The University Club, Columbia, Mo.

Chef Daniel Pliska now helps the cuisine offered at The University Club of Missouri stand out as much as the famed columns on the “Mizzou” campus.

Daniel Pliska, CEC, has been the Executive Chef at The University Club at University of Missouri in Columbia, Mo., since 1998. In his 15 years at the club—located in the Donald A. Reynolds Alumni Center at the heart of campus, in the shadows of “Mizzou’s” famed columns—Chef Pliska has elevated not only the cuisine, but the profile of the club, to an impressive level. His cutting-edge, contemporary dishes are not only showcased at the club, they are also enjoyed in many other venues throughout the campus and Columbia, to help generate $1.3 million in annual off-site catering revenue.

Chef Pliska also holds a unique series of culinary summits at the club, with leading chefs from around the world invited to help bring special internationally flavored events and educational programs to the heart of the Midwest. He also has a model internship program and in general, doesn’t know what the word complacency means.

Chef Pliska, who also serves as the club’s Assistant General Manager, is rightfully proud of what he and his culinary brigade of over 40 people have accomplished, to transform what was mostly a convenience food operation before he arrived into what is now one of the more renowned F&B operations in the state.

Executive Chef Daniel Pliska, The University Club of Missouri, Columbia, Mo. Daniel Pliska, CEC CHEF PROFILE Current Position: Executive Chef/Assistant General Manager, The University Club, University of Missouri, Columbia, Mo. (1998-Present) Previous Experience: Executive Chef, Topeka Country Club, Topeka, Kan. (1995-1998) Executive Chef, Capital City Club, Raleigh, N.C. (1991-1995) Awards and Accomplishments: Certified Executive Chef, American Culinary Federation, 1994 Gold Medal Grand Prize, Hot Food, Charlotte Culinary Salon, American Culinary Federation, 1994 Professional Affiliations: President, American Culinary Federation’s Central Missouri Chefs Association Chef Grillardin, Chaine des Rotisseurs

We appreciate Chef Pliska being kind enough to take time out of his incredibly busy schedule, especially while school was still in session, to share insights on how to continually conceive new ways to keep a club, and its culinary talent, front-of-mind, even in a vibrant campus setting where many other activities and interests compete for people’s attention.

Q: Chef, you challenge yourself every day to stay fresh and bring innovative ideas and new concepts to The University Club’s menus. What specific steps do you take to gain an edge daily, seasonally and annually?

A: Staying current and bringing innovative ideas is a constant undertaking. I am always striving to provide motivation that will inspire our culinary staff to express their own culinary and pastry creations on a daily basis. They do this in venues like our lunch buffet, where the menu changes daily, as well as through weekly bistro specials and our dining room’s a la carte offerings.

Personally, just like many chefs, I am constantly searching for inspiration and find it in my culinary travels as well as through my memberships in culinary associations and by connecting with fellow chefs. I also like to review trade magazines and periodicals, both on the web and at the local library. Additionally, I look outside of our profession for successful events and themes that could be tailored to our club and catering departments, to develop new and exciting meals and functions.

Q: For the culinary summits you’ve hosted over the past four years, can you tell us how you came up with the themes, and what kind of participation and feedback you received?

A: Our culinary summits and festivals are one of my proudest accomplishments! It always invigorates the staff when top culinary talent comes to cook with us in the club. The ones that we have hosted, along with the local chapter of the ACF, include the Latin Food Summit, Asian Food Summit, Farm-to-Table Festival and Chocolate and Champagne Festival.

I am currently working in conjunction with our School of Journalism on a Culinary Arts in the Media symposium, called “The Art of Food,” which will be equally represented with media and journalism personalities and top-notch culinary and pastry stars. This event will be held on September 20th here at the club, and finish with a dinner reception at a local, renovated historic theater.

The University Club of Missouri is located on the heart of the “Mizzou” campus, in the shadows of the famed columns salvaged from an 1892 fire that destroyed Academic Hall, the college’s first building.

All of our events have drawn a large participation from culinary students and chefs from both inside the state and in our region. Our members enjoy the meals and parties that are a part of the summits as well. Feedback has always been positive, and I am often asked when and what will be the topic of our next culinary event.

Q: Daniel, you offer The University Club’s sous chefs the opportunity to go through the ACF CSC Sous Chef Certification process. With four CSCs on your staff now, how did you determine that they were ready to take on the challenge?

A: To be successful at this certification level takes a strong degree of personal dedication. This is the first step that I evaluate and I ask myself, “Do they really want it?” Then I encourage them to get involved with the ACF and to go and witness a certification exam. At the same time, I review their culinary skills and give them advice on where they need to make improvements. Finally, I have them make a cooking plan and practice it at least six times.

The ACF also has some great PowerPoint resources on its website that are used to help in the certification process, called “time management” and “mise en place,” that I have them review for self-assessment.

Q: Can you also describe your “Chef in Training Program” and the results it has yielded since it was implemented, to help enhance the career paths of recent culinary graduates and entry-level chefs.

A: Our chef-in-training program begins with our ACF-accredited formal chefs apprenticeship program. This took quite a lot of time and planning to develop, and I am proud to say that we have had four certified sous chefs who have graduated in the past two years.

Certified Sous Chefs who have graduated from the “Chef in Training” apprentice program developed by Pliska (center) include Reed Crull (far left) and Scott Gestring from Johnson County Community College.

