Club + Resort Chef March 2023

2023

Top Ranked

CULINARY EXPERIENCES

DINNER “DATE” IN NAPA

MY HUSBAND AND I WERE IN NAPA in January with my sister and brother-in-law. Our original plan was to go to Peru, but civil unrest and travel bans landed us in wine country. My only request for the trip was to dine at restaurants I’d never been to. I didn’t care how many Michelin stars they had or didn’t have; I just wanted to try delicious food.

One of our dinner reservations landed us in a yurt village set up in the courtyard of a restaurant run by a prominent and highly decorated chef. I had high hopes for this meal, and it did not disappoint—not because the food wowed me, but because it took so many unexpected twists and turns.

For example, one of the courses was an oyster. My sister has a seafood allergy, so oysters were not part of her experience. The oysters were delicious, but her substitution was a date—just one, small, oblong, slightly wrinkled date, placed in a little bowl and served in step with the oysters. The date was not wrapped, stuffed or modified. It looked so sad, lonely and pathetic in that bowl.

When the server placed it in front of her, she burst out laughing. This made us all laugh. That may have been the point.

The next day, we had time to kill between tastings, so we stumbled into a roadside market with a taqueria near the back that one of the sommeliers we met suggested. The menu was

simple, the food was made to order and the smells from the kitchen were intoxicating. I had a chorizo taco with an amalgamation of toppings that was so satisfying and delicious that I’m sad I don’t live close enough to go back for lunch regularly.

These two end-of-the-spectrum meals amuse me for a lot of reasons. But the culinary narrative of my trip feels in line with club chefs’ daily challenges. Serve a wine dinner, but don’t include seafood for one guest. Serve the best tacos your members have ever had. Make sure to have plentiful wine—though some of your members might be ‘wined out’, so better have a great bourbon list, too.

I guess the lesson is this: When you’ve had enough, and you need a laugh, be bold enough to drop a date into a fancy bowl and pretend it’s the equivalent of an oyster.

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

RECOGNIZING THIS YEAR’S TOP RANKED CULINARY EXPERIENCES

CLUB + RESORT CHEF’S MARCH issue features the 2023 Top Ranked Culinary Experience list, with Palm Coast, Fla.-based Hammock Dunes Club in the top spot (p. 38). The club’s culinary o er has grown steadily over the past few years, thanks to a sharp uptick in membership since 2020.

But what’s most impressive about this culinary team is their commitment to learning and growth, always striving to improve their skills and present members with an unparalleled culinary experience.

Top Ranked entries, as always, were judged independently by a panel of club and resort chefs based on points assigned to menus, frontand back-of-house photos and more.

Dozens of clubs and resorts submitted to Top Ranked for the first time this year, each with information or initiatives that others in the industry can learn from. So, new in 2023, C+RC’s editors called out several clubs and their culinary teams throughout the list that impressed us for one reason or another, independent of the judges’ scores.

Knoxville, Tenn.-based Cherokee Country Club just completed a $7M dining renovation. Edmond, Okla.-based Rose Creek Golf Club is home to a Parisian-inspired speakeasy. The Club at Ibis (West Palm Beach, Fla.) applied

for a new visa that enabled it to hire Italian sta for a truly authentic Italian restaurant. The Philadelphia Country Club is implementing four-day work weeks. Sycamore Hills Golf Club in Fort Wayne, Ind., installed an allergy cooking station, inspired by Farmington Country Club (Charlottesville, Va.), 2022’s Top Ranked Culinary Experience. See pages 40-45 for more from these clubs and others.

We will continue to reach out to clubs on the Top Ranked list to learn more about their foodand-beverage programs and share their stories and successes with you.

And, of course, we are always looking for ways to refine and improve our programs, including Top Ranked, to better serve this industry’s chefs and culinary teams. If you have ideas or suggestions for 2024, please let us know.

Congratulations again to Hammock Dunes’ Ranked clubs.

SENIOR EDITOR

Isabelle Gustafson igustafson@wtwhmedia.com 216-296-2041

6 Exceeding Member Expectations

Hammock Dunes Club’s culinary program named C+RC’s 2023 Top Ranked Culinary Experience

8 2023 Top Ranked Culinary Experiences

C+RC is reconizing several standout clubs and their culinary teams on this year’s Top Ranked Culinary list for their e orts and intiatives throughout 2022.

14 Strong Performance Despite Headwinds

Despite a challenging start to his rst Executive Chef role, Nick Marchesano is poised to further enhance The Gasparilla Inn & Club’s culinary program while recruiting \ and training the next generation of cooks.

16 Beyond Scallops

Club chefs must satisfy members’ love for seafood staples while navigating uctuating supply chains and costs, and providing diverse options from the vast array of available seafood.

18 Onboarding a Pastry Performer

Dessert boards have earned a spot at the table, giving members a chance to sample a variety of tastes in one sitting.

22 Mass Production, with Mass Appeal

Whether teeing up for a good cause or a tournament, club members count on chefs who can pull o a crowdpleasing meal.

26 Appealing to More Members With Aussie Beef and Lamb

Robert Meitzer, CEC, AAC, Executive Chef of Forest Lake Club in Columbia, S.C., says Australian lamb is a favorite for members of all ages.

28 Nurturing Culinary Excellence

New York natives Nick Markel, GM/COO, and Joe Piazza, Executive Chef, are evolving the Country Club of Bu alo’s culinary program, thanks to a newly renovated kitchen, restaurant pop-ups and more.

30 Oh, Baby! A Look at Parental Leave Programs

As clubs evaluate what they o er in employee bene ts packages, parental leave can serve as a way to drive recruitment and retention while improving productivity.

Exceeding Member Expectations

Hammock Dunes Club’s culinary program named C+RC’s 2023 Top Ranked Culinary Experience

C+RC Editorial Report

THE CULINARY OFFER AT HAMMOCK DUNES CLUB in Palm Coast, Fla., has experienced consistent growth thanks to a sharp uptick in membership since 2020. With growth comes food-and-beverage revenue, which now rests north of $3 million, up nearly $1 million in just a few years.

The culinary team creates innovative, outside-the-box concepts for the club’s nearly 750 members across fine dining, casual and family-friendly food-and-beverage outlets while remaining steadfast in service and quality.

“The membership, culinary team and oceanside location are what make this club so special,” says Executive Chef Lance Cook, WCMC, WMCS, CEC, CCA, CFBE, FMP, CFSM. “Every effort is put toward enhancing the dining experience and service that are hallmarks of Hammock Dunes.”

Hammock Dunes specializes in continental cuisine, prepared using French techniques. The team is constantly sourcing new ingredients and learning new preparation methods to improve their skills and maintain their standing as club culinary leaders.

Chef’s tables have skyrocketed in popularity, promoted solely through word of mouth and fully booked through

the season. Hammock Dunes hosts up to four weekly chef’s tables with seven courses. While these are a major draw for members, they’re also an important opportunity for the culinary team to work side-by-side with Cook.

