shifted into smaller, more intimate affairs.

Club pastry chefs are taking the ‘if it looks good, it tastes good’ mantra to heart.

Events may be more intimate these days, but these club chefs are enhancing member engagement in a time of social distance.

Managers from Charlotte City Club and Victoria National GC offer their takes on what members will want to “drink in” this year.

Dallas National GC’s Paul Fisher is poised to emerge from the pandemic with a solid team, a healthy work/life balance, and his finger on the pulse of his membership.

Winged Foot GC’s GM encourages and supports the club’s culinary team, with a special emphasis on capitalizing on Executive Chef Rhy Waddington’s expertise and judgment.

Photo courtsey of Palm Beach Yacht Club, West Palm Beach, Fla. www.clubandresortchef.com

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Dishing

with

DeChellis

CHEFS FOR CHANGE A FEW MONTHS AGO, Michael Matarazzo, CEC, Executive Chef of Farmington Country Club (Charlottesville, Va.), created a group for professional chefs on Facebook called “Chefs for Change.”

Within just a few weeks, the group has grown to 1,000 members and includes chefs from all segments of the foodservice industry.

Matarazzo’s mission is profound. He wants to connect the dots and flip the script for a more positive and productive future for all culinarians.

“I want to facilitate conversations that are not had often enough,” says Matarazzo. “I want to unite chefs from all walks of the industry so we can collectively begin to change the narrative of our profession. Balance, stress management, anxiety, depression, formal culinary education, professional associations, gender equality, diversity, and leadership styles are all part of it.”

Every day since its start, Matarazzo has posed a question to the group.

Some days, the questions are heavy: “What are your views on the industry impact of the ACF and the NRA?” and “Would you view it as weakness if a fellow chef

or cook came to you about overwhelming stress, anxiety, fatigue, or depression?”

Other days, they’re lighter.

All of the questions encourage engagement, but they also cause followers to pause in their mindless social-media scroll and think for a minute about something they might not have considered.

That pause is where the magic lives. It’s a brief second to look through a bigger window and reach for the microphone.

“I believe this is how we can begin to effect change,” says Matarazzo.

I agree.

Matarazzo and I have talked many times about how Club + Resort Chef and the Club + Resort Chef Association can support this mission. While plans are still in the works, it’s important to both of us that club and resort chefs participate in these conversations.

Join Matarazzo’s group. Join the Club + Resort Chef Association. Get involved.

Let’s do this together.

EDITOR Joanna DeChellis jdechellis@wtwhmedia.com 412-260-9233 4

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CHEF’S THOUGHTS

Matt O’Connor, CEC

Executive Chef Bonnie Briar Country Club Larchmont, NY Matt O’Connor, CEC, Executive Chef of Bonnie Briar Country Club (Larchmont, N.Y.), has a passion for food and ingredients that began at a very young age. Growing up in Baltimore, his father owned a commercial crabbing and fishing license, and from the age of three, O’Connor worked weekends on the boat. From that experience, he developed a great appreciation for the freshest seafood and how simple cooking preparations can do the product justice.

1. You’d be surprised to learn that I am not critical at all in restaurants.

2. If I could trade places with one chef, I wouldn’t. We all have our own path and I am enjoying the ride I’m on.

3. One of my most memorable meals was when I experienced the extended tasting menu at Per Se with my now-wife for her birthday.

4. My go-to drink is a Rye Manhattan.

5. My last meal would be steamed Maryland crabs with corn on the cob and pitchers of cheap beer.

6. My worst culinary creation was a veal Milanese, but I was young and I tried to be cute with it. It was veal tenderloin. It was not breaded. The rice was breaded.

Nobody got it and people complained. Sometimes things are classic for a reason.

7. If I could change one thing about my club it would be a bigger, brand-new kitchen.

8. My favorite junk food is Wendy’s spicy chicken sandwich with extra mayo.

9. If I wasn’t a chef, I’d love to be a homicide detective.

10. I knew I wanted to be a chef 6

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The most popular item on my menu based “ on sales is charred cauliflower with romesco sauce, hazelnut gremolata and salsa verde.

We sell a ton of them every dinner service.

”

when I was in my second week of culinary class in 9th grade.

I fell in love with it and had a phenomenal teacher who set me on the right path.

11. You’ll never see mint jelly on the menu at my club because it’s disgusting and I had a server tell me once that only real chefs have it in their pantry.

12. The most ridiculous member or guest requests I’ve ever had were osso bucco medium-rare, cobb salad with no lettuce, and a 48-oz. Tomahawk steak cooked half-rare and half well-done.

13. I love being a club chef because I love building relationships with the members and learning what they like. I enjoy the fact that there is always something different going on, too. I get restless and bored pretty easily, so clubs are fun and allow me

to do many different things all in the same day.

14. When I’m not in the kitchen, I’m taking care of my two boys— they grow up too fast—and trying to spend a little quality time with my wife.

15. My biggest mistake when I first started as a chef was putting too many ingredients on the plate.

16. I cook taco kits at home, but I’d never cook them at the club.

17. If I could have dinner with one person, dead or alive, it would be my grandfather, who died when I was in second grade. He was a Baltimore Fire Chief and I feel like he probably has a lot of great stories and life advice. I think he would be proud of me and I would love to just listen to him talk.

View the extended conversation with Chef O’Connor at www.cluband resortchef.com www.clubandresortchef.com

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COVER FEATURE

The Greenbrier’s apprenticeship program is run by Jean-Francois Suteau, Executive Pastry Chef (left), and Bryan Skelding, Executive Chef.

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How Apprenticeships

Bridge the Skills Gap The Greenbrier’s apprenticeship program—renowned as the industry’s best—links talent to opportunity.

By Joanna DeChellis, Editor

IN THE LETTER HE penned to the 2020 graduates of The Greenbrier Culinary Apprenticeship Program, Bryan Skelding, Executive Chef of The Greenbrier (White Sulphur Springs, W.Va.), said, “Each of you are so very different, yet all have one common goal: To be remarkable cooks, chefs, and leaders in our industry.”

This has always been the guiding principle behind The Greenbrier’s program, which has turned out 351 alumni in its 64-year history.

Dozens of its graduates have gone on to become some of the club industry’s most notable leaders, including Lawrence McFadden, CMC, GM/COO of The Union Club of Cleveland (Ohio); Keith Coughenour, Executive Chef of the Duquesne Club (Pittsburgh, Pa.); Michael Matarazzo, CEC, Executive Chef of Farmington Country Club (Charlottesville, Va.), and Seth Shipley, CEC, CCA, Executive Chef of Belle Meade Country Club (Nashville, Tenn.).

The Greenbrier’s program is not a culinary school, but more of a post-graduate opportunity both for savory and pastry. It offers its apprentices intense, hands-on training designed to refine and develop the skills needed to be successful. It’s meant to train and challenge—and while it certainly checks those boxes, it also opens doors that might otherwise be locked.

“This is the beginning of your career,” said Jean-Francois Suteau, Executive Pastry Chef, in his letter to the 2020 graduates. “You will be a Greenbrier Apprentice—a title you will keep for the rest of your life.”

ACING THE BASICS “When the New York Yankees warm up, they practice hitting, fielding, throwing and catching,” says Skelding, who was named The Greenbrier’s Executive Chef in 2013. “As a Yankee, you don’t drop a fly ball or miss a grounder. They’ve perfected their fundamentals to the point that they are instinctual.” www.clubandresortchef.com

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COVER FEATURE

The Greenbrier’s apprenticeship program puts a similar focus on fundamentals. “An apprentice has to be a great cook before he or she can become a chef,” says Skelding.

The three-year program teaches apprentices skills through a mix of lectures, demos, practicals, and hands-on rotations in various venues and outlets on the property. The lectures and practicals cover a wide range of topics and occur on a weekly basis.

The savory program starts every year at the end of May, and the pastry component starts in March. The two graduate together in early February.