I am currently working on a second-phase training program that will focus on developing the entry-level sous chef/lead cook by determining a specific tract of development in one of the three areas: hot food skills, garde manger, or pastry and desserts. We will increase their skill level by investing in seminars, stages, and coaching in competitions, while at the same time creating a management training program to improve their business acumen. The estimated time for completion will be three years, and those who graduate will be prepared for advancement to the executive sous chef or entry-level executive chef position in other top clubs, hotels or resorts.

Q: Tell us about the success of Global Cuisine theme nights, your newest series of dinners in your formal dining room.

A: Global Cuisine theme nights are offered on a cyclical basis and feature a hybrid of buffet and family-style service. I was inspired to do this after a trip to a luxury resort in Cancun, Mexico. Sample themes have included Cruising the Greek Isles, Bavarian Splendor, Spanish Tapas and Exotic Flavors of India.
These nights also feature action stations and entertainment, which further enhance the experience. We have more than doubled our average cover counts on Thursday nights through these theme nights, and we look to further develop this concept.

Q: Chef, I love to hear what chefs’ philosophies are regarding what I think is the single most challenging aspect of our jobs: flawlessly executing high-volume plated meal service. You successfully implemented an interesting approach when you served a very important “Capital Campaign Kickoff” event not too long ago. Can you walk us through how it worked?

A: For this off-premise catering event, we served a three-course, formal meal in a climate-controlled tent. The black-tie event was for 650 people and took about six months of planning and training. The menu—which featured a duo of a horseradish, black pepper-crusted filet of beef with a boneless stuffed quail with apples and wild rice—was served by 50 servers.

A “Cruising the Greek Isles” event was the latest of a series of successful theme nights held at The University Club of Missouri that have doubled average cover counts on Thursday nights.

We trained them in a synchronized service style in seven teams of five servers, so they could carry two plates each. Each team served a table of 10 by placing the food down in one movement, somewhat like a Swiss clock. They then shifted and served the rest of the table in one movement. They marched to each table from the plate-up line by following the team leader in single file, like a military squad. Each team served a row of tables in three sections, in a “wave” style of service.

We plated the meal directly into their hands from three double-sided lines, with heat lamps at the end and an expeditor controlling the flow. By the time the final table in their sections was served, the first tables were being cleared by a team of back waiters. This enabled the teams to seamlessly serve all three courses continuously without waiting for the entire floor to be cleared. Because each table was served individually, there was never a large gap of time where they had to wait.

The whole meal was served in about an hour and 15 minutes, and we received many great compliments. This function alone set us above the area’s competition when it comes to high-end, high-volume catering functions. The money we make from these types of functions allows us to grow our programs and give back to our membership with great value events.

Recipe for Plum Tart with champagne lemon sabayon sauce
Recipe for Wild Mushroom Risotto Cakes
Recipe for Chicken and Apricot Terrine

The 5th Annual Chef to Chef Conference

Despite a snowstorm that was severe enough to cancel hundreds of flights into the usually weather-proof Denver International Airport, over 200 executive chefs, general managers and other industry food-and-beverage leaders from 37 states and Canada made their way to Colorado for Club & Resort Business’ Fifth Annual Chef to Chef Conference, held March 10-12 at the Grand Hyatt Denver.

Those who came to the largest Chef to Chef Conference held to date were treated to an action-packed program that included live demonstrations for a full variety of culinary concepts, including fine dining, contemporary cuisine, regional specialties, healthier menu options for children, seafood, and desserts and pastry. In the Conference’s final session, Perry Kenney, Director of Food and Beverage for Sawgrass Country Club in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla., provided a fitting finish by transforming a block of ice into an elaborate seahorse sculpture in just 30 minutes.

Perry Kenney, Director of Food & Beverage, Sawgrass Country Club

Dining’s Wake-Up Call

The Conference began on Sunday night, March 10, with a reception, sit-down dinner and keynote address by Jeff McFadden, CCM, General Manager of The Union League of Philadelphia. McFadden provided attendees with details on how his club—largely on the strength of the reputation created by its fine-dining concept, as well as other food-and-beverage innovations—had recovered from the brink of collapse in the late 1990s to be named the top Platinum City Club in the U.S. in 2012. McFadden also shared details of the $14 million kitchen renovation currently in progress at the League that will include the creation of a two-story wine vault, culinary academy and training school, butcher shop, full-scale bakery and chocolate room.

From F&B receipts of $3 million and a $500,000 loss in 2000, McFadden reported, the Union League of Philadelphia’s culinary program has grown to now bring in $15 million and a $1 million surplus annually. Through the impact it’s had on membership (up from 2,100 to 3,400), dues receipts (from $3 million to $10 million per year) and other revenue streams, McFadden added, the renewed focus on F&B has played a major role in generating nearly five-fold growth in the club’s total annual receipts (from $7 million to $34 million). F&B’s direct contribution to the club’s total annual surplus ($5 million in fiscal year 2012) has also provided much of the fuel for $70 million in capital improvements to the Union League’s 150-year-old building.

Jeff McFadden, General Manager, The Union League of Philadelphia

The Union League’s strategy for reestablishing its F&B appeal addressed all areas needed in today’s club culinary programs, McFadden stressed. The club put the “fine” back in fine dining through its 1862 by Martin Hamann concept, which features an open finishing kitchen. At the same time, it retooled its seven-day grill, Cafe Meredith, for upscale casual presentations, and developed its Founders Room as a “buffet profit center” with lower price points, more traditional fare and a “casual, not clubby” atmosphere.