Hammock Dunes sources specialty products for chef’s tables to expand members’ palates and to enable the culinary team to work with ingredients they might not have used before, says Cook, who takes the opportunity to educate the team on each ingredient, their various uses and ways of preparation. “For example, we got some head-on shrimp the other day and made a surf-and-turf with foie gras and cherry chutney.”

Hammock Dunes’ culinary team is deeply passionate about their skill development, Cook notes. This is further fostered by the club’s culture of learning and mentorship, with initiatives like a corporate membership with the American Culinary Federation (ACF) “for anyone on the culinary team interested in certification, competitions and other benefits.”

“They see my involvement in these organizations and want to be part of it,” notes Cook, who aims to lead by example.

This past year in particular, the team’s

overall skill level has increased in spades, partly due to the club’s newly refined method for attracting talent.

In building a Top Ranked team, Cook’s found success with tools like ApplicantPro, which extends a job posting’s reach across dozens of sites, as well as a new employee referral program, which offers bonuses to both referring and new employees based

Culinary Experience

on longevity: $150 each after 45 days; $200 each after 90 days, plus a $150 gift card to the referring employee; $350 each after six months, plus eight hours paid wages for the referring employee; and $500 to the referring employee at the one-year mark.

The club has also raised wages and increased benefits, including reimbursements for bridge tolls, gym membership deals and certifications, all of which are paid for by a monthly service fee for members ($50 for single members and $75 for couples). Non-members pay a service charge at the time of the event for banquets.

Reflecting on this past year and Hammock Dunes’ Top Ranked Culinary award, Cook says he’s most grateful for the recognition of his team’s efforts.

Hammock Dunes at a glance

Membership size: 740

Annual F&B revenues: $3M

A la carte F&B outlets: 6

Average weekly a la carte covers: 1,650

A la carte kitchens: 4

Banquet kitchens: 1

Total banquet capacity: 300

Back-of-house employees: 26

Front-of-house employees: 44

Food cost percentage: 48

Cook says this industry—and all those who contribute to club culinary success—deserve applause. “I look at these clubs and resorts and think, ‘Wow, it’s an honor to be on that list.’” C+RC

Palm Coast, Fla.-based Hammock Dunes Club was rated 2023 Top Ranked Culinary Experience by a panel of chef judges, based on points related to menus, back- and front-ofhouse photos and more.

2023 Top

Culinary

Taking Care of the Team

THE

Savannah, Ga.

With nearly 3,400 members and $21 million in annual food-and-beverage revenue, The Landings Golf & Athletic Club in Savannah, Ga, boasts one of the largest culinary brigades in the country, spanning ten standing culinary concepts, from fastcasual dining to 10-course tasting menus, and hundreds of events a year, led by Executive Chef Sam Brod, CEC.

Among its efforts to find and retain talent, the club hired a central foodand-beverage recruiting manager, and it offers multiple training programs for staff, including a 3,000-hour American Culinary Federation (ACF) apprenticeship.

The Landings has also initiated an incentive program to show appreciation for team members who pick up extra shifts when needed.

Team members earn points for each shift they pick up, which can be redeemed for rewards at three levels, including gift cards, trolley tours, Landings merch, VIP stadium tickets and more.

The club also offers an 18-week internship program for soldiers stationed at Fort Stewart Hunter Army Airfield as part of their active-duty training. C+RC

Major Renovation

CHEROKEE COUNTRY CLUB

Knoxville, Tenn.

Cherokee Country Club is known throughout Knoxville, Tenn., for its exceptional culinary experience.

“In last year’s member survey, dining was the most important activity at the club, with a 98% rating,” says Executive Chef David Pinckney.

In 2022, the club completed a $7 million dining renovation, adding family and formal dining areas, a buffet room, a larger pub and a 100-seat, two-tier terrace overlooking the Tennessee River and Great Smokey Mountains.

“I don’t think anyone objected to the club’s yearly food minimum of $800,” says Pinckney. “It has been eliminated for the upcoming year.”

Cherokee culinary staff ’s skill level also sets the club apart. The team comprises at least five former executive chefs from other clubs and restaurants alongside 10-plus-year employees that lead the line.

“We have doubled our food-andbeverage program since I started 16 years ago,” says Pinckney. “We’ve also added 300-plus member families.”

Continuous Learning

SYCAMORE HILLS GOLF CLUB

Fort Wayne, Ind.

With 498 members and $2.7 million in annual food-and-beverage revenues, Sycamore Hills Golf Club in Fort Wayne, Ind., aims to bring fresh and modern culinary concepts and experiences to its members throughout the year.

“Our culinarians embrace the scratch lifestyle and never take shortcuts regarding the quality of our offerings,” says Executive Chef Anthony Capua, noting that the team takes extra effort to buy ingredients locally through farmers’ markets and other companies and even sources its own greens via an on-site herb garden.

“We love to push new creative ideas,” he says, “such as our Battle of the Club Chefs event and our collaborative wine dinner series, where we invite some of the top club chefs from around the country to come to cook with our team in a wine dinner format.”

Capua says he loves that this allows his team to experience working with different chefs and their cooking techniques, adding to their culinary repertoire.

“We also aren’t afraid to look at what others are doing and adapt ideas to our kitchens,” says Capua. “A great example is our new allergy cooking station in our kitchen. This was an idea we borrowed from Farmington Country Club (Charlottesville, Va.) after reading their 2022 Top Ranked Culinary Experience profile.” C+RC

Focus and Finish

With a membership of almost 4,500 and $6 million in annual food-and-beverage revenues, Bonita Bay Club (Bonita Springs, Fla.) operates nine unique a la carte and three banquet outlets offering a diverse array of menu options, with Executive Chef Richard Brumm, CEC, WCEC, CCA, AAC, at the helm.

“The team takes great pride in finding a balance between culinary fundamentals and innovative, creative cuisine through an ingredient-focused experience,” says Brumm. Throughout its venues, Bonita Bay’s culinary team executes 18 seasonal menus—12 daily and five weekly—plus featured menu items, showcasing local produce and proteins in a true from-scratch setting, including (but not limited to):

• Finfish are brought in whole and broken down by a dedicated fishmonger. Trim goes to fish tacos, terrines and charcuterie, and bones go to stocks, soups and sauces.

• Lacto-fermentation is used to reduce vegetable waste and create depth in dishes.

• Items made in-house include pasta, soups, stocks, dressings, sauces, pickles, ice cream, brisket, pastrami and more.

• All spices are milled in-house, including cinnamon, cumin, coriander, cardamom and more.

• Bonita Bay culinary staff maintains a root cellar to properly store items like tomatoes, potatoes and carrots.

• The team produces 100% of all juices (citrus and otherwise) for all culinary and bar areas and bottled juices for the beverage carts, including orange, lemon, lime, apple, cranberry, green goddess and many others.