“A true culinarian will succeed at every station, from garde manger to butchering, and from mopping the floors to washing the dishes,” says Skelding.

In the course of a year, Skelding will get an average of fifty applications. The process starts with an interview and then a 10-hour stage, during which interviewees get face time with all of the current apprentices. This is a critical step.

“I can sit here and talk all day about the program,” says Skelding. “Before, we’d have a lot of dropouts. Now, with the team involved in the interview process, I have only had one.”

WELL-ROUNDED GRADUATES Because of this comprehensive approach, Greenbrier grads evolve quickly, which has become an especially important skill set in the past year.

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“Our apprentices aren’t skilled in only one type or genre of foodservice, but all types,” says Skelding.

“They work in all areas of the resort and learn different ways to organize themselves, as well as ways to cook. They know a la minute and banquet.

They’ve learned butchery and high volume. They are able to adapt because of this structure.”

While the program yields a highly skilled culinarian, a Greenbrier apprenticeship is not for the faint of heart.

“It’s like having two jobs,” says Suteau, who started the pastry component seven years ago. “The apprentice works for eight hours and then he or she must practice all their skills.

“If you don’t practice, you don’t get better,” he adds. “I’m not going to take you by your hand. You have to be self-motivated. This is probably one of the toughest programs in the world because of how demanding it is.

“I tell apprentices when I interview them that it’s going to be rough, physically and mentally, and that there will be frustrating moments,” says Suteau.

“But I promise them that at the end of three years, they’ll be a badass pastry chef. They won’t even know how good they are until they leave.”

BECOMING THE TEACHER Skelding was never formally an apprentice, but he worked with some of the most remarkable chefs The Greenbrier has known, including Harmut Handke, CMC, Peter Timmins, CMC, and Richard Rosendale, CMC. For the past five years, Skelding has made numerous changes to all of the dining experiences at The Greenbrier while keeping its history and traditions alive. He oversees a culinary team of 200 and stewarding of 75 team members.

In 2016, Skelding, who says his leadership style is firm but fair, made an important change to the apprenticeship program: He stopped teaching them to make food that wasn’t edible.

“The program was originally based on the Culinary Olympics, which is all about displays,” says Skelding. “It was tough, but I want to turn out apprentices who know recipes and flavors and who can become chefs. I think food should have to taste good, not just look good.”

And so, with the help of many, the switch was made.

“I’ve learned that the more I put into it, the more we get out of it,” says Skelding. “That mindset has permeated the whole operation. My apprentices learn from one another and get better as a result. The more we all put into it, the more we’ll all get out of it.” C+RC

WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE A FUTURE APPRENTICE?

“At some point, you’ll want to quit. Take a good look in the mirror and ask your former self, ‘Why did you want to do this in the first place?’ Let that guide you. And if you interview, be prepared to answer that question. Maybe even write the answer to that question on a piece of paper and seal it in an envelope that you can open when you get to that point of wanting to quit.

Ask yourself, would you rather be broke, or would you rather be tired?”

—Bryan Skelding, Executive Chef “Practice. That’s the only way to get better. And don’t give up.”

—Jean-Francois Suteau, Executive Pastry Chef

www.clubandresortchef.com

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PROFILE

A New Take on Teamwork The culinary team at Palm Beach Yacht Club is stacked with creative strategists who find meaning and purpose in challenges.

By Joanna DeChellis, Editor

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VISIONARY CLUB LEADERS ARE driven and inspired by what an operation can become. They are big-picture people whose intent is to usher in new eras of service and culture.

At the Palm Beach Yacht Club (PBYC) in West Palm Beach, Fla., that leader is General Manager Harris J. Levitt, who came to the club in 2016 after spending most of his career with Boca West Country Club (Boca Raton, Fla.). Before Boca West, he was with the Hard Rock Cafe.

Levitt came to PBYC expecting a similarly fast-paced environment.

He was surprised that its operation was comparatively smaller—but also by how busy it was. The more he uncovered, the mightier the potential of the club became. That’s when his vision began to take shape.

FIRST, THE FOOD PBYC is a privately owned yacht club with less than 700 members and 44 slips. The clubhouse (pictured) sits 250 yards out into the water and its marina is known as the area’s best.

Levitt doesn’t answer to a Board or series of committees. He has been tasked by ownership with steering the proverbial ship, come hell or high water.

Just before Levitt came on board at PBYC, Robert Lalli had accepted the Executive Chef position at the club, after spending more than two years at Turtle Creek Club in Tequesta, Fla. “It was clear from the start that chef was highly talented,” says Levitt. “He had room for growth, and he was eager to get started.”

PBYC is known as the place

www.clubandresortchef.com

where Thomas Keller got his start in the 1970s—but that’s hardly its only claim to fame. Still, while it was a busy dining operation—doing more than $3 million annually pre-COVID—the kitchen left a lot to be desired.

“It was shocking to see how much volume this place was able to do, given the limitations of the physical space,” says Lalli. “We don’t have a banquet or service kitchen. We didn’t even have a true POS system. Servers would turn in handwritten tickets.”

Together, Levitt and Lalli set in motion a plan to update the kitchen, the menus, the service, and the quality of the operation.

They started with the lowesthanging fruit: the menu. It hadn’t been changed in years, with the exception of a few nightly specials.

“I didn’t want to change it all at once,” says Lalli. “I’d lose the trust of the membership if I took away the favorites right from the start. So we started slowly, replacing poorly performing dishes with ones we thought the membership would like.”

The needle began to move. Membership was pleased. Lalli had a firm grasp on the back of the house, while Levitt was out front keeping the members plugged into the changes and aware of his vision.

“I made sure the members knew that they could always get their favorites and that we aren’t in the business of saying ‘no’ to their requests,” he says. “But also that the old menu was stagnant and that it wasn’t smart for us to keep it.

“Now we change the core menu seasonally, which better reflects our members’ preferences and dining habits, as well as the philosophy of the kitchen and Chef [Lalli],” he adds.

ALL ABOUT THE BENEDICTS Today, Levitt is deeply proud of the club’s menus. In fact, he asks Lalli to prepare new dishes for him before they’re added to the menu, so he can sing the praises of each dish to the membership. He is particularly proud of the benedict menu.

“I don’t hold back with Chef,” Levitt says in explaining how that menu evolved. “I’ll walk right into the kitchen and say, ‘Chef! I have an idea.’ I do this pretty often, and I know that if he hesitates, it’s not a ‘no.’

“I went to him with my ‘big idea’ and told him that I wanted a brunch menu with seven different types of benedicts that could be mixed and matched,” he adds. “Chef hesitated—and now we have a benedict menu that can be mixed and matched.”

PBYC’s brunch menu features all of the classics, and so much more.

There are in fact seven different benedicts—classic, crab cake, Maine lobster, smoked salmon, Florentine, tenderloin and corned beef—as well as oysters, vichyssoise, quiche of the day, acai bowls, omelets, and steak and eggs.

Harris Levitt, GM, ensures his vision becomes reality by rallying the team and never accepting less than their best.

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PROFILE

a priority to build new relationships with purveyors and suppliers and focus on improving every single plate we put up.

That starts with ingredients and strong supplier partnerships.”

IF YOU BUILD IT…

As the menu developed, Levitt apologized to the line cooks for what he knew would be more work during an already-busy brunch service—but the long-term impact has been positive.

“We are very critical of the quality of the ingredients we were bringing into our kitchens,” says Lalli. “I have made it

Even under the best of circumstances, good products can’t become great dishes if the tools inside the kitchen aren’t up to snuff.

“We don’t have a ton of production space,” says Lalli. “Our kitchens are small, so we have to make every inch count.”

Upstairs, PBYC’s main kitchen measures around 1,000 sq. ft. Downstairs, there’s a small galley kitchen—often referred to as the “closet kitchen,” it’s that small—that’s primarily used for banquets and private dinners. Inside it, there’s a walk-in, a three-door reachin, a small pantry, two ovens and two burners.

