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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Club + Resort Chef
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March 2021
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.
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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