While fine dining does not contribute directly to the club’s profitability, McFadden noted, 1862 by Martin Hamann has grown steadily, at about 8% per year, for each of the last four years. Most importantly, it has played a major role in enhancing the League’s reputation and generating membership interest (it was reviewed by the Philadelphia Inquirer as “the best restaurant you can’t eat in”).

Tyler Wiard, Executive Chef, Elway’s Restaurant Group

McFadden also emphasized how food and beverage, in all forms, has emerged as a key driver for all clubs’ future growth. He cited data from the McMahon Group that showed a dramatic change from 2000 to 2012 in how dining influences a decision to join a private club (it now ranks as an equally important factor as golf among all potential members, and as the highest factor of all among women—who, McFadden stressed, are exerting much more influence in decisions about club membership).

“If you do not have an excellent food-and-beverage program that delivers outstanding dining experiences, you will not have a private club in 2020,” McFadden told Conference attendees.

Slinging the Hash

Chef de Cuisine Don Irwin (left), and Executive Chef Martin Hamann, The Union League of Philadelphia

Conference sessions kicked off on Monday morning, March 11, with a demonstration of Colorado regional cuisine, including lamb fondue and Brussels sprout hash, by “Top Chef” contestant Tyler Wiard, Executive Chef of Elway’s Restaurant Group, founded by Denver Broncos legend John Elway. Wiard described the hash, which can include toasted pistachios, as a popular side dish that’s “stupidly good and simple” to prepare and has become a big seller not only with in-restaurant diners, but as a highly craved “bring one back” to-go item that’s often added to dinner checks.

Wiard’s presentation was followed by a demonstration of fine-dining delicacies, including foie gras terrine and crab and avocado roulade, by Executive Chef Martin Hamann and Chef de Cuisine Don Irwin of The Union League of Philadelphia. Following up on Jeff McFadden’s keynote address, Hamann, who came to the Union League from The Four Seasons Philadelphia, stressed how the 1862 fine-dining concept, and dishes of the type that he and Irwin demonstrated, have played important roles in the overall elevation of his club’s food-and-beverage profile.

Joey Abitabilo, Executive Chef, Shelter Harbor Golf Club

“[The club business] is a dues-and-membership business, so fine dining is an area where you can not be as tough about food costs, and instead focus on using fine ingredients to help educate members,” said Hamann. “It will pay off by creating special member experiences and will be balanced out by making them use the club more often, and also promote it to others.”

The Conference then moved to sessions on Chefs’ Financials by Joey Abitabilo, Executive Chef of Shelter Harbor Golf Club, Charlestown, R.I., and on Staff Training and Internships by Philippe Reynaud, Culinary Director of the Ocean Reef Club, Key Largo, Fla.

Abitabilo focused his presentation on helping chefs develop a “healthy” attitude toward cost-of-goods, labor costs and other expenses, while not losing sight of the importance of building food revenues. “Revenue is the most important number,” he stressed. “Good revenue makes all other numbers look good. We should all rack our brains over how to increase customer counts, covers and check averages, because nothing is more important to the [profit-and-loss statement] than building revenue.”

Philippe Reynaud, Senior Director of Culinary Operations, Ocean Reef Club

Reynaud oversees a $21 million F&B operation that requires a staff of over 600, including 150 culinary professionals, to serve Ocean Reef’s 5,000 members. He provided an overview of how a carefully conceived and managed approach to recruiting and training students and interns can help to control payroll costs, while also attracting and developing a steady influx of top new talent. Ocean Reef counts 72 students from around the world on its F&B staff, and the advantages of drawing from this pool, Reynaud said, include these attributes that students offer:

• a “clean canvas,” with no bad habits;
• undivided commitment;
• a desire to succeed, can-do attitude and thirst for learning;
• “fresh legs for those long days”;
• adaptability and greater tolerance than “career cooks.”

The Chef to Chef Conference’s Program Coordinator, Jerry Schreck, Executive Chef of Merion Golf Club in Ardmore, Pa., then co-presented with Michael Burns, Executive Chef of The Olympic Club of San Francisco, on all that’s involved with preparing for special events like the U.S. Open, which was held at The Olympic Club in 2012 and will be held at Merion this June.

Jerry Schreck, Executive Chef, Merion Golf Club (left), Michael Burns, Executive Chef, The Olympic Club

Burns and Schreck described how their experiences have highlighted many lessons that can be transferred to help bring new efficiencies to the larger, reoccurring events that are on every club’s yearly schedule, through better advance planning, full marshalling of vendor support, development of proper contingency plans, and an overall sharpening of an operation and its responsiveness.

“You learn that every available space is good space,” Burns said. “You learn it’s better to buy what you can’t do, to order more than you need, and to not look at what you have, but at what you need. And you learn that if Vijay Singh wants steel-cut oatmeal at 4 in the morning, you just make it for him.”

Breakout Occasions

As the Conference moved to Monday afternoon, for the first time its popular “Chef to Chef Live” session moved to breakouts with smaller groups, moderated by Abitabilo, Reynaud, and Schreck and Burns. Each breakout featured open, wide-ranging discussions of club chef-related issues, including controlling food and labor costs, dealing effectively with Boards and committees, adding new twists and innovations to menus, and creating special events to revive sluggish a la carte occasions.