“We have to be creative and efficient with this space, using induction burners and immersion circulators whenever possible,” says Lalli.

Upstairs, the main kitchen recently underwent a small facelift. “We joke that the main kitchen hadn’t been touched since the club was built in 1911,” says Lalli. “The equipment was dated and dying.”

In 2020, just before Thanksgiving and despite the challenges of COVID, the club upgraded all of the main kitchen’s firepower, adding new steamers, broilers, salamanders, a range, a fryolator and more.

Now, with better tools in place and higher-quality products coming in daily, Lalli and Levitt are laser-focused on making sure the final product is truly the best it can be.

ALL HANDS ON DECK A few years after Levitt and Lalli teamed up, the club brought Angel Ro-

sario on board as Operations Manager.

Rosario had worked with Levitt at Boca West and was used to his commanding nature. “[Levitt’s] entire demeanor is much different here than it was at our last club,” Rosario says. “He doesn’t micromanage. He allows us to do our jobs, but he always questions if what we’re doing is the best we could be doing.

He is the vision of this place, and he refuses to let the club veer off course” Today, the team at PBYC is deeply rooted in camaraderie and keeping each other in check.

“When I first met Chef [Lalli], I didn’t know much about him,” says Rosario.

“I came from an operational mindset where the chefs were kings and could do no wrong. But Chef is like a sponge.

He seeks feedback and input. He wants to collaborate. He cares about his team and his cooks, and he’s incredibly smart in how he interprets information.”

The friendship that formed between Angel Rosario (left), Operations Manager, and Executive Chef Robert Lalli adds a new level of personality and richness to the membership experience.

Over the past three years, Lalli and Rosario have become good friends.

The dynamic has not only been personally enriching, it’s also added a deeper sense of personality to the club’s culinary operation—especially during wine dinners where they get to collaborate closely.

“Together, we’ve brought a ‘wow’ to the club that it didn’t have before,” says Rosario. “Even through the challenges of COVID, we’re able to interpret them

as opportunities to better serve our members and deliver the same kind of experience outside the clubhouse that they’d get inside it.”

Whether this is through the expansion of dock-side dining, better to-go programs, expanded concierge services or something they haven’t thought of yet, together the PBYC team will continue to push the envelope and evolve the program, keeping members engaged and satisfied. C+RC

FOOD

Corks and Forks Wine dinners have shape-shifted into smaller, more intimate affairs.

By Joanna DeChellis, Editor

REINVENTING WINE DINNERS TO make them more socially distant— while still maxed out on innovation and extravagance—has been challenging for club chefs.

It has also been deeply energizing.

When Matthew Blazey, Executive Chef of Lexington (Ky.) Country Club (LCC), began planning for a slate of wine dinners as things began to reopen, he wondered if less would be more.

“We decided to cap wine dinners at 30 members,” says Blazey.

Pre-pandemic, the headcount at an LCC wine dinner would soar above 80.

Such a crowd prevented Blazey from developing intricate menus with personalized touches. He also wasn’t able to be with the members who attended for any length of time, as the event flew by at a frenzied pace.

Now, when members attend one of LCC’s more exclusive wine dinners, they aren’t thrust into a crowded ballroom. Instead, they’re whisked away to a private dining space—sometimes outside on the lawn, other times inside the clubhouse—where they can indulge in a meticulously crafted prix fixe menu with carefully curated wine pairings.

“The smaller size has been a blessing in disguise,” says Blazey. “Not only are we able to serve smaller groups more intimately, we’ve also increased demand.

Our reservations and waitlists are selling out almost immediately.”

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OPEN TO ALL Midland (Texas) Country Club is running a similar playbook with the size of its wine dinners this year.

“I would hate for wine dinners to become banquets,” says Benjamin Lesnick, CEC, Executive Chef. “When we have a smaller group, around 40, we can put more details into every plate. And we can spend more time explaining the pairings and the reasons the flavors work, as well as how each dish is prepared.”

Over the past few months, Midland CC has seen many new faces participating in its wine dinners.

“Traditionally, our older members have been our biggest wine drinkers and wine-dinner attendees,” Lesnick says. “But when we first reopened, we had a number of new and younger members request private wine dinners with family and friends.

“These members have become wine lovers now,” he notes. “They’re generally more adventurous, and eager for us to push the culinary envelope, too.”

In response, Lesnick and his team are exploring a new catalogue of ingredients and cooking methods. They’re taking bigger risks and introducing more global flavors, as well as molecular techniques.

Midland has enjoyed so much success with these wine dinners that Lesnick is planning to parlay the success into more wine-centric events that are casual and easier to access.

“The success we’ve seen with these wine dinners has revealed an opportunity to grow the wine program in new directions that aren’t so formal,” he says. “We’re going to introduce a series of hors d’oeuvres and small plates with pairings, and host pairing cocktail hours, too.”

been trying to find ways to add value to the membership—and wine dinners seemed like a natural fit.”

North Hills, which does about $2 million in annual F&B, plans to host five wine dinners in 2021, capping them at 25 members for each event. The club has also introduced a wine society where members can pay an annual $350 fee and enjoy 25% off all wine purchases, no corkage fees, and six complimentary wine tastings with pairings. They also receive a free gift—a personalized charcuterie board, for example—to thank them for joining.

Seafood Cioppino by Adam Deviney, CEC, Executive Chef, Traditions Club

NEW ENTRY POINTS Just over a year ago, James Wheeler came to North Hills Country Club (Glenside, Pa.) to take over as Executive Chef, after previously being with The Philadelphia (Pa.) Cricket Club.

“Before me, [North Hills] hadn’t hosted any wine dinners,” says Wheeler. “We’ve had to take things very slowly here because of [pandemic] restrictions. But through it all, we’ve

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FOOD

Smoked olive oil-poached plum, blue cheese custard, charred radicchio, and walnut-citrus emulsion by Matthew Blazey, Executive Chef, Lexington (Ky.) Country Club

A CLASSIC EVENT Every year, when the top 100 wines are announced, the Traditions Club (Bryan, Texas) hosts a specialty themed dinner featuring the 1st, 10th and 100th-ranked wines on the list.

Melissa Davis, Food and Beverage Director, works closely with the club’s Executive Chef, Adam Deviney, CEC, to develop the menu and pairings.

“We’ll typically start with a champagne, then do a white, then a pinot noir, and build from there,” says Davis.

Each year, the Traditions team tries to outdo the prior year’s Top 100 wine dinner. Whether it’s the theme, the décor or the menu, the bar just keeps rising.

“This year, we’re going to focus on classic fairy tales,” says Davis, who spent ten years working for the Disney corporation. “We’re going to take our members on a journey through the stories with a live storyteller, over-the-top decorations and a whimsical menu to match the wines.”

The dinner will be capped at 55 members and feature seven courses.

Osso Buco by James Wheeler, Executive Chef, North Hills Country Club (Glenside, Pa.)

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“We’ll begin with a champagne reception featuring oaksmoked trout caviar with crème fraiche, butter-poached lobster with orzo, ricotta and a parmesan crisp, and a 48-hour short rib with creamed corn, polenta and a spicy orange glaze,” says Deviney, noting that the process of building a menu begins with the wines. “From there, we’ll move into each course with food, drink and stories.”

VALUE PROPOSITION For the Traditions Club, the goal is not to profit from wine events, but instead to use them to add value to the membership experience. “The Top 100 dinner has become a signature event for the club,” says Davis. “It’s the kind of event you won’t find anywhere else.”

“Not only that,” continues Deviney, “it’s a chance for the kitchen to think about menu development in a totally different way. We get to use ingredients and techniques we might not otherwise put on a typical a la carte menu.”

Back at Lexington CC, Blazey has the same mindset about menus.