• The club’s apiary produces its honey. Also notable, the club maintains a staff that is 50% larger than necessary in offseason months, which ensures its core group is taken care of, says Brumm, and allows for training, education and personal growth opportunities.

“We have consistently been able to maintain five-day work weeks for salary and

line staff, and salaried management works a three-day week six months of the year,” he adds. “Our program is designed to give hours to those who desire them.”

Finally, Bonita Bay is beginning a rebuild of its second clubhouse in April, which will feature a brand-new back-ofhouse operation. This will be the fifth kitchen the club has built or renovated in eight years. C+RC

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Photos: Scott Sikora Photography, The Club at ArrowCreek, Reno, NV

Destination Dining

ROSE CREEK GOLF CLUB

Edmond, Okla.

Rose Creek Golf Club has crafted two distinct dining experiences for its 730plus members, led by Executive Chef Jim Camp—a farm-to-table restaurant and a Parisian-inspired speakeasy.

Neighborhood Provisions focuses on rustic, farm-to-table dishes. The menu changes every eight weeks and “elevates humble ingredients and a local ethos of

seasonality.” Everything is made from scratch, including sauces, dressings and pizza dough.

Meanwhile, Caché transports members to 1920s Paris with 42-plus liquor selections (one of the largest in the city), nightly live jazz and a traditional French small bites menu featuring items like escargots de Bourgogne, Moules Provençale, pâté de campagne and fromage et terrine du jour, plus various types of caviar.

Members can start their evening in Caché, then meander to Neighborhood Provisions for dinner. C+RC

An Italian Renaissance

THE CLUB AT IBIS

West Palm Beach, Fla.

The Club at Ibis provides its 3,400plus members with a vast culinary experience, led by Executive Chef Jerome Nicolas—from fine dining in Panache to casual lunches and dinners in The Atrium and The Pub, to Ibis’ newest venue, Amici Ristorante, made possible by the Q-1 visa.

The Q-1 visa, which the club applied for this past year, is a cultural exchange program designed to share the home country’s history, culture and traditions. Acceptance of the visa application prompted the club to renovate its Bistro Restaurant, rebranding it Amici Ristorante, an authentic Italian restaurant staffed with mostly Italian chefs and team.

Amici’s menu was inspired by Central Italy, Rome, Perugia, Tuscany and Chef Francesco Latarullo’s hometown of Umbria. Latarullo’s cooking style is contemporary but loyal to tradition.

In addition to Italian cuisine, the club offers Italian language, cooking, wine-tasting and more.

The feedback from members has been “outstanding,” and it provides the club with year-round staff in addition to the seasonal team.

Solving the Staffing Riddle

As “the oldest country club in the United States,” with 1,800 members and $7 million in annual food-and-beverage revenue, the team at The Philadelphia Cricket Club (PCC) feels responsible for honoring its heritage. Still, at PCC, ‘traditional’ doesn’t equate to stuffy or stale, notes Executive Chef Benjamin Burger.

To keep pace with labor challenges, PCC has expanded its HR team to include a dedicated recruiting specialist who works closely with the culinary team.

“Of course, we believe a positive work culture and efficiency in hiring should be the bare minimum,” says Burger. “We’re always looking to raise the bar, not skate by it. It would be unfortunate if we were at risk of missing out on talent because they could make a more livable wage elsewhere. Thankfully, our members understand and support our needs, and they were eager to fund an increase in payroll that kicked in a year ago. No one here earns less than $15 per hour, and 98% of our culinary staff, including stewards, currently earn above this threshold and are trending upwards.”

PCC also rewards culinary staff for their hard work with food-and-beverage

bonuses. Members are billed a service charge for all food they purchase at the club, and 4% of this goes into a pool split quarterly among all staff who have worked at least 250 hours for that bonus period. This pool is shared between both front- and back-of-house employees.

“This supports our collaborative team atmosphere while allowing our focus to be less on personal finances and more on the business of making members happy,” says Burger. “As our club leadership always says, ‘Happy employees take the best care of our members.’”

The club has taken a fresh look at how it supports work-life balance for its employees via sustainable staffing schedules.

“In many cases, we’ve been able to implement four-day work weeks for both hourly staff and managers,” says Burger, with the current goal of staff working four

days a week with the ability for everyone to get at least one weekend day off.

“You’ll never hear, ‘It’s how it’s always been’ as an excuse at PCC,” says Burger. “We insist on being a place where employees are shown they are valued, not only with words but with actions, such as increased compensation and qualityof-life initiatives. It’s who we are and the most important element of our success in attracting and retaining staff.” C+RC

THE PHILADELPHIA CRICKET CLUB

Philadelphia, Pa.

Strong Performance Despite Headwinds

WHEN NICK MARCHESANO ACCEPTED the role of Executive Chef of The Gasparilla Inn & Club (Boca Grande, Fla.), he had no way of knowing Hurricane Ian would slam into the island two months into his tenure.

“We were still setting in when the storm became a real threat to the island,” he says. “We decided to wait it out in Miami.”

By Joanna DeChellis,

Days later, Marchesano and his team returned and evaluated the devastation caused by the hurricane. Roofs were gone. Buildings were leveled. The golf course would need an entire year’s worth of repairs. There was no power or water. Cell service was spotty at best.

Despite a challenging start to his first Executive Chef role, Nick Marchesano is poised to further enhance The Gasparilla Inn & Club’s culinary program while recruiting and training the next generation of cooks.

Editor

It would be easy to leave this scenario and find a new opportunity elsewhere, but Marchesano was committed not only to rebuilding the Inn, but also to the community his members and guests call home.

The Gasparilla culinary team set up a community kitchen for seven days to feed neighbors and emergency response teams. They offered fresh water, meals and other supplies.

“We wanted to help with disaster relief, but we aren’t firefighters,” says Marchesano. “Instead, we did what we knew would be most helpful—we cooked for our community.”

Club + Resort Chef (C+RC): What you did in the storm’s aftermath is inspiring. Was it difficult?

Nick Marchesano (NM): Sure, but reopening The Broadmoor (Colorado Springs, Colo.) after COVID was far more challenging.

C+RC: How many people did you serve during those seven days?

NM: At first, we only served about 50 people, but by the end of the week, we were serving 250 daily. We served from the back loading dock, using every piece of portable banquet equipment we have. One night we served an Indian curry; another night we did tacos on the grills. We tried to be creative and resourceful.

C+RC: What happened when power was restored?

NM: We shifted gears and returned to preparing for the upcoming season, though we continued to feed the contractors working to repair our property. The Inn decided to push the open date back to December so we could make the needed repairs to our buildings, which was a blessing in disguise. We were able to have a fresh start, wipe away bad habits and begin again.

C+RC: How’s it going so far?