Matt O’Connor, Executive Chef, Old Oaks Country Club

Conference registrants then attended a Monday-night reception that included lively “Culinary Quizzo” competitions and a “Mystery Basket” cookoff (see separate report in the Spring 2013 issue of C&RB’s Chef to Chef Supplement), before everyone headed out to sample local restaurant offerings in Denver.

On Tuesday, March 12, the Conference program resumed with a demonstration by Matt O’Connor, Executive Chef of Old Oaks Country Club in Purchase, N.Y., of contemporary dishes that included his innovatively presented “Shrimp Cocktail 2013,” featuring cocktail-sauce wrapped shrimp with lemon puree, and a “playful” watermelon and mango dish presented as “steak tartare.”

“The idea is to find new twists to familiar dishes that will get members talking,” said O’Connor, who also provided attendees with samples of a homemade energy bar, sold for $3.50 at the halfway house of his previous club, that he said brought in an extra $4,000 in revenues in one golf season. “Everyone thinks it’s really healthy, and it’s probably not,” he said. “But I presented the bars wrapped in special bags with stickers at a Board lunch, they took off, and then if they weren’t at the halfway house, members came around asking for them.”

Jeff Dowdle (with daughter Clayton), Executive Chef, The Heritage Club

O’Connor’s demonstration was followed by a presentation of low-country comfort-food specialties, including crawfish cakes, fried green tomatoes with pimento cheese and peppery jelly, sautéed chicken livers tasso, and jalapeno cheddar biscuits with lump crab gravy, by Jeff Dowdle, Executive Chef of Heritage Golf Club and its 1250 Heritage restaurant in Wake Forest, N.C. (Dowdle was ably assisted with his presentation by his 11-year-old daughter, Clayton.)

Dowdle provided tips gained from his extensive experience in Charleston, S.C., restaurants—soaking green tomatoes overnight in buttermilk, for example, helps to make them less tart, he said, and they should be cooked beyond al dente. Such authentic touches help to sell over 50 lbs. of fried green tomato appetizers at Heritage each week, he revealed.

Next was a “Don’t Forget Kids” presentation by Paul O’Toole, Executive Chef of Deerfield Golf Club in Newark, Del. O’Toole, an active figure in the campaign against childhood obesity through the “Chefs Move to School” initiative, shared a variety of menu alternatives—including sushi wraps, kabobs, alternative spaghetti sauces and meatballs, and smoothies—that can still appeal to younger diners while greatly improving the nutritional profiles of what they eat.

Paul O’Toole, Executive Chef, Deerfield Golf Club

“Kids love things on sticks and skewers,” said O’Toole. “They like menus with bright colors, pictures and descriptions. Their palates have been exposed to much more than previous generations, so they respond surprisingly well to ‘grown up’  flavors and ingredients. They really like things, like sushi wraps, that they can create themselves and that make them look and feel older and ‘cool.’ ”

Next, Bernard Pilon, Executive Chef of Norwood Hills Country Club in St. Louis, Mo., provided a guide to building a successful seafood program, even in non-coastal locations where fish might not be front-of-mind. Chef Pilon’s presentation included demonstrations of an innovative “edible cocktail,” Scallop Negroni, and “Fish in Chips” (fluke coated in dehydrated potato flakes).

Establishing your club as a first-choice seafood destination, Pilon said, requires becoming known for daily features that are truly special and go beyond “what’s fresh” or “the catch of the day.” “Make them fun and quirky,” he said, encouraging chefs to think of “different riffs” for fish presentations, marinades and flavorings. “Make your own limoncello and cure halibut with it,” he suggested.  It’s also important, he added, to have an ongoing emphasis on education, both of members and staff, just as is done with wine programs. “Bring in ‘fish educators’ and have mini-seminars where you talk about new fish trends,” he counseled.

Bernard Pilon, Executive Chef, Norwood Hills Country Club

The Conference’s final demonstration featured Meegan Roberts, Executive Pastry Chef of the Hollywood Casino in Columbus, Ohio, who showed how to combine pastry-making techniques with savory ingredients to create innovative dishes such as “Charcuterie and Cheese.” As part of her presentation, Chef Roberts, who also was the winner of the “Mystery Basket” cookoff at the Conference’s Monday night reception, provided recipes and demonstrated preparation of distinctive offerings that included beet chips, candied pork cracklin, cheesecake flan and guanciale tuille.

“You can make savory ingredients as rustic or as refined as you want,” Roberts said. “They can be a perfect marriage, by helping to cut back on sugar and get away from overly sweet pastries.”

Roberts recently took her position at Hollywood Casino after previously being Pastry Chef at The Country Club at Muirfield Village. She made the move, she explained, to gain experience with a high-volume operation (the new casino is projected to have annual F&B volume of $28 million-$30 million) that is still primarily scratch (90%), but also makes innovative use of “convenience products.” The experience has already helped her learn how “good doughs, yeast starters and par-baked products can make you look better,” Roberts said.

Meegan Roberts (right) won the “Mystery Basket” cookoff and a Vitamix blender.

Chef Kenney then closed out the Conference with his ice-carving demonstration, which began with him walking attendees through “tools of the craft” and the eight basic steps of carving (design and template, tracing, first dimension, perfecting the first dimension, blocking-in, rounding, detailing and cleaning).

Kenney began to practice ice carving on his own about 10 years ago—and in his earlier days, he admitted, he “had to put signs up” next to what he’d carved, to help identify what they were supposed to be. He assured one questioner that “you can pick it up quickly, and should be able to do well on your own within a year.”