During a Napa-themed wine dinner earlier this year, Blazey opened with a smoked olive oil-poached plum, blue cheese custard, charred radicchio, and walnutcitrus emulsion paired with a 2018 Sauvignon Blanc from Kenefick Ranch. Another wine dinner featured a four-day Berkshire pork belly with smoked heirloom tomato “cassoulet,” mustard seed, and a malt vinegar glaze.

“I want these menus to help show just how expansive our culinary skill sets are,” says Blazey. “Yes, we can make a really great burger for when you come off the course. But we can also sous vide a loin of lamb and plate it with a rhubarb gel and spiced pumpkin parsnip hash that pairs perfectly with a 2015 Stellareese Cabernet Sauvignon from Marcey’s Vineyard.” C+RC www.clubandresortchef.com

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PASTRY

PERFECTING THE

FINISHING TOUCHES Club pastry chefs are taking the ‘if it looks good, it tastes good’ mantra to heart.

By Pamela Brill, Contributing Editor

A CAREFULLY EXECUTED PASTRY is as much about appearance as it is about taste. While much time and thought go into selecting the freshest ingredients and crafting a delectable dessert that is almost too pretty to eat, presentation is hardly an afterthought.

As pastry chefs continue to contend with the effects of the pandemic—fewer banquet stations and more to-go and a la carte offerings—they must pay even greater attention to their plating techniques in order to ensure a memorable meal finale.

SOUTHERN HOSPITALITY After 12 years in the pastry business, Michaela Arzola knows how to pull off a satisfying sweet. Having spent the last eight years as the Executive Pastry Chef of the Austin (Texas) Country Club, she has fine-tuned her plating strategies based on different service styles.

“With banquet service, there is a lot to keep in mind: timing, temperature, table space and guest appreciation,” she explains.

To address these factors head on, Arzola believes in the importance of meeting her clients and addressing their needs right from the start.

“You want that ‘wow’ factor,” she says. “And making sure you are on the same page gives you the opportunity to go over different plating, serving and garnish options that are sure to please.

You always want great feedback, and seeing guests snap pictures of your 20

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Michaela Arzola, Executive Pastry Chef of Austin CC, says seeing a member or guest take a photo of a dessert plate is the best compliment.

plate is one of the best compliments.”

When it comes to plating a la carte selections, Arzola finds that striking a balance between simple and contemporary yields the best results.

“A lot of our main menu desserts are Southern-style comfort plates like tres leches cake and Texas pecan balls, but we also do weekly and seasonal features and that’s where I really have fun with plate design,” she says.

Purchased garnishes such as chocolate sticks and specialty croquants help to ensure consistency. Arzola opts for house-made sauces and local ingredients that, while highlighted on the menu, do not detract from the dessert itself.

Because takeout has become a key component of club dining, pastry plating necessitated a shift in packaging, particularly with the house staple, chocolate chip cookies. Usually available in a cookie jar for members to help themselves, they are now individually bagged.

“Ensuring that our membership can still access their favorite afternoon treat while keeping everyone safe, has been the packaging highlight of the year,” notes Arzola. For small gatherings, desserts are showcased in upscale plastic vessels that are aesthetically pleasing and easy to take home.

Because plating during the pandemic has offered its own set of challenges, Arzola has found innovative ways to get her work done with noteworthy results. When creating frozen desserts to go, she stockpiles a reserve and creates a different product with a similar flavor profile—thereby offering two options for her to-go guests. She has also invested in more shallow bowls and makes a point of using a variety of plate styles as her kitchen permits.

BACK TO BASICS Pastry plating is a skill that requires constant fine-tuning and for Erica Coffee at StoneWater Golf Club in Highland Heights, Ohio, it’s a true work in progress. While she has spent the past 12 years perfecting her pastry craft, Coffee has been at her current gig for the past year and recently gained notoriety for her festive “hot cocoa bombs.” A popuwww.clubandresortchef.com

Yascha Becker, Executive Pastry Chef of Hilton Sandestin Beach Golf Resort & Spa, says continually evolving trends keep him on his toes.

lar takeout item during the past holiday season, this dessert was carefully packaged in cellophane boxes and holiday tins for easy transport—and easy gifting.

For Coffee, simplicity is the key when it comes to to-go pastry boxing.

“Takeout plating can be tricky with most desserts,” she says. “I prefer to keep everything the dish entails separate.” Including special instructions, such as how to reheat a dessert that should be served warm, is something she believes helps to ensure the best possible quality.

When plating desserts, Coffee’s biggest considerations are stability and the longevity of the finished product.

High-volume banquet pastry needs to be able to maintain its taste and appearance from plate to service and from kitchen to table.

“I like to use a solid foundation like sauces that will hold up in warmer temperatures, as well as keep items from

moving or sliding around on plates,” she says.

For a la carte service, Coffee prefers to stick to the basics, keeping things clean and simple, because she may not always be the chef doing the actual plating.

She is focusing on adapting to restrictions and shifting to more staff(rather than self-) served displays. It may require more work, but it’s a challenge she relishes.

“It’s been a lot of fun coming up with menu ideas to transition what would be plated desserts to new creations,” Coffee says. “It’s a trend I don’t see going away anytime soon.”

THINKING OUTSIDE THE PASTRY BOX For industry veteran Yascha Becker, continually evolving trends keep him on his toes. With 28 years of experience under his belt, he has spent the last decade executing pastry production at the Hilton Sandestin Beach Golf Resort & Spa in Miramar Beach, Fla. Becker points to how the recent movement from towering desserts to less-complex renderings has literally leveled the playing field, especially when it comes to banquet pastry plating.

“Not too long ago, dessert plating was all about the visuals, with tall architectural desserts paired with cookie tuiles, sugar and chocolate garnishes reaching high over the plate,” he recalls. “These would be set upon pooled sauces, creams and reductions in a highly decorated manner, or splattered like a Jackson Pollock painting.”

Erica Coffee, Pastry Chef of StoneWater Golf Club, has enjoyed the challenge of translating what would be plated desserts into new creations.

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In the current club environment, Becker is more focused on the ingredients and composition of his product.

“So instead of architectural eye candy, you are taken on a journey through textures, flavors, hots, colds, fats and liquids that helps to create more of a dining experience,” he explains. And with pastry being as much about streamlining production as it is about plating, he makes sure not to overwhelm his creation by committing to no more than five key components: dessert, sauce, whipped cream, garnish and/or fruit.

When faced with other obstacles to his pastry-plating techniques—enlarging his library of flavor profiles and finding a specific purpose for each ingredient—Becker falls back on his ‘less is more’ approach. “Desserts, while lovely, should not be a meal unto themselves,” he professes. “Three to five small bites should take you on a journey or give you an experience that leaves you satisfied.”

Becker also places a great deal of emphasis on takeout packaging, particularly in recent months. He likens his work to being somewhat of an artist by thinking outside the box and believes that the addition of a ribbon and bow, be it for a large cake or a simple box of truffles, helps to elevate the overall culinary experience and extends a satisfying meal high.

“I think that the motion of untying a package creates the emotion and anticipation you feel when opening a present,” Becker surmises. “What better way to feel when retrieving your sweet endings?” C+RC March 2021

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BANQUET

Small Is the

New Big

Events may be more intimate these days, but these club chefs are enhancing member engagement in a time of social distance.

By Ginny Bartolone, Contributing Editor

AFTER NEARLY A YEAR without packed dance floors or ballrooms, chefs are left to look back on how quickly and dramatically the nature of the events side of the club business has changed.

What do events become after months of distance between members?

While their smaller size is the most obvious difference, two club chefs have seen how hosting successful banquets now goes far beyond moving tables and restricting reservations.

INNOVATING ON THE FLY For Graeme Blair, Executive Chef of Newport Beach (Calif.) Country Club (NBCC), the spring of 2020 brought about a massive research and development effort. Everything from the club’s to-go presentations to its serving style had to balance safety with member engagement.