NM: Super smooth sailing. Fortunately, I brought several cooks from The Broadmoor, so a large part of my team is used to a rigorous culinary environment. The Broadmoor essentially trains chefs to run their own hotel operation— so running the culinary program here at Gasparilla is not much of a stretch.

C+RC: You’ve worked in high-profile operations like The Broadmoor, Augusta, Kiawah Island and others. You also have some very well-respected mentors, like John Johnstone, CMC. What have you learned from these places and people?

NM: The future of the culinary industry depends on chefs teaching and training others in an environment where growth is possible and encouraged. It’s not enough to brand your operation with an empty slogan like, ‘It’s a pleasure to work here.’ That won’t bring cooks in the door.

Our industry has a unique opportunity to bring people into our kitchens that we might not have targeted before. Our future depends on chefs helping those individuals build their careers through proper training, growth and by offering an experience they can’t get elsewhere.

C+RC: What does that philosophy look like at Gasparilla?

NM: We are actively recruiting tech and high school students—and I’m not looking for the best and most qualified candidates. I actually want the least qualified candidates. It doesn’t matter to me if they don’t know how to cut an onion properly. I can teach them that, and when we start at square one together, we build a skill set we are equally invested in.

C+RC: What challenges come with bringing in such novice team members?

NM: These kitchens are busy, and we don’t want to it be too intimidating and scare them away. We want to expand their view thoughtfully. We start with how to cut an onion and how to slice garlic and build from there. We put effort into training. It takes valuable time, and it’s hard to slow down to explain why something is right or wrong. But it’s well worth our time and theirs.

C+RC: This is your first Executive Chef title. Why did you choose Gasparilla?

NM: This property has benefited from a long line of talented chefs. From Peter Timmins, CMC, to Seth Shipley, CEC, CCA, to others. When the opportunity arose, [John Johnstone, CMC] encouraged me to apply.

C+RC: Now that things are settling down, what’s next?

NM: I want to continue to push the culinary envelope of what’s possible here at the Inn, and I want to create an apprenticeship program. C+RC

The Gasparilla Inn & Club’s Executive Chef Nick Marchesano and team set up a community kitchen to feed neighbors and emergency response teams after Hurricane Ian.

Beyond Scallops

Club

love for seafood staples

of rotating seafood options for the club’s 1,300

of culinary tightrope-walking, but when it comes to seafood, they take their balancing acts to new heights.

Certain ingredients—like salmon and scallops— must always be o ered, but diverse options from the vast array of available seafood are becoming more prevalent in clubs across the country.

The menus at Marco Island, Fla.-based Hideaway Beach Club’s three restaurants feature a range

members, including a sushi menu in the club’s lounge. Annual food-and-beverage revenue is $3 million, and seafood accounts for 47% of total sales.

“When something becomes available that members may not have seen, we try to bring it in and o er it on our fresh catch or daily features,” says Hideaway Executive Chef Timothy Smith.

Among the most successful species are parrot fish, Kona kampachi, triggerfish and any species of fresh

chefs must satisfy members’

while navigating uctuating supply chains and costs and providing diverse options from the vast array of available seafood.

grouper, such as yellow edge and strawberry, says Smith. Razor clams, however, “did not sell well.”

Smith changes 20% of each menu every three weeks, rotating through the restaurants, so every week is an opportunity to o er something new.

A bit of engineering has been necessary to overcome shortages, he adds. “Our menus change so frequently that we can work around shortages with each turn.”

OCEAN’S BOUNTY

Mainstays on Hideaway’s menu include the grouper “Oscar” and lobster bisque.

According to Smith, sustainability always factors into his menu-writing. “We like to know where our ingredients come from, so we use responsible purveyors and stick to products we are proud to talk about,” he says, such as Verlasso salmon and yellowtail snapper from the Florida Keys.

Cost can be a challenge, Smith notes, but he and his sta have managed to mitigate most supply chain disruption.

“We rely on a large list of purveyors,” he says.

Over his two years as Executive Chef of the 450-member Waldorf-Astoria Monarch Beach Resort in Dana Point, Calif., Jean-Pierre Dubray has tried to introduce more diverse species of seafood to members, “but guests aren’t always willing to try unfamiliar items.”

Dubray says cod has fared relatively

well—monkfish less so.

The resort has four restaurants, six bars and a large banquet facility. The annual food-and-beverage revenue is $60 million. The restaurants’ menus change twice a year, with year-round daily specials.

The resort’s Bourbon Steak restaurant features appetizers like ahi tuna tartare with Asian pear, pine nuts, Scotch bonnet, mint and sesame; and grilled Spanish octopus with chickpea purée, pomegranate glaze and ras el hanout. Entrées include Maine lobster pot pie with seasonal vegetables and brandied lobster cream and broiled New Zealand tai snapper with gingerscallion and fermented black beans.

Seafood items on the resort’s a la carte menus that Dubray considers permanent features are sea bass, salmon and crab.

NAVIGATING SHORTAGES

Like Dubray, Executive Chef Matt Maryjanowski says monkfish moves slowly at Brook-Lea Country Club (Rochester, N.Y.). However, he’s found success with black cod.

Permanent fixtures on the club’s menus are calamari, haddock fish fry and scallops, all of which which help drive the club’s $1.8 million annual food-and-beverage revenue.

If availability issues arise, says Maryjanowski, members understand supply chain and pricing issues and give the

culinary team leeway.

At Bentwater Yacht & Country Club in Montgomery, Texas, Executive Chef Timothy M. Oltz says he hasn’t “encountered any issues getting the fish we consistently buy, but sometimes, as we prepare for wine dinners, vendors will say they can get what we are requesting—then a week to five days before the event, it’s no longer available.”

Salmon and scallops are staples, says Oltz. And members “seem to enjoy redfish dishes of any sort” for Friday specials.

The club’s Crescent Grille & Patio features grilled mahi-mahi in a sauce of tomatoes, onions, olives, capers, garlic, lime and pickled jalapeño; seared sea scallops with a brown butter; and ancho-crusted salmon with yellow mole. C+RC

Timothy Smith, Executive Chef, Hideaway Beach Club

Hideaway Beach Club’s ‘angry lobster mac n cheese’

Waldorf-Astoria Monarch Beach Resort’s grilled Spanish octopus

Jean-Pierre Dubray, Executive Chef, Waldorf-Astoria Monarch Beach Resort

Onboarding a Pastry

Dessert

By Pamela Brill, Contributing Editor

PLATED PASTRY, TAKE A NUMBER. Order-ahead chocolate sou é and tableside Bananas Foster may have their ‘wow’ factor, but lately, showstopping dessert boards are creating a buzz that commands more attention. What started as a social media sensation has since turned into an in-house dining experience that enables pastry chefs to create themed dessert displays with a variety of textures and flavors in one convenient setup.

GATHER AND GRAZE

Theresa Brauer, Pastry Chef of the Country Club of Virginia in Richmond, understands the impact of a satisfying end to a meal, especially one that allows diners to indulge their senses as a group. It’s the very reason Brauer relishes making dessert boards for club members and guests. “They allow people to gather and try many di erent things instead of sticking to one dessert,” she says.