Kenney, who does not present himself as a competition-level sculptor, said his work is designed to last four hours, and to look its best about an hour and a half after it’s been carved. At his club, he prefers to do his carving on the loading dock, which makes it easier to hose the sculpture off during the cleaning phase. But interest in his skill has become strong enough among Sawgrass members that he frequently draws crowds of up to 70 people who come out early before an event (and have some extra food and drink) to watch him do a sculpture.

Kenney now frequently makes creations that double at buffets as serving set-ups for shrimp cocktail or other seafood. His biggest carving to date has been for a 24-foot-long raw bar. The savings can be significant, Kenney said—he gets ice blocks for $65, vs. $600 that outside vendors frequently charge for finished sculptures.

More examples of Chef Kenney’s work can be found at http://chefperrykenney.blogspot.com.

ASU Karsten Golf Course in Tempe, Ariz.

The eye-opening (and nap-inducing) “Boss Burger” is just one of the ways Chef Andrew Brosten is making a name for himself, and the food, at the Trophy Room at ASU Karsten Golf Course.

Andrew Brosten came to ASU Karsten Golf Course in Tempe, Ariz., just last year from the prestigious Sanctuary on Camelback Resort in nearby Paradise Valley. Karsten, directly across the street from Arizona State University, is the home course for the highly successful Sun Devils golf teams, and is also promoted aggressively to the public by its operator, OB Sports, the Scottsdale-based management firm.

After arriving at Karsten, Andrew didn’t waste any time setting out to accomplish the goals he set for himself in his first Executive Chef position: to create an innovative menu that was not the “same old” golf club food, and to use his catering chef experience at Sanctuary to drive banquet sales at Karsten through his style of customizing each event.

Executive Chef Andrew Brosten Andrew Brosten CHEF PROFILE Current Position: Executive Chef, Trophy Room, ASU Karsten Golf Course, Tempe, Ariz. (2012-Present) Work History: Sous Chef—Banquets and Catering, Sanctuary on Camelback Mountain, Paradise Valley, Ariz. (2005-2012) Cook, Santa Barbara Catering Company, Phoenix, Ariz. (2005) Education: Scottsdale Culinary Institute, Associates in Occupational Studies, degree in Le Cordon Bleu University of Phoenix, Associates of Arts in Foundations of Business Professional Accomplishments: Employee of the Month, 2008, Sanctuary on Camelback Mountain Assisted in the execution of meals at Sanctuary on Camelback Mountain’s “Lunch and Learn” program with chefs Ming Tsai, Michel Richard, Robert Irvine, Patricia Yeo, Geoffrey Zakarian and Marcus Samuelsson

By introducing hard-to-ignore signature items like the “Boss Burger,”, he has already made an immediate impact, and it’s easy to sense the excitement in “the Valley” that’s been created by Chef Brosten and his young and ambitious culinary team.

Q: Chef, what were some of the first things you wanted to tackle upon arriving at Karsten?

A: I wanted to change the perception of what golf “fare” could be and provide the public with an opportunity to see that eating breakfast, lunch, or dinner at a golf club doesn’t necessarily limit oneself to a turkey sandwich or a quesadilla. My team and I have shifted the previous focus on processed goods to sourcing seasonal and local ingredients for our guests. Our focus at Karsten now revolves around working with local companies, with a strong emphasis on making almost everything we offer in-house.

Q: In your first year as Executive Chef, what’s been the most challenging aspect?

A: Changing the culture of the back-of-the-house and implementing new standards of food quality. The cooks I inherited averaged eight or more years of employment at Karsten, and while extremely efficient in their day-to-day responsibilities, were rote in their routine and hesitant to change. Slowly introducing new ideas and ingredients, while showing and explaining how and why we are doing the things we’re now doing, helped facilitate the growth of food knowledge and quality I now see in my kitchen. I couldn’t have done it alone, and my sous chefs, Danny Bailey and Kyle Roehrenbeck, have been instrumental in fortifying and growing the culture I first established.

Q: At one time or another, all of us have had an item or dish that has a funny origin or story behind it. Is the “Boss Burger” yours?

A: Yes, the “Boss Burger” is an original concept I came up with out of a need for sustenance—my sous chefs were hungry and wanted a burger. So I looked through the walk-in and line prep that we had available, and came up with the burger off the cuff. I gave them to my sous chefs, and one stated that it was “boss” and almost put him to sleep immediately after eating it. So when overhauling the lunch menu, I figured we might as well put it on the menu.

It has been warmly received by our guests, as I’ve seen a few pupils dilate once the burger arrives at their table. I’ve had the privilege to eat some of the best burgers the Valley has to offer, and have seen first-hand how having a flagship menu item elevates the exposure and word-of-mouth advertising. I believe the Boss Burger can be that signature item for Karsten, elevating our exposure not only in golf circles but across the Valley.

The Trophy Room restaurant at ASU Karsten Golf Course in Tempe, Ariz.

Q: What have you implemented on the party-menu side at Karsten that reflects your experience as Catering Chef at Sanctuary?

A: I think it’s reflected through the thought process that’s now behind each element of a menu, as well as how my team and I now have the creative control to further enhance our guests’ experience at the drop of a hat. During my tenure at Sanctuary, I never liked the idea of having a static catering menu where there was no room for creative impulses to dictate where a dish could lead, and I think our catering packet at Karsten now reflects that attitude.

Q: How much of an impact did working with Beau MacMillan at Sanctuary have on your career, and what stands out most in your mind as far as his teaching style?