After only a day to close the club and build a plan, the team dove into the massive job of serving takeout for the foreseeable future.

Eventually, the club transitioned back to in-person events piece by piece.

Mother’s Day, for example, offered a socially distanced day of welcoming, family-focused fun.

“We curated a picnic basket with 35 items for each family to enjoy,” says Blair. “There was also a flower cart in our entryway for kids to point to their favorites, put together a bouquet for mom, and then hand-write a card.”

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“It’s not just about scaling down the events that we held in the past,” says Norris Watters, Clubhouse Manager/Executive Chef of LedgeRock GC [right]. “It’s about seeing the execution in a whole new light.”

coming enough for members to have a safe barbeque on the lawn. Painted circles on the ground and pre-reserved tables ensured minimal interaction between groups. The staff brought familystyle trays of barbecue to each table, and jazzed up the day with live music.

ALL IN THE DETAILS Critical safety habits—limited seating, clear mask requirements, and frequent sanitation of tables—became second nature as NBCC opened up for regular service in the summer and began sched-

uling member- and club-hosted events.

Beyond the typical safety expectations, however, Blair focused on the choreography of the dining room and the challenge of food prep. If the club hosts a micro-wedding outside, the chef requires different equipment, to ensure food is served fresh and hot.

“We still customize the food to bring their visions to life, but the execution has changed,” says Blair. “If we have an outdoor event like a smaller wedding, I’d www.clubandresortchef.com

For Mother’s Day, Graeme Blair, Executive Chef of Newport Beach CC, c urated picnic baskets with 35 items for each family to enjoy together.

rather rent a [fully equipped] kitchen tent and do the plate-up out on the lawn.”

Amid all this change, Blair and his team focus on what they can control.

With more time to speak with each member, for example, the small details such as decor and menu choices all receive even greater personalization.

Flower design, table settings, and individual food containers reflect the style of the host in even greater detail.

Canapes are given just as much flourish, but now come in individual vessels for safe distribution.

The link among all these efforts goes back to the club’s marketing focus and desire to delight its members, Blair explains.

SMALL BANQUETS WERE ALWAYS THE KEY LedgeRock Golf Club in Mohnton, Pa. is a private club “that wasn’t designed for large banquets,” says Clubhouse Manager/Executive Chef Norris Waters.

“I’ve fit up to 160 people in our building in the past, but the members prefer an intimate atmosphere,” Waters says.

“It’s why the club is designed this way.”

When Waters joined LedgeRock several years back, he recognized the potential to elevate member engagement within a smaller, more personal dining experience. Buffets slowly morphed into prix fixe and a la carte dinners, for example. So when COVID-19 placed broad www.clubandresortchef.com

restrictions on gatherings, Waters and his team were ready to make the shift.

From the first days of takeout to the return of indoor dining, Waters looked for ways to improve the lives of his members and ensure their comfort.

For example, Waters transformed a 30-person outdoor seating area into a space for 65, by gathering furniture from around the club to meet demand.

THINKING ON YOUR FEET When the time came to host small events again—such as LedgeRock’s three-day member-guest tournament— last-minute decisions became the team’s saving grace.

The club’s member-guest serves three meals on each day of the event, typically with an elaborate buffet displayed in the main dining room. Because of the restrictions, the chef transitioned to a mix of grab-and-go options and course-side service stations for safer social distancing.

All went according to plan until the forecast brought a threat of torrential rain. Keeping the golfers safe and well-fed in the final hours before the rain came turned into a race against the clock. Without the option to gather large groups indoors, bad weather is one of the largest fears for a smaller club.

“We made a decision that morning at about 8 a.m.,” Waters recalls. “We had roughly three hours to wrap up

the food, get it all on the golf carts in heated containers, and prepare our staff to safely deliver meals to the players on the course itself.”

That game-time decision saved the day, as steaming hot steak or shrimp burritos, beer, coffee, and hot chocolate was delivered right to the players on the course.

Between experiences like the member-guest and from generally working with a small dining room, Waters knows that creativity is key. “I’ve learned over the last several years to gather every inch of space you have,” he says.

The layout of an “indoor” banquet, for example, should now encourage guests to spread out to use available outdoor space as well, even bringing in heated igloos when the temperature drops.

CONNECT MORE In a normal year, dining at LedgeRock closes from January to Valentine’s Day, but Waters saw an opportunity to engage members.

Inspired by wine dinners, he decided to offer an ever-changing chef’s menu each Friday and Saturday night, in addition to a traditional Sunday brunch.

While members can still order from the full menu, the chef’s menus feature a range of dishes like pork osso bucco to sesame-crusted Ahi tuna, depending on the theme. C+RC March 2021

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BEVERAGE

6 Beverage

Trends

for 2021

Managers from Charlotte City Club and Victoria National GC offer their takes on what members will want to “drink in” this year.

By Megan Freitas, Contributing Editor

ANTICIPATING MEMBER TRENDS AT the start of any year can be a challenge, but 2021 feels like even more of a wild card. Will members be more environmentally, socially, and health-conscious? Are digital menus, to-go cocktails, and social-media bartenders here to stay?

Danny Strom, Bar Manager of Charlotte (N.C.) City Club, and Matthew Hagnauer, Assistant General Manager at Victoria National Golf Club (Newburgh, Ind.), see six primary beverage trends emerging in 2021.

1. DRINKING FOR A CAUSE When it comes to responsible sourcing, both Strom and Hagnauer look to support local businesses as much as possible.

Strom in particular seeks to purchase wine, beer, and spirits produced locally, sustainably, and from companies run by women and minorities whenever possible.

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“At City Club, we are also actively moving away from beverage-related products that are harmful for the environment,” he adds. “Most recently, we’ve replaced plastic straws, stirrers and garnish picks with eco-friendly wheat and bamboo products. They’ve been a big hit with our membership.”

2. A HEALTHY HALO Recent “healthy” drinking trends such as low-calorie, low-ABV (alcohol by volume) beverages, seltzers, CBD infusions, and kombucha cocktails have been slow to catch on at both clubs.

Charlotte City Club attempted to introduce kombucha cocktails, Strom says, but they weren’t popular with members.

As for the seltzer buzz, Hagnauer says, “While I do think there is a huge market for these products, we haven’t really begun to see the demand yet. I try not to carry the same product in multiple formats.

“Package affords a better sure-fire return, so I probably won’t add a seltzer on draft,” he adds.

3. GRAPES & GRAINS At Charlotte City Club, interest for wines not produced in California has greatly increased.

“I’d venture to say about 50% of our members order wine based on name and type recognition,” says Strom. “But they are starting to get excited about trying new varietals and producers.

“Lately, our biggest requests are for organic wines and bubbles,” he adds.

“We’re very fortunate to have a number of breweries in the Charlotte area that produce beers that benefit a variety of causes. When possible, we like to have one or two of the local limited selections on draft.”

Hagnauer happily agrees with the popularity of bubbles and predicts that “the typically strong names will continue to be strong.”

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BEVERAGE

Charlotte City Club’s cocktail list is enhanced with unique ingredients and the use of smoke in many favorite cocktails.

“But as some larger wineries pull back on expenses,” he adds, “I believe different, smaller producers might come into play, especially if members can become really involved in a good tableside story.”

At both clubs, an educated team is the key to ushering members through the selection process, to encourage them to enjoy wine, beer and food pairings they are less likely to try on their own.

“This provides another way to really customize member experiences,” says Hagnauer.

Charlotte City Club is offering wine by the bottle paired with take-and-bake dinner menus.

“Just because you get dinner to-go doesn’t mean you have to forego the club experience of enjoying a recommended wine pairing with your order,” says Strom.

“We’re still making at-home date nights special.”

4. TEAM SPIRIT

6. DIGITAL BARTENDING

Gin, mezcal, and aged rums have been on the rise everywhere, and whiskey remains strong.