Brauer has been experimenting with dessert board concepts for the past two years, representing a new chapter in her seven-year-long stint at the club. She credits Janice Wong, a pastry chef in Singapore she follows online, for alerting her to the initial idea. And while dessert boards have yet to become a menu mainstay, Brauer finds fun ways to incorporate them into her banquets and special events lineup.

One of Brauer’s more popular boards is a chocolate mousse duo (dark and white chocolate), complemented by various toppings and bases. These include almond chocolate biscotti, chocolate chip cookies, macaron shells, vanilla-poached pear, strawberries, amaretto oranges, caramel sauce and a raspberry gastrique (pictured above). This past New Year’s Eve, she

created a DIY dessert board for the club’s restaurant, Ollie’s, which was a big hit. Members were given a bowl of pudding they could decorate with any toppings, including Oreo crumbs, mini cookies, peppermint crumble, fresh strawberries, crispy pearls and whipped cream. With these types of creations, Brauer has observed their universal appeal. “Dessert boards are for everyone; they bring a crowd together,” she notes.

Brauer is focused on balancing sweetness when preparing her boards, which requires thoughtful planning. “Just like creating a plated dessert, you need to lay out all your items and compare them between salt, sweet, acidic and bitter,” she notes.

boards have earned a spot at the table, giving members a chance to sample a variety of tastes in one sitting.

Pastry Performer

Theresa Brauer, Pastry Chef at the Country Club of Virginia (left), says creating a dessert board requires thoughtful planning. As with plated desserts, the board must strike a balance between salty, sweet, acidic and bitter avors.

“The best part of our job is creating that balance and knowing you hit those points. It brings an extra scientific element to creating the boards.” She typically starts with the main idea, assembles a list of possible ingredients, and eliminates any that don’t mesh well with the concept.

Brauer is excited by the dessert board possibilities in the coming months. “Spring is one of the best times for the boards—so much color and fun flavors to work with,” she says. She plans to incorporate macarons into a fun dessert board on the bu et table for Easter. For Mother’s Day, a pound cake dessert board will be enhanced with several

toppings, such as macerated raspberries, vanilla bean Chantilly, salted caramel sauce, sweet lemon butter, sliced mangos, chocolate fudge sauce, graham cracker crunch and toasted almond crackers. “It’s a fun way to incorporate every flavor for every dessert lover,” she says.

GOING BANANAS FOR BOARDS

At Arrowhead Country Club (Rapid City, S.D.), dessert boards are a hot commodity, and Pastry Chef Kristen Belan knows how to respond to increased demand. “We host numerous events and banquets throughout the year. Any time a guest wants a petite dessert display, they want a board,” she says.

Before taking charge of Arrowhead’s pastry production, Belan perfected her craft as a pastry caterer in Atlanta, enabling her to transition into the private club scene smoothly. “I’ve been making dessert boards since the woodcutting board became popular,” she says. “I love catering, and setting up edible displays has always made me happy.”

In Arrowhead’s kitchen, dessert boards showcase Belan’s talent, particularly in pairing pastries with flavorful extras.

“If I have specific desserts I know I’ll be working with, then it’s fun to add bits of caramel and roasted fruit to enhance pretty much everything,” she notes. “Who doesn’t love a dip?” Tried-and-true favorites include lemon curd, Chantilly, caramel and roasted fruit.

While a la carte dessert boards are not currently on the menu, Belan expects that may soon change. She now enjoys pairing fresh fruits with salty components: “They make for colorful accents and textural variation.” Currently on the roster is a southern-inspired treat board, complete with bananas Foster pudding, blueberry buttermilk panna cotta and fried peach empanadas, which is finding favor with adults and kids alike. She is also incorporating pudding, empanadas, and pecan pie bites into a dessert “flight,” garnished with fresh fruit, nuts and cheese cubes.

Belan will continue to stay true to her Georgia roots this spring with some holiday-themed selections, with Mother’s Day and Easter brunch being two of Arrowhead’s more popular events. “I plan to keep with my regional trend

by adding lemon meringues and carrot cake to my list of southern sweets,” she says.

SWEET AND SAVORY

Long before dessert boards became a social media sensation, Rebecca Freeman, CEPC, Executive Pastry Chef of the Club at Las Campanas in Santa Fe, N.M., was on the case. “There was definitely a need for a shared dessert, and a board filled it perfectly,” she recalls of her first creation in 2019.

Freeman has since mastered the art of assembling a perfect pastry board. But rather than setting out with a specific plan to make boards, the process happened organically.

Freeman recalls her executive chef asking her to whip up something on the fly when special guests were dining, or a kitchen order needed fixing. “I would just put something together that sounded delicious to me: either multiple desserts or a sweet charcuterie board,” she says.

Aside from their visual appeal, dessert boards enable simplified sharing, which allows members to enjoy dessert without the pressure of selecting a single item individually. One of Freeman’s more recent memorable boards was a funfetti-style birthday cake with orange segments and hazelnut brittle.

Freeman tunes in to what she’s currently craving when developing dessert board ideas. On a recent trip to her native Chicago, she returned to the club with popcorn on her mind.

“Maybe I was feeling homesick, but I made a board with cheesy popcorn, salted caramel sauce and chocolate cake,” she says. “It sounds weird, but I promise the flavors worked.”

Other equally addictive, display-worthy creations include a chocolate fondue board with cookies and fruit for dipping and a fruit-centric ri on crème brúlée, starring orange segments and bananas. “I think it adds a nice, bitter caramel note,” Freeman says, “with a slight char of dark caramel.” C+RC

Dessert boards are popular among Arrowhead CC’s members and guests and function as a creative outlet for Pastry Chef Kristen Belan (left). Favorite elements include lemon curd, Chantilly, caramel and roasted fruit.

The Club at Las Campanas Executive Pastry Chef Rebecca Freeman, CEPC, says some of her best dessert board ideas happen organically when she tunes in to what she’s craving.

Mass Production with Mass Appeal

By Pamela Brill, Contributing Editor

CATERING FOR A LARGE, post-game crowd is a challenging feat. Banquet chefs must execute flavorful food en masse while maintaining excellence for members and guests. Factor in the rising cost of goods, limited sta ng and other myriad challenges, club culinarians must become adept at spinning plates—and make sure they don’t come crashing down around them.

With spring on the horizon and event season ramping up, banquet managers and chefs are perfecting their game plans for tournaments, charity events and other functions that cement a club’s reputation within the community and drive business.

FULL PLATE

Managing catered golf events at Sedalia (Mo.) Country Club is a full-time job. According to General Manager Wayne Ogle, the club hosts approximately 20 golf tournaments per season, along with up to 60

events that are members-only. And that translates to a need for keeping a firm handle on a busy banquet operation.