A: I consider Beau a friend and my culinary mentor. His seemingly limitless passion for food and his unwavering standards helped me realize just how special our industry is, and through hard work and perseverance, the sky is the limit. While culinary school provides a foundation, working in the field builds the house, and working with someone as talented and as driven as Beau has given me perspective on what I think food should and could be. What stands out most regarding his teaching style is his patience when making something for the first time, and the reasoning behind why and how we are using one technique, such as braising or roasting, over another.

Q: Finally, Chef, what can you tell us about the OB Sports Operations Manual and how it gets tailored to themes that fit the many different regions where the company’s properties are located?

A: The OB Sports Operations Manual encompasses standardized procedures, from payroll to employee relations programs. It combines basic information for employees regarding benefits and training assistance, while also providing policies and quality standards for OB Management to adhere to. As this manual is dispersed throughout all OB-managed properties, one can expect the same high level of customer service, from Oregon to Florida.

Recipe for Boss Burger with Corona lime bbq sauce
Recipe for Beef Tenderloin Crostini with roasted garlic aioli and black garlic balsamic onions
Menu for the Trophy Room – 1
Menu for the Trophy Room – 2

Old North State Club, New London, N.C.

Chef John McAllister, CEC, has helped to set, and sustain, strong culinary standards for all eight McConnell Golf properties.

McConnell Golf, based in Raleigh, N.C., was founded by John McConnell in 2003. McConnell now owns and manages eight clubs in North and South Carolina. As the company grew, the need for a Corporate Executive Chef became apparent. The likely candidate for the job, John McAllister, was already on staff at the Old North State Club in New London, N.C.

Chef McAllister, CEC, started his career in Cleveland, Ohio, where he owned two restaurants that gained critical praise and acclaim. He migrated south and switched gears to enter the club industry, where he developed Southern-style culinary techniques that only enhance his classic French background.

John was good enough to take time to tell us what it’s like to oversee Old North’s kitchen, which houses McConnell’s culinary apprenticeship program, as well as have corporate oversight of seven other very busy F&B operations.

John McAllister, CEC CHEF PROFILE Current Position: Corporate Executive Chef, McConnell Golf LLC Executive Chef/Food & Beverage Director, Old North State Club, New London, N.C. (2004-Present) Work History: Executive Chef, Roanoke Country Club, Roanoke, Va. (2001-2004) Executive Chef, Rock Hill Country Club, Rock Hill, S.C. (1998-2001) Executive Chef, Cabarrus Country Club, Concord, N.C. (1991-1998) Awards/Accomplishments: Awarded title of Chevalier by the Les Amis du Vin International Wine Society Won International Helix Escargot Contest, 1982 Professional Affiliations: Held position of Vice President and Apprenticeship Director, Charlotte Chapter, American Culinary Federation Member Chaine des Rotisseurs

Q: John, what are the advantages for a chef as a member of a corporate management team with eight golf properties that all have extensive F&B programs?

A: First and foremost, a significant advantage is that I interact with a highly skilled and directed group of people that makes up the McConnell corporate team. The opportunity to learn and grow as a professional is a constant, and what I bring to the table in terms of food-and-beverage knowledge is more than matched in areas such as finance, golf operations and membership services.

Just about every day, I gain insights into areas that are typically outside my daily sphere. I believe this makes me a more effective chef, as well as a better manager. I report directly to Christian Anastasiadis, Chief Operating Officer of McConnell Golf, and he provides challenging goals that require stepping out of the comfort zone to achieve.

Secondly, I have the great pleasure to visit all of the McConnell properties and spend time with our chefs. All are well-accomplished professionals who have their own distinct ways to get the job done. So I get the opportunity to view different approaches to situations that I can incorporate back at the Old North State Club. Just because I have been doing something a certain way for many years does not mean it is the only way—and sometimes I see something one of our chefs is doing, smack myself on the head and think,  “Why did I never think of that?”

Another profound advantage is being able to help steer the direction of the company’s future culinary operations. It is very important to me to be a functional contributor to the team, and I bring the perspective of the chef position and how we can enhance the member experience.

Q: McConnell is now in its tenth year of owning and managing golf properties. What are some of the most important systems or programs that have been developed company-wide?

A: All of our clubs have very distinct personalities, and as each one is acquired, it adds a new facet to the organization. In some cases we discover a better way of doing things that had not been evident, and we incorporate it system-wide. Other times, we see failed mechanics in the new property that confirm our current approaches. So our food-and-beverage departments are very much in continual development; we do not have cookie-cutter operations, and are always open to new directions.

We do, however, cross-market our clubs, because our members can avail themselves of services at all of our properties—which is a huge benefit. Take, for example, our ‘Chefs Unplugged’ series. We do about ten events a year that are hosted at our different properties and feature one or more of our chefs “visiting” another of our clubs and putting together an event. The themes can range from wine dinners to hors d’oeuvres parties with action stations manned by the visiting and host chefs. Todd Jackson, Executive Chef at Wakefield Plantation, even did an off-premise dinner modeled after a “pop-up” restaurant idea that was a big success.

In 2012, all of these events raised money for the Make-A-Wish Foundation, which John McConnell has matched. They will culminate on January 19th at Wakefield with a celebration gala that all of our chefs will participate in, preparing recipes from our McConnell cookbook, “The Club is Open.” These events weave a profound philosophical strand throughout our family of clubs, and very much support our culinary identities.

“The Club is Open” contains recipes by chefs from the eight McConnell Golf properties.