“Expect to see some lesser-known whiskey brands and those from unexpected locations begin to pop-up and solidify themselves,” says Hagnauer. “Having a great story makes selling a product so much simpler.

“I also think we tend to see a surge in spirits based on entertainment,” he adds. “If someone on a very popular show is drinking a spirit, we’ll see it surge in popularity.”

Both clubs have been discussing featuring popular house cocktails on draft, but Strom notes that in some places such as Charlotte, draft cocktails require special certificates from local liquor boards.

At the bar and beyond at Charlotte City Club, and especially coming off the course at Victoria National, both managers say digital QR menus are going to stick around, though the demand is higher for printed menus at dinner.

In line with a multimillion-dollar renovation, Charlotte City Club has made marketing a big focus, including YouTube weekly mixology videos featuring popular cocktails, specials, and new beverage offerings.

The videos were so popular with members, Strom plans to continue them through 2021.

Still, after months of mixing martinis at home, members at Charlotte City Club are ready to kick back and let their favorite bartenders treat them to a lavish bar experience.

“We use fresh-squeezed juices and syrups made inhouse,” says Strom. “Our cocktail list is enhanced with unique ingredients and the use of smoke in many of our members’ favorite cocktails, like the ‘Smoking Joe #2.’

They love the show of this cocktail’s preparation.”

Adds Hagnauer: “I think some bartenders feel digital bartending could give away all their secrets, but members are always going to desire the in-person experience they can only get at their club.” C+RC

5. TAKEAWAY COCKTAILS While to-go cocktails don’t work for the business model at either club, Hagnauer says Victoria National is now offering canned cocktails for members to take onto the golf course.

Offerings range from the simple Jack & Coke to housespecialty creations, all canned with custom Victoria National labels. The menu features some pre-made cocktails and some made-to-order, with the pre-made cans holding carbonation and freshness for 30 to 45 days.

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CHEF TO CHEF

Making It Work Dallas National GC’s Paul Fisher is poised to emerge from the pandemic with a solid team, a healthy work/life balance, and his finger on the pulse of his membership.

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

WHEN I BEGAN TALKING with Paul Fisher, we didn’t start with his impressive, long-standing role as Executive Chef and Food and Beverage Director of Dallas (Texas) National Golf Club, where he’s been for 13 years.

Instead, Fisher told me about how his culinary career began as a student at Johnson & Wales University in Charleston, S.C. While earning a formal education, he worked as a cook at the storied Charleston Place Hotel.

That experience gave him a first-hand glimpse at the frenetic pace of food and beverage. His earliest experiences of cooking outdoors were at the colorful, historic homes in The Battery.

He realized then that learning how to make it work—no matter what it took—would serve him well for years to come.

Fisher’s career led him through six years of restaurant experience and then being at the helm of two different ClubCorp properties, before finding his home at Dallas National, which does on average $1.1 million in F&B.

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Those early years in the trenches shaped Fisher’s philosophy on leadership, and informed the positive culture he has cultivated at Dallas National.

Focusing on hiring the person, and not the position, he says, has led to few callouts and low turnover, with those who leave doing so to continue their professional journey and with Fisher’s support.

“The key to successfully building a positive and professional culture is allowing the team to be a part of the hiring process,” Fisher notes. “We seek teammates who are upbeat and possess the flexibility to work with all of the personalities already in the kitchen. Work ethic and attitude are also essential.”

One of the most rewarding challenges for tenured chefs like Fisher is how to stay relevant to the membership and evolve over an extended period of time.

“I accomplish this by dedicating time at the end of each season to explore emerging trends and to map out what the future of our club could be,” he says. “One of our most rewarding off-season projects was when we explored the art and science of smoke. In Texas, you won’t make it far if you don’t have a solid brisket recipe.” And Fisher’s team now has great pride in the brisket they produce in their mobile smoker.

As a professional who is dedicated to health and wellness, Fisher also has a passion for Paleo and Whole 30 diets, which have both informed his menu direction.

“Many of our members strive to live a healthy and balanced lifestyle,” he says. “Our menu mix provides a balance between healthy items, not-sohealthy items, and everything in between.”

What advice would Fisher now give a younger version of himself? “Take the time to take care of your body, and especially your feet. Good health is a requirement to achieving longevity in this industry. Make the effort to achieve a sound work/ life balance.” C+RC

March 2021

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Club + Resort Chef 27

MANAGER to CHEF

Using Empowerment to Build Excellence Winged Foot GC’s GM encourages and supports the club’s culinary team, with a special emphasis on capitalizing on Executive Chef Rhy Waddington’s expertise and judgment.

By Joanna DeChellis, Editor

Colin Burns, General Manager (right) with Rhy Waddington, Executive Chef (left).

AFTER THREE DECADES AS General Manager of Winged Foot Golf Club (Mamaroneck, N.Y.), Colin Burns has seen the club’s food-and-beverage operation evolve first-hand from a barely-good-enough program at the start of his time with the club into one of the best in the business.

The shift didn’t happen overnight. Instead, it was the result of steadily hiring, empowering and supporting the club’s culinary team to do what they do best.

C+RC: You grew up working in your family’s restaurant. How did you end up in management?

CB: After college, I traveled abroad. I thought I had escaped the kitchen, but ironically I ended up working in a kitchen in a youth hostel.

When I came back to the U.S., Atlantic City had just come online. I was able to move into a front-of-house position there. Things flew. I worked seven days a week for what felt like 24 hours a day. Because of my experience in my father’s restaurant, I moved up pretty quickly through management.

C+RC: And when you left Atlantic City to start a family, you then shifted into the club world?

CB: I worked for a club that was almost as intense as Atlantic City and I continued to work crazy hours.

As an aside, I’m pleased to see conversations and policies happening around work/life balance. That’s how it should be.

C+RC: How do clubs encourage a successful balance?

CB: I think it comes down to hiring and managing. Clubs need to be prepared to hire three people instead of two.

When you do so, you’ll attract a higherquality employee and they’ll stay with you, because they will be able to achieve a more ideal balance. It might cost you a little more, but it’ll cost you far less in turnover in the long run.

www.clubandresortchef.com

C+RC: What’s the dynamic like between you and Winged Foot’s Executive Chef, Rhy Waddington?

CB: I’ll get to that answer, but I have to give some backstory first.

Soon after I came to the club, we hired a Michelin star chef, who eventually hired Rhy as a sous chef. We had this big meeting of the minds to figure out what to do with that chef when he started with us. That’s when the President of the club at the time said, ‘We aren’t going to do anything. He’s the chef. We need to let him be the chef.’

That conversation was a defining moment for my leadership philosophy.

It was so simple, yet so brilliant.

C+RC: How does Chef Waddington fit into that story?

CB: One of our most senior members, who I was sure would be unhappy, fell completely in love with the new cuisine.

When that chef moved on, we promoted Rhy, and he has taken the operation in an even more impressive direction with his ability to build and nurture a team, deliver menus and dishes that are cutting-edge, and focus on quality, consistency and the overall dining experience.

he works for me. We are colleagues and he is responsible for the culinary operation. He’s also an incredibly keen business person.

I’ve been in club kitchens where the general manager or the clubhouse manager will sit and watch the food as it’s going out. They’ll behave as if they have the ability to either change something or comment on something.

I am the opposite of that person.

C+RC: What’s next for food and beverage in our industry?

CB: I don’t want to sound opportunistic, as what’s happened to the restaurant industry is devastating. But I do think clubs are uniquely positioned to up our games in terms of bringing in new, displaced talent and raising the technical ability of our teams. C+RC

C+RC: Is that what you appreciate most about him?

CB: There’s a lot I admire and appreciate about him. His ability to connect with the membership is wonderful. I believe food tastes better when it’s prepared by someone who cares about you. Every dish he puts out is made with love and appreciation for his members and his craft.

Beyond that, Chef Waddington has raised the technical ability of our entire culinary team.

C+RC: How do you support him?