While Ogle is a relative newbie at Sedalia—this July marks the one-

year anniversary at his first-ever club management role—he’s no stranger to the foodservice industry. As the former co-owner of a food truck that shuttered in 2020 due to COVID, Ogle’s honed the skills needed to pull

Whether teeing up for a good cause or a tournament, club members count on chefs who can pull o a crowd-pleasing meal.

Sedalia CC’s calendar features dozens of events that include a meal. The club hosts approximately 20 golf tournaments per season and up to 60 members-only events.

o a well-oiled operation. “I understand food cost and breaking down a menu, minimizing inventory and having strict portion-control standards,” he says.

On any given day during prime season, Sedalia’s event calendar teems with golf outings that include a meal. They typically have 6-10 one-day fundraisers, six multiple-day events, a high school state championship (held in spring or fall), and two college events. On top of all that, the club is also involved with the Missouri Golf Association and is slated to host its Senior Series Tour in June. As a result, this event roster amounts to a total cover count that can reach up to 250.

When executing catered golf functions, Ogle must ensure that the club meets its standard of excellence, which means sta ng appropriately— something that continues to pose a challenge. “We need to have enough employees to handle our largest event, but not so many that their position provides too little to them without these large events,” he says of striking a balance with his F&B hires.

To make sure that events go o without a hitch, Ogle keeps the lines of communication open, not only with his sta but also with his guests and members. This includes anything from disruption of normal service to limited

seating and menu options.

Taking this same level of transparency into 2023 is vital to sustaining Sedalia’s golf event catering for the long haul. For Ogle’s kitchen, that means keeping a close eye on rising food costs and adjusting the menu accordingly. “Some of our most popular items [such as crab legs] have become so expensive, we have chosen to quit o ering them,” he notes. And when it comes to meat, because the club only serves USDA prime beef, this year’s menu reflects a necessary price hike.

KEEP CALM AND CATER ON

Among the myriad functions held at Maple Blu Country Club in Madison, Wisc., golf events represent a respectable portion of the club’s catering business. According to Events Manager Janet Knoeller, the breakdown is as follows: golf functions (20 percent), charity events (10 percent) and tournaments (5 percent).

Since she started in the summer of 2021, Knoeller has familiarized herself with the needs of her clientele, often serving as the liaison between them and the catering team.

With over 25 years of experience, Knoeller has become adept at managing all challenges when running an event. But perhaps the one constant

that she, like others in her position, must accept—good or bad—is the midwestern weather. “On the occasions when we have all of or part of our catering outside, we have an indoor back-up plan or, at a minimum, an outdoor roofed or covered area backup plan,” she says.

Even with contingency plans, catering a large-scale golf event still has hiccups.

Knoeller finds patience and communication to be the best courses of action when things go awry. This approach applies not only when working with the client but also with her sta .

“I like the structure of creating and discussing deadlines and best practices with team members and sticking to them,” she explains. “If something happens outside the deadline or best practice, I like to ask about and discuss this with a ected team members and then decide together if it’s okay to make the exception.”

Leading by example, with input from the catering sta , is an e ective strategy that Knoeller will use for the coming season. With a full roster of events on tap from May through September, she keeps a close eye on the calendar so that she can plan accordingly.

Maple Blu CC Executive Chef Nick Boyd sets up a seared scallop station.

SWEET CHARITY

At Seven Springs Golf & Country Club in Trinity, Fla., the relaxed vibe during tournament season carries over to its menu. The semi-private facility, sporting two courses, hosts between one and three monthly tournaments, with most events occurring between September and May. “Almost all tournaments play as a fundraiser for a charity, but we have some play for various groups,” says Director of Special Events Carol Vespa. For instance, a local high school might host a golf function, with proceeds going toward new sports equipment.

Regardless of the event’s purpose, Seven Springs o ers a bu et menu specifically for golf tournaments. Options include the All-American (hamburgers, pasta

salad, coleslaw and cookies); BBQ chicken (traditional cuts, along with baked beans, corn, salad and rolls); and pulled pork (with baked beans, salads and rolls). For parties wishing to eat before their game, the Sandwich Shop Bu et provides classic cold cuts with all the fixings, while golfers on the move can opt for the to-go boxed lunch.

“Our menu is very casual and geared toward a group of guys and gals who have been out enjoying the camaraderie the challenging game of golf brings them,” says Vespa. “They are just looking forward to coming in for a laid-back meal rather than a formal dinner.”

Because of the increasing demand from outside groups to use the facility for charitable tournaments, Seven Springs must weigh these

requests along with continuous member usage. “With the boom of golf due to the pandemic, we are much busier daily, and we need to make sure that outside events make the club money and do not upset our members by making the courses unavailable too often,” says Head Golf Pro Duston Haddad. Striking a balance between the two has enabled Seven Springs to serve the greater community while helping to sustain the club’s overall business.

This strategic approach to managing catered golf events continues to bode well for Seven Springs, where repeat bookings are common. In fact, many groups schedule their annual tournament before the last plate is cleared, ensuring that they leave the club well-played—and well-fed. C+RC

Seven Springs G&CC o ers a bu et menu for golf tournaments, with options like hamburgers, BBQ chicken and pulled pork. For parties who want to eat before their game, the Sandwich Shop Bu et provides classic cold cuts with all the xings, while golfers on the move can opt for the to-go boxed lunch.

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Appealing to More With Aussie Beef

Robert Meitzer, CEC, AAC, Executive Chef of Forest Lake Club in Columbia, S.C., says Australian lamb is a favorite for members of all ages.

By Isabelle Gustafson, Senior Editor

AS A 100-YEAR-OLD CLUB

with 1,100 members and a seven-year waitlist, the pressure’s on to push the envelope at Forest Lake Club (Columbia, S.C.) while appealing to a diverse membership base.

“[Forest Lake] has a generational membership,” says Executive Chef Robert Meitzer, CEC, AAC, who was named one of the Club + Resort Chefs of the Year at the 2022 Chef to Chef Conference in Nashville. “It’s a mixed group.”

This can make menu planning a challenge. But Australian lamb, Meitzer says, appeals to all palates.

Lamb rack, in particular, is a musthave at Forest Lake, but the club also features lamb chop, shepherd’s pie, lamb ribs and lamb pastrami across its five dining outlets.

“The lamb rack has been on the menu for two years,” notes Meitzer. “It’s one of those items that we can’t take o ; members expect it in some

variation, whether as marinated chops or as a whole- or half-rack.”

It only made sense for Australian lamb to make an appearance at Forest Lake’s 100th anniversary celebration in January, too, where most members were in attendance.

“We made a braised lamb ragu with shell pasta using our pasta maker,” says Meitzer. “It was one of our most popular action stations.”

IN THE OUTBACK

Forest Lake’s members love the mild, quintessential flavor of Australian lamb’s cuts, says Meitzer, and the size is just right: “not too small like a little New Zealand lollipop and not too big like some of the domestic lambs.” The price is right, too.