Q: What can you share from your experience in putting the cookbook together to other club chefs who might be contemplating a similar project?

A: Well, to begin with, I can tell you that it is a lot harder than I ever imagined! I gathered in excess of 300 recipes from all of our chefs and began the process of culling down that number by trying to offer a balanced selection in terms of recipe types and degree of difficulty—I wanted to go from simple to complicated, both to showcase our skills and at the same time keep it accessible for various skill levels. Additionally, I checked every single recipe for amounts and techniques, to be sure they would work.

But as challenging as that was, the real heavy lifting began with the editing and organizational process, which was handled with incredible tenacity by Teresa Belote, General Manager of Cardinal Golf & Country Club, and Lauren Barry, Events and Marketing Director for McConnell Golf. The book would not have happened without their dedication and skill. For any chef considering going down this avenue, it is vital to work with individuals who can handle this part, because it is really what will determine the success or failure of the project.

Chefs tend to write recipes in our own shorthand, which always seems logical to us, but will usually mean nothing to an amateur cook. As carefully as I thought I was being in rewriting the recipes, Teresa and Lauren would bounce them back with questions about what an instruction meant, or to question a specific ingredient or measurement. This required me to review, rethink and correct—and then in some cases, do it all again. The result is a beautiful book that we are extremely proud of, and that has created a real buzz among our membership.

The eight McConnell Golf properties, and their Executive Chefs, include: Cardinal Golf & Country Club, Greensboro, N.C. (Michael Coleman Monahan) Musgrove Mill Golf Club, Clinton, S.C. (James Patterson) Old North State Club, New London, N.C. (John McAllister) Raleigh Country Club, Raleigh, N.C. (Dennis Freeland) The Reserve Golf Club, Pawleys Island, S.C. (Grayson Glascock) Sedgefield Country Club, Greensboro, N.C. (Ben Hollinger) TPC at Wakefield Plantation, Raleigh, N.C. (Todd Jackson) Treyburn Country Club, Durham, N.C. (Pedro Villasana)

Q: Tell us about the brainstorming sessions held annually for the McConnell culinary teams.

A: There are many mini-meetings throughout the course of the year, but during the first quarter we gather all the chefs, food-and-beverage managers and event planners for a three-day meeting, which is typically held at the Old North State Club (we have a lodge on property).

Prior to this, we create an agenda and send it out to all attendees, with some “homework” projects to bring with them. The goal is to improve our operations through enhanced cost and quality controls, marketing opportunities and internal communications. In 2012, for example, some of the topics were social calendar standardization, base wine lists, inventory, and recipe-costing procedures. We also created a standard banquet menu, so we have consistency in pricing across the properties.

The chefs have a set of breakout meetings, during which we take a look at specific products, discuss procedures, and compare notes on techniques that we are using. We try to get as many ideas on the table as possible, and percolate them down to viable, workable actions. This year, for example, I want to get a discussion on sous vide going, to see if we can make an investment in the technology pay off. We will also focus on enlarging farm-to-table concepts system-wide this year, and continue discussion and implementation of sustainability in food and disposable wares.

As a side note, I have my sous chef, Cindel Almond, create and execute all of the meals for the meetings. She and the Old North kitchen staff write the menus, cost them, and get critiqued on the results. It is something I would like to do more of with all of our properties, to bring up our future culinary stars.

Q: McConnell hosts The Wyndham Championship at Sedgefield Country Club annually. How does the experience of orchestrating such a massive F&B event benefit all of the company’s culinary operations?

C&RB CLUB RECIPE Quinoa and Grilled Venison Salad Serves 4 to 6For the Quinoa: Amt    Ingredient 1 cup    quinoa 2 cups    water 2 cloves    garlic, crushed ½ cup    scallions, chopped 1 cup    cherry tomatoes, split 1 cup    cucumbers—peeled, seeded and chopped ¼ cup    radish, sliced 2 tbsp.    mint, chopped 2 tbsp.    cilantro, chopped ½ cup    parsley, chopped ¼ cup    lemon juice, fresh ¼ cup    extra-virgin olive oil ½ cup    feta cheese, crumbled ½ cup    kalamata olives (to taste)    salt and pepper Bring water and quinoa to a boil; let set for twenty minutes, or until liquid is absorbed. Combine remaining ingredients and toss gently with the quinoa. For the Venison: Amt    Ingredient 1    venison rack, chine bone removed (to rub)    olive oil (to rub)    crushed juniper, black pepper and rosemary (to taste)    salt Procedure: Cut rack into chops, one or two bones each, as needed. Rub chops with oil, seasoning and salt. Grill to medium rare, let rest, then slice. Arrange on plates with the quinoa. Submitted by John McAllister, CEC, Corporate Executive Chef, McConnell Golf LLC; Executive Chef/F&B DIRECTOR, Old North State Club, New London, N.C.

A: 2013 will be our third year hosting this PGA event, and I think we have really discovered the rhythm of performing at a high level. The first year, I sat down with Ben Hollinger, Executive Chef at Sedgefield, Michael Monahan, Executive Chef at Cardinal Golf and Country Club, and Dave Marra, Food and Beverage Director at Sedgefield, to formulate the initial menus and plan of attack. Our major concern was getting the timing and food quality right for service to as many as 22 separate outlets simultaneously.