CB: It goes back to what I said early, about letting the chef be the chef. I don’t micromanage. I don’t stand in his way. I don’t treat him as though

March 2021

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B Y

CLUB+RESORT CHEF A N D

C LU B + R E S O R T C H E F A S S O C I AT I O N

virtual series

KEEPING TO-GO GOING MARCH 11

2 PM

EST

EXPANDING OUTDOOR DINING MARCH 18

2 PM

EST

SETH SHIPLEY, CEC, CCA, EXECUTIVE CHEF Belle Meade Country Club Nashville, Tenn.

LAWRENCE MCFADDEN, CMC, GM/COO The Union Club Cleveland, Ohio

CHRIS ALVAREZ, CLUBHOUSE MANAGER Wyndemere Country Club Naples, Fla.

JOSEPH LEONARDI, CMC, DIRECTOR OF CULINARY OPERATIONS The Country Club Brookline, Mass.

MAXWELL SHTEYMAN, CEC, EXECUTIVE CHEF/ DIR. OF FOOD & BEVERAGE Sunningdale Country Club Scarsdale, N.Y.

JEREMY DISTEFANO, CEC, CERTIFIED EXECUTIVE CHEF Dedham Country & Polo Club Dedham, Mass.

THE FUTURE OF BANQUETS MARCH 25

2 PM

EST

BEN SIMPKINS, WCMC, CEC, CCA, AAC, EXECUTIVE CHEF The Dunes Golf and Beach Club Myrtle Beach, S.C.

VIEW ALL SESSIONS AND REGISTER NOW C L U B A N D R E S O R T C H E F. C O M

PRODUCT SHOWCASE f eat u r e d c at eg o ry

Course + Grounds

Shuttle for Six

Product: Shuttle 6 ELiTE Features: ▶ Zero-maintenance 56-volt AC lithium batteries ▶ Battery powered by Samsung SDI ▶ 5-year battery warranty ▶ 1,200-lb. vehicle load capacity and 6-passenger seating ▶ Maintenance-free batteries ▶ Opportunity charging and longer range on each charge

Cushman

www.cushman.txtsv.com

Irrigation Innovation

Product: Lynx® Central Control System Advancements Features: ▶ The Lynx® Central Control System includes new enhancements that make irrigation management easier than ever for course superintendents ▶ The new version allows superintendents to have a map view of their Precip Management Group (PMG) and the projected amount of irrigation ▶ The Lynx Mobile Cloud update includes userselected mapping and touch features that give superintendents superior control from any location ▶ The automated backup scheduler lets superintendents schedule a backup time once and then forget about it. A local backup will occur automatically each day ▶ Subscribers to Toro’s renowned National Support Network (NSN®) will have their settings automatically backed up to the cloud as well, allowing them to get to work instantly rather than needing to take time to re-load the local backup

Toro

www.toro.com

Range Robot

Product: RP-1200 Autonomous Range Picker Features: ▶ Emissions-free ▶ Offers advanced automation, guidance and safety features ▶ Collect golf balls 24/7, rain or shine ▶ Pairing the RP-1200 with the TM-2000 autonomous mower can completely automate your range for turf that looks manicured and professional all season long, without closing the range ▶ Best of all, course staff can control both machines from a desk or smartphone—saving time and resources

ECHO Robotics

www.echorobotics.com

Clocks

Timely Remembrance

Product: Verdin Golf Course Clock Features: ▶ Many two- and four-faced models ▶ Clocks are custom-made and UL-approved ▶ Superior Moonglow backlit dials are shatterproof ▶ Custom headers, colors and dials with logo ▶ Optional installation and maintenance

by Verdin technicians

The Verdin Company

800-543-0488 • www.verdin.com

www.clubandresortbusiness.com

March 2021

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PRODUCT SHOWCASE

A�������� Fabulous Furnishings

Prestwick Golf Group Features: ▶ Designing and manufacturing customized golf property furnishings for over 20 years ▶ Just as courses set out every day to create unforgettable experiences for their members, we design products that align with your brand, transform your space, and coordinate across your entire property ▶ Sister companies, Stirling Furnishings and Sister Bay Furniture Co., can bring your vision to life throughout the clubhouse, pro shop, locker room, and outdoor dining/gathering spaces

Air with Care

Product: Country Club Lockers Features: ▶ Locker rooms are essential to the overall club experience, and they should be comfortable and luxurious ▶ Locker rooms should be an extension of your brand and reinforce each member’s decision that joining your club was the best choice ▶ Lockers need to be easy to maintain and clean ▶ Everything should look new for as long as possible and maintain durability without sacrificing the look and feel of premium craftsmanship ▶ Hollman lockers turn heads and help you convey the privilege associated with access to your facility

Product: RestorAir Features: ▶ Uses Advanced Oxidation Cell Technology to effectively kill odors and eliminate viruses and other contaminants in the air and on surfaces ▶ Has demonstrated effectiveness against microorganisms that are similar to or more resistant to kill than Coronavirus (COVID-19), as well as vegetative bacteria like Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and Enterococcus (VRE) ▶ Designed for locker rooms, hallways, restaurants, spas, meeting rooms and virtually any common-area room ▶ Two unit sizes available to cover small and large areas ▶ The Advanced Oxidation Cells in every unit have a rated life of 25,000 hours (34 months)

Hollman

Duffy’s Tri-C Club Supply

Prestwick Golf Group

www.prestwickgolfgroup.com

Luxury Lockers

www.DuffysTriC.com

www.hollman.com

T����� + C����� Nesting Comfort

Product: Alison Nesting Chair Features: ▶ Nests eight high for time-saving convenience ▶ Upholstered inner and outer backs create seamless contours ▶ High-strength, low-maintenance smooth extruded aluminum alloy frame ▶ COMFORTweb® seat lets guests rest in the lap of luxury ▶ Standard brushed aluminum powdercoat finishes ▶ “EASY GLIDE” clear butyrate floor glides ▶ 12-year structural frame warranty ▶ Hand truck available for easy transport

MTS Seating

734-847-3875 • www.mtsseating.com 32

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March 2021

Wrought-Iron Wonders

Product: Lennox Stacking Dining Chairs Features: ▶ Comfortable wrought-iron outdoor furniture made in the USA ▶ Stacks four high for easy storage ▶ Can be used with or without a cushion ▶ 5-step powder-coating finishing process and outdoor foam and fabrics provide durability ▶ Modern design perfect for poolside dining spaces

OW Lee

800-776-9533 Sales@owlee.com www.clubandresortbusiness.com

The Club + Resort Chef Association is the leading professional community for the culinary teams at private country clubs, city clubs, yacht clubs, athletic clubs and high-end golf properties and resorts.

CRCA supports its members’ unique needs through networking, continuing education, and professional development.

We offer the latest in the Club + Resort Chef Industry Peer-to-peer networking and continued education In-person events Podcasts Monthly Association blogs written by Tom Birmingham, CRCA’s Director.

Online forums [coming soon] Our flagship magazines Club + Resort Business and Club + Resort Chef Our weekly Club + Resort Chef eNewsletter Videos

Founded in 2019 by WTWH Media LLC, publishers of Club + Resort Business and Club + Resort Chef, and the host sponsor of the annual Chef to Chef Conference, the Club + Resort Chef Association was launched to meet the unique needs of the club and resort food and beverage segment. The association was formed to provide the chefs and others on their teams with even more opportunities to benefit, on a year-round basis, from the targeted content, educational resources and networking value that WTWH’s magazines, websites and conference provide.