“We can get Australian lamb for about $19 [per pound],” he notes.

Meitzer also appreciates the sustainability factor. Because they graze on pure, natural grasslands throughout their lives, Australian lambs are lean and low in cholesterol compared to other animal proteins—yet full of flavor.

While Meitzer’s been in the culinary business for over 30 years, he began working with Australian lamb about 15 years ago while teaching at Johnson & Wales University.

Robert Meitzer, Executive Chef of Forest Lake Club (right), worked with James Patterson, Corporate Executive Chef of McConnell Golf and Executive Chef of Porters Neck CC (left), to create three dishes using Aussie beef and lamb cuts at a culinary immersion event this past year.

More Members and Lamb

The school utilized Australian lamb across all campuses, creating a competition called The Taste Down Under. Meitzer competed twice.

“The first time [I competed], I took second place. The prize was four days in Australia, cooking dinner at the Australian embassy,” he says. “The second year, I won the competition— and the prize was two weeks paid in Australia. So I cooked dinner in the Outback in Alice Springs, Australia, for a group of dignitaries.”

He’d planned to make them a Texas brisket but encountered a language barrier.

“I realized their definition of ‘barbecue’ and my definition were very different,” Meitzer says. “I was expecting a cold smoker kind of a barbecue, but in the Outback, when you say ‘barbecue,’ it’s a flat-top. I should have realized when the butcher gave me a strange look.”

Still, he says, “it was an eye-opening trip and a great learning experience.”

AUSSIE ACADEMY

This past year, Meitzer participated in another Aussie event when Meat & Livestock Australia’s Aussie Beef & Lamb brand invited chefs from clubs across the country to participate in a two-day learning, networking, and culinary immersion event hosted at Ansley Golf Club in Atlanta, which culminated in a cooking challenge.

Meitzer was paired with James Patterson, Corporate Executive Chef of McConnell Golf and Executive Chef of Porters Neck Country Club (Wilmington, N.C.), to craft several dishes using

different cuts of Australian beef and lamb.

“That was a cool opportunity to bring different chefs together and into a kitchen,” says Meitzer. “There were some guidelines, but we had a lot of freedom to play around with the product and utilize cuts of beef and lamb that people aren’t as familiar with.”

The two created a tandoori ribeye with root vegetable curry and mint salad; a Thai lamb salad with ginger-carrot dressing and pickled mushrooms; and charcuterie with tartare, carpaccio, sausage and airdried beef (pictured above).

“Lamb isn’t often thought of on a charcuterie board,” Meitzer notes, but the dish was well-received by Ansley’s members.

Meitzer says the tandoori dish was inspired by what he foresees as a major culinary trend: Indian-inspired cuisine,

which Meitzer predicts could begin to overshadow other consumer favorites like Thai.

At a recent board dinner, he crafted 15 different South Indian dishes, including a lamb vindaloo.

Ultimately, Meitzer’s all about exploring global flavors and cuisine, demonstrating new and innovative ways chefs can showcase a memberfavorite ingredient like lamb.

And while lamb might traditionally be considered more for fine dining, Meitzer’s been incorporating cuts like lamb shoulder or leg into more casual dishes, including a gyro pizza at Forest Lake’s pool area.

“I added a bit of mozzarella, tomatoes, black olives, and I flashbaked the pita with the gyro meat,” says Meitzer. “I topped it with tzatziki and chopped mint when it came out. The members loved it.” C+RC

Nurturing Culinary Excellence

New York natives Nick Markel, GM/COO, and Joe Piazza, Executive Chef, are evolving the Country Club of Bu alo’s culinary program, thanks to a newly renovated kitchen, restaurant pop-ups and more.

By Isabelle Gustafson, Senior Editor

MANAGER

TWO MONTHS INTO bartending for the Country Club of Bu alo (CCB), Nick Markel, CCM, CCE, changed his college major from art to hospitality.

“I fell in love with this industry,” he says. “[Since then], I’ve always dreamed of returning to CCB.”

Nearly 20 years and several prominent posts later, Markel returned to the club as General Manager and Chief Operating O cer.

The Country Club of Bu alo, based in Williamsville, N.Y., has 505 members and does about $2 million in annual food-and-beverage revenue.

Markel says the club’s tight-knit community and family-centric environment make it special: “Many clubs say that, but I don’t know how many hold true to that value as closely as CCB does.”

This also attracted Executive Chef Joe Piazza, CEC, AAC, CCA, says Markel, and is what makes the two an ideal pairing.

“Chef [Piazza] is from Rochester, and his wife is from Corning—both close to Bu alo,” notes Markel. “He chose to come to CCB to be near their families. That says something about his values that I appreciate.”

Club + Resort Chef (C+RC): How would you describe CCB’s food-and-beverage operation?

Nick Markel (NM): We have one main dining site year-round, The Terrace, with doors that open to the elements on beautiful spring and fall nights. We also open a separate, outdoor dining facility called The First Tee during summer. Then we have our halfway house and our pool snack bar.

Chef Joe [Piazza] is wonderful. As a club with a smaller membership, we’re able to personalize each dining experience. Chef and his team go out of their way to make members happy. For example, one of our members loves pork chops. We don’t always have a pork chop on the menu, but we always have pork chops in the fridge ready for her whenever she cares for one.

C+RC: What is Chef Piazza best known for as a culinarian?

NM: He is incredibly talented, and he’s had an amazing career at several prominent clubs.

From a sta perspective, he’s known for having a steady hand and is great at mentoring young culinarians.

From a membership perspective, he’s known for consistently excellent food and creativity.

He’s always looking to push the envelope and try new concepts. To mix it up for the membership for the next six weeks, he’s running a pop-up restaurant in our main dining room: a northern Italian steakhouse theme with choose-your-own charcuterie boards and wine flights.

We’ve done pop-ups for the past three years. The past two have been the Italian concept. The year prior was contemporary American small plates. [Piazza] always knocks it out of the park.

C+RC: How else has the F&B program evolved since Chef started?

NM: One of the biggest changes was the shift to monthly menu changes. That was a phenomenal upgrade for the members, who spend a lot of time at the club. We have to keep things fresh, which Chef is committed to.

The culinary team does a wonderful job coming up with new events. One of the things that came out of COVID was our Twilight series: a series of menus paired with wines and served on our North Lawn area, open to a limited

group of members. It’s very popular. We run three or four through the summer; they always sell out.

We just completed a $1.2 million kitchen renovation. We added space for chef’s tables, about 10-12 per year, as part of the renovation. We call it Table 101, and it is an outstanding culinary experience that our members can’t get anywhere else—and an opportunity for Chef [Piazza] to showcase his talents.

C+RC: What were the primary goals of the remodel?

NM: We had an aging kitchen that needed an upgrade. [Changes included] new flooring, wall coverings and new equipment.

