PASTRY
In-House or Outsourcing:
The Great Debate To make or to buy? That is the question club and resort pastry teams face daily. Here’s how two chefs decide. By Pamela Brill, Contributing Editor
WHILE PASTRY CHEFS MAY not necessarily liken themselves to Shakespeare’s Hamlet, they must ask themselves if it makes the most sense to purchase or bake certain products. Whether limited by the size of his or her staff, workspace or budget, each chef is faced with making certain choices that result in the best outcome for a club’s kitchen. AN INSIDE JOB At Tavistock Country Club in Haddonfield, N.J., pastry chef Nadelis Perez is fully committed to producing the majority of her own pastries, including her flourless chocolate cake, with créme anglaise and coffee ice cream (see below, recipe online). “We make at least 70 percent of the pastry products and desserts in-house,” she says. “Making our own pastries creates a personal and meaningful experience for our guests and members. We can customize dishes or accomodate special dietary needs by making dishes in-house.”
Nadelis Perez, Pastry Chef of Tavistock Country Club
After honing her culinary skills at The Acorn Club in Philadelphia for four-and-a-half years, Perez joined Tavistock two years ago and currently heads up a pastry department that includes one assistant. Producing goods for her seasonal a la carte menu lets her flex her creative muscles and entertain member suggestions. “I also pay attention to sales numbers of different dishes, to understand what our members are enjoying from our menu and what they continue to buy,” she adds. While Tavistock’s a la carte pastries are largely made in-house, volume dictates whether or not Perez will make or outsource select items. “For certain products, it is more feasible and practical to buy as opposed to making everything from scratch, particularly around the holidays,” she says. Products best made in-house include cakes, mousses, brownies and lemon bars, as she is able to control the use of less-refined sugars, such as glucose and corn syrup. And following the adage of practice makes perfect, Perez believes that putting time and effort into her in20
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Club + Resort Chef
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May 2020
www.clubandresortchef.com