Find out more at www.association.clubandresortchef.com

PRODUCT SHOWCASE

M����� S������� + A��������� Modular Muscle

Product: Modular Gym Space Features: ▶ 320-sq. ft. shipping containers ▶ Stocked with commercial gym equipment to provide safe, private, modular gym space ▶ Offers trainers and gym-goers the opportunity to book 60-minute private reservations ▶ Pods are outfitted with cutting-edge technology and audio equipment ▶ Members can take pre-filmed classes taught by BOLD’s trainers, stream content from their favorite fitness apps, or FaceTime with personal trainers remotely

BOLD

info@trainbold.com • www.trainbold.com

Streamlined Software

Product: Clubessential Member Experience and Club Management Software Features: ▶ Everything needed to streamline operations in one fully integrated suite powered by real-time data-sharing between website, reservations, accounting and POS modules ▶ MRM—the club industry’s first predictive analytics tool ▶ Payments—one platform for payments and processing ▶ Mobile—enhance member engagement everywhere ▶ Websites—stunning digital representations of your club ▶ CRM—close more membership sales in less time ▶ Reservations—convenient web and mobile booking options

Clubessential

www.clubessential.com

Lift Up Your Logo

Product: Branded Umbrellas Features: ▶ Showcase your club logo with printed umbrellas

by Bambrella ▶ Adding a monogram or logo to your umbrellas is an excellent way to highlight your brand and elevate the look of your outdoor spaces ▶ These can be done on any of our center-pole umbrellas, offset umbrellas and pavilions ▶ With currently over 150 clubs served, Bambrella is the club manager's choice for shade ▶ Send your logo for a free quote today

Bambrella

www.bambrellausa.com

Unlike Any Other

Product: Augusta Umbrella Features: ▶ 1 ¾”-diameter, one-piece pole with a heavy-gauge aluminum core and a textured FiberTeak™ simulated wood finish ▶ Available in five sizes and three wood tones to complement a variety of furnishings ▶ Push up-&-pin or pulley-&-pin lift styles ▶ The canopy is made of marine- and furniture-grade solution-dyed acrylic fabrics ▶ Canopy options include double vents or extra large Aruba vent, multiple fabrics, valances and silk-screened logos.

Fiberbuilt Umbrellas & Cushions

Join the Club

Product: ClubProcure Features: ▶ Program offers clubs 150 ways to save time and money ▶ More than 3,000 clubs nationwide leverage ClubProcure’s strategic relationships with well-known, national companies to gain tremendous buying power ▶ Pick and choose which offerings work best for your needs ▶ This year marks the 25th anniversary of ClubProcure serving the club industry

866.667.8668 • sales@fiberbuiltumbrellas.com www.fiberbuiltumbrellas.com

ClubProcure

www.clubprocure.com

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www.clubandresortbusiness.com

PRODUCT SHOWCASE

K������ E�������� Dual Duty

Product: DT1A-HS One Section Dual-Temp Upright Features: ▶ Engineered to maintain NSF-7 temperatures in 100°F ambient ▶ Stainless-steel exterior front and sides with stainless-steel interior top, sides, back and floor ▶ Environmentally friendly R290 Refrigerant ▶ Cabinet and doors are insulated with 2” CFC-free, foamed-in-place polyurethane ▶ Solid-state digital controller with temperature alarms and LED display (Fahrenheit or Celsius) ▶ Exclusive “stepped” door design to protect recessed door gasket ▶ Spring assisted self-closing doors with stay-open feature and locks ▶ Field-reversible doors

Hoshizaki America

www.hoshizakiamerica.com

Golden Griddle

Product: Legend Heavy-Duty Deluxe Griddle Features: ▶ 30,000-BTU/hr burners every 12” ▶ One snap-action thermostat for every burner ▶ Automatic pilot ignition with 100% safety valve ▶ Larger 4-1/2-quart grease drawer with baffle ▶ A full 24”-deep cooking surface. ▶ 1”-thick, 24”-deep polished cook surface ▶ 4” back splash and tapered side splashes ▶ 3-1/4”-wide grease trough ▶ Stainless steel front and sides with 4” (102mm) legs

Montague Company

www.montaguecompany.com

F��� + B������� Great Balls of Butter

Down-Under Delight

W.Black Australian Wagyu Features: ▶ The natural Wagyu earthy-caramel sweetness shines through.

A silky texture, rich in good fats, Omega 3 and Oleic acid. The white grain-based diet allows the unique flavor profile to shine ▶ Independently graded using the AUS-MEAT Australian grading system that provides rigorous independent grading.

Customers can be confident in the consistency and integrity that W.Black delivers every time ▶ Utilizing a unrivaled lineage of full-blood Wagyu Sires.

Genetics are DNA-tested for marbling, eye muscle area and growth rate, to deliver superior Wagyu cattle ▶ Only the finest cattle are chosen. Twelve months spent roaming on natural pastures, before a 400-day bespoke Japanese white grain diet

Product: Premium Butter Balls Features: ▶ Market leader in premium shaped butters ▶ Made with smooth, creamy European-style butter ▶ These shapes have been a hallmark of the fine-dining experience for decades ▶ Ideal for weddings, special events, or your daily menu ▶ Your members will know that you have thought of everything when you serve these extraordinarily shaped butters

Butterball® Farms Butter www.butterballfarms.com

W.Black Australian Wagyu 256.749.3987 www.wblack.com.au

www.clubandresortbusiness.com

March 2021

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PRODUCT SHOWCASE

Outdoor Furniture Wonderful Weave

Product: Nexus Woven Features: ▶ Striking contemporary collection ▶ Modular sectional pieces that can be joined together ▶ Features woven dining and lounge seating ▶ Design uses durable Resinweave frame in two colorways ▶ Endless cushion fabrics to choose from ▶ Available in a premium cushion option

Texacraft

www.texacraft.com

Reach the Summit

Product: Summit Stacking Chaise Features: ▶ Sleek, low-profile teak frame supports an outdoor mesh sling for comfortable poolside lounging ▶ Polyester and poly vinyl sling material is waterproof, fade resistant and resists tearing or stretching. Also available in Cloud ▶ Backrest adjusts to four positions on stainless-steel fittings, and back legs roll on discreet wheels ▶ Measures 26.5 W x 78 D x 11 in. H. Seat measures 23 W x 46 in. D ▶ Teak chaise lounge chair stacks up to six high

Country Casual Teak

www.countrycasualteak.com

ADVERTISER INDEX 7

BARILLA www.BarillaFS.com

29

CHEF TEC 303-447-3334 www.cheftec.com

5

CLUB PROCURE 800-3635480 www.clubprocure.com

14-15

CRES COR www.crescor.com

36

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THE MONTAGUE COMPANY 800-345-1830 montaguecompany.com SOUTHERN PRIDE www.southernpride.com

38

11

STRATEGIC CLUB SOLUTIONS Results@StrategicClubSolutions.com www.StrategicClubSolutions.com

37

W. BLACK www.wblack.com.au

19

www.clubandresortbusiness.co3

With the right partner, change becomes chance The past year was full of unexpected changes.

Members have lost trust and are fearful.

Now’s your chance to build their confidence in the club.

When you work with SCS, we’ll help you identify opportunities, communicate authentically, innovate solutions and reset with an updated plan.

Because now more than ever, your club needs to Be instill trust and regain control the right way.

Here’s your chance for a free consultation.

Call 262.661.CLUB. Strategic Plans | Surveys | Member Engagement | Operations | Branding | Search

www.StrategicClubSolutions.com Results@StrategicClubSolutions.com

Advisor

302

IT’S NOT A MYTH...

IT’S A

• Heavy-duty Star Burners with raised ports – increased efficiency up to 20% • Innovative oven options – muffled design convection, or front vented standard bake and roast

• World-renowned oven doors with counterweight design and lifetime warranty • Durable robotically welded 1/4” angle iron frame • More usable cooking surface area – 12% greater than the closest competitor

There are many commercial ranges on the market but only one worthy enough to be called Legend.® Montague Legend® Ranges offer incomparable power, precise heat control, consistency and reliability combined with customization options that let you create diverse menus with an unlimited range of possibilities.

It’s time to discover Montague!

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The Montague Company • 1-800-345-1830 • montaguecompany.com