I’m especially proud of the board for approving additions to the original budget that allowed us to choose [more ergonomic] flooring. We also added a DOAS (dedicated outdoor air system) unit that maintains an environment in the kitchen of around 75°F.

[Piazza] did a great job managing that project. My role was shepherding the project through: getting a successful vote from the membership, getting that funding and supporting him through the construction process to make sure everything was going according to plan and that he was happy with it.

At CCB, we want all department heads to have the autonomy to run their programs as they see fit. I’m not an expert in anything, but I do my best to give each leader the necessary resources and support. C+RC

pecting Better: A Look at Parental Leave Programs

By Joanna DeChellis, Editor

WHEN TJ GARRISH, Executive

Chef of L’Hirondelle Club of Ruxton (Towson, Md.), learned his fiancé was pregnant, he began to prepare for the arrival of their new addition. He planned to take at least a week o after she was born, but he could take up to two weeks per the club’s paternity leave program.

When Garrish’s daughter, McKenzie (see photo, above), was born two months premature, he faced a daunting set of unexpected challenges. Fortunately, L’Hirondelle was supportive, providing him the time and flexibility he needed to navigate those early days.

“I was able to bounce back and forth between the hospital and the club daily,” says Garrish. “When she finally came home, I could still take a week o to be with my family. A lot of the credit goes to my team, who was able to step up in my absence and fill in any gaps.”

L’Hirondelle continues to support Garrish—but not all employees in the club industry are as fortunate.

A TROUBLING TREND

According to a report by the National Partnership for Women & Families, only 25% of workers in the United States have access to paid family leave through their employer.¹ According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, only 10% of workers in the accommodation and foodservice industry have access to paid family leave benefits.²

“Our industry is already tough on hours and lacks flexibility,” says Eduardo Castillo, CEC, Executive Chef of San Antonio (Texas) Country Club. “Parental leave can be expensive, but it provides an avenue for clubs to maintain sta and provide an environment that is welcoming and receptive of families.”

SACC o ers two weeks of paid time

o (PTO) after one year of employment at the club. That number inflates to six weeks after 10 years. But that’s not ideal for younger parents without much tenure.

“We had a new employee have a baby in his first year, and he had no PTO to cover time o ,” says Castillo. “Our employees generously decided to donate some of their own PTO, but he still had to take a pay hit.”

Castillo is working with SACC to find more and better ways to support new families and hourly employees during important life events such as the arrival of a new child.

“PTO is a good start, but it usually has tight limitations,” he says. “We need more support and guidance from club management to improve parental leave programs. Clubs could explore creating funds like scholarships or holiday bonuses to support parental leave for all employees. But that starts by having

As clubs evaluate their employee benefi ts packages, parental leave can offer an opportunity to drive recruitment and retention while improving productivity.

those conversations with management and the board.”

Another challenge facing club chefs is the long and irregular hours. Many employees work late into the evening or early in the morning, making it difficult to find childcare.

“Most SACC employees rely on family to help them care for a new baby, or they choose a daycare,” says Castillo. “Unfortunately, many childcare programs are expensive and often completely out of reach due to hours or cost. We try to explore each case as unique and find a solution that may include changing schedules, roles or expectations.”

OPPORTUNITY FOR CROSS-TRAINING

When a leadership-level employee takes leave, it creates a temporary gap that needs to be filled. One e ective solution is to cross-train other sta

members to take on those responsibilities during their absence.

“Instead of looking at parental leaves as a challenge to overcome, we must look at it as an opportunity for employees to take on new tasks and responsibilities,” says Castillo. “When a manager is gone for an extended period, other employees can grow into that supervisory or senior role. A junior sous or chef de partie can take some or all of the responsibility of the executive chef who is out. This can also be an opportunity to cross-train employees.”

Cross-training gives employees valuable experience and skills and can create a more flexible and resilient workforce, allowing the club to better adapt to unexpected absences or changes in sta ng needs.

“You usually have several months to plan,” says Cory Kuhn, CCM, Clubhouse Manager of Glendora (Calif.) Country Club. “Before the birth of

each of my three children, I took the initiative to train my team to cover my responsibilities in my absence.”

When Kuhn’s first child was born, he was a banquet manager. He trained his banquet captain for several months on scheduling, setting up for events and more. “It was great because when I came back, my captain was proficient at my position, and we were both given promotions,” says Kuhn.

For each subsequent child, Kuhn followed a similar plan. “This has been a great way to train and delegate tasks to other aspiring managers who might not have had the reason or direction to do so if it had not been for me leaving temporarily,” he says. “The experience also provides a valuable lesson in delegation and letting your team do the work without being micromanaged.”

While each club takes a di erent approach to parental leave, the prevailing theme distills down to this: A supportive work environment values and prioritizes the needs of its employees and their families.

“We’ve worked hard to change how we help our team balance work and family priorities,” says Garrish. “My GM has been incredibly supportive of this process, too. When we’re most busy in the summer, we work five days a week. But in the winter, when we’re slower, we work four days a week and always try to give at least one weekend day o .

“If a member of my team has unused vacation at the end of the year, I’ll make them take time o ,” he continues. “I want my team to spend time with their families, have hobbies and a life outside the kitchen. Those things are important and help us serve our membership better.” C+RC

Editorial Note: Despite e orts to interview a wider variety of sources for this story, including female chefs and managers, all declined to participate.

When L’Hirondelle Club of Ruxton’s Executive Chef, TJ Garrish, welcomed his daughter two months early, the club allow him to work a exible schedule until she was released from the hospital.

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▶ Oars & Alps leave out ingredients that strip skin of its natural oils, which can leave you dry and itchy

▶ Feed your skin aluminum-free deodorant that actually works

▶ Invigorating Shampoo + Conditioner are designed for ultimate scalp health and an energizing shower experience

▶ Oars & Alps Body Wash keeps your skin hydrated and fresh all day long

Fore Supply Co. www.ForeSupplyco.com

Skin Protection

Product: Sunscreen

Features:

▶ Tri-C Club Supply - Duffy’s has all your sun care needs

▶ Exclusive Palm Island Sunscreen

▶ Available in gallon refills, pump bottles and sprays

▶ Light scent and fragrance free options

▶ Other sunscreen brands available including Bull Frog Mosquito Coast Sunscreen with insect repellent

Tri-C Club Supply Inc.-Duffy’s www.DuffysTriC.com

FIRED UP WITH FLAVOR

An American Original!

The Montague® Legend®

Steakhouse Broiler now with optional refrigerated base. This heavy-duty broiling center keeps proteins close at hand speeding up production, enhancing freshness and maximizing efficiency.

Manufactured in the United States by skilled craftsmen, Montague Steakhouse Broilers offer chefs powerful, high-volume, heavy-duty broiling, producing tender, flavorful entrees customers will rave about. Now that’s perfection.

It’s time to discover Montague!