By all accounts, this efforts has been successful, and the lion’s share of the credit for that goes to Ben and his team—it is his baby, and all of the McConnell chefs rally to assist throughout the week, with an especially significant dose of expertise from James Patterson, Executive Chef and Club Manager at Musgrove Mill, and Grayson Glascock, Executive Chef at The Reserve.

The biggest thing I have learned from my involvement is that an event of this magnitude needs to be treated just like all other aspects of kitchen management; there is no substitute for organizational skills. For my part, having catering experience in my background helped with the logistical issues that are not part of the day-to-day operation of a club, but are typical for off-premise operations.

The size of the tournament and ancillary food requirements are quite manageable—if the planning is careful, clear and concise, and you keep focused on the idea that the time to be proactive is well before the event. When the event arrives, it is all about reactive execution. But we like to be thorough and build in for contingencies, which certainly came in to play in 2012, when we had a rainout on Sunday and had to finish up the next day—quite an added challenge, as you can well imagine!

Q: John, I loved your explanation of your “from scratch” approach to food, and also your feelings about prepackaged and processed foods. Can you share your philosophy with the readers?

A: I have a very simple philosophy on food: If I cannot explain to a diner what is in a dish without reading a label, then I do not serve it. I am very much a traditionalist and abhor convenience products. This is not only because I feel it would diminish me as a chef to build my menu around them, but also because today, with all of the allergies and health-related issues our clientele face, we have a real responsibility to steward what we are presenting.

Take the gluten sensitivities, which can range from mild all the way to celiac disease, which has become quite pervasive. Packaged products are loaded with various glutens, not to mention excessive amounts of sodium and sugars. Do I really want to go to a table and tiptoe through the menu on what is acceptable for our diners’ needs, or do I want to speak with confidence because everything is prepared in-house, and we can adapt without a problem?

I am not unrealistic—our turn house, lodge mini-bars and pool snack bar all sell the usual candies, snacks and chips that you would expect, and our members and guests can decide for themselves what they want. We offer name-brand ketchup, and so on. But when it comes to what is going on the plate, I am a beast about integrity—if I cannot produce it, I do not offer it. I also purchase top quality and charge what is necessary to cover expenses. It is much easier to explain a price than it is to apologize for a poor cut of steak or cheap piece of fish.

Recipe for Crispy Wasabi Tuna

Brookside Country Club in Macungie, Pa.

Robert Iannaccone didn’t miss any steps in his rapid ascent to become Executive Chef at Brookside Country Club.

Robert Iannaccone is not the first chef to start as a dishwasher in high school, move up to line cook, then sous chef and eventually be promoted to executive chef before he was 30 years old. But what is impressive is how much natural culinary talent he possesses, given his age. This is obviously a credit to his absolute passion for the profession.

In just four years, Chef Iannaccone has ascended to be the top chef at Brookside Country Club, a club just outside Allentown, Pa., that was conceived by two sporting goods store owners in the 1920s. Chef Iannaccone leads a culinary team that produces cutting-edge cuisine for a very food-savvy membership. It was good of him to take time in the midst of a busy holiday season to tell us about his experiences and interests.

Robert Iannaccone CHEF PROFILE Executive Chef Robert Iannaccone, Brookside Country Club Current Position: Executive Chef, Brookside Country Club, Macungie, Pa. (2012) Previous Experience: Sous Chef, Brookside Country Club (2008-2012) Education: Northampton Community College, Degree Culinary Arts (2006) Professional Affiliations: Adjunct Professor of Culinary Arts, Community Programs Dept. (2008-2011) Member, Lehigh Valley ACF Awards: 1st Place, PA Taste of Elegance, Sponsored by the Pork Producers Council (2008)

Q: Chef, tell us what challenges you’ve faced over the last year after you were promoted to Executive Chef, to steer Brookside’s culinary program to where you want it to be.

A: The club has gone through a huge restructuring over the last year and a half. A new General Manager, Golf Pro, Tennis Pro, Director of Catering and Chef were hired or promoted. The biggest adjustment, which I’m sure a lot of other clubs go through, was having to do more with less. As I was settling into my role as Executive Chef, I was trying to balance being a full-time line cook, a banquet cook, the sous chef, and administrator.

Once we started getting into the heat of golf season, things started to click. My cooks stepped up in a big way. I can’t tell you how amazing it is to have a team that is so dedicated. I’m not an emotional guy, but the kind of support they’ve shown, especially to make extra contributions during our busiest times, makes me a little warm and fuzzy anytime I talk about it.
One thing that’s been important to me, as well as my team, has been to do more in-house, such as salad dressings, making mozzarella cheese and flatbreads, and growing an organic garden out beside the loading dock. We aren’t quite where I want to be, but it’s only been ten months, almost half of which was an incredibly busy golf season. And I know we’re on the right track.

Q: Brookside’s membership has taken to your contemporary modern Italian style, and this has offered you the freedom to create interesting menus for Chef’s Tables and a Wine and Beer series. Is this because you have a younger membership, or are there other factors besides that they like what they taste?

A: The support we’ve had with our Chef’s Table and Wine and Beer series has been driven by our membership, which I would say is predominantly 55 and under. We strive to make these dinners an event. We start with more lavish decoration of the dining room, place settings, and high-end beverages and ingredients for the dinner. I also come out to personally introduce each course and explain why it is part of the meal and how the dish came to be. This is a much higher level of interaction than just a normal à la carte dinner.

By making these events special, I think it helps people decide to come back no matter what the theme, even if it means acquiring a babysitter or juggling other commitments. On a larger scale, these events are beneficial on two counts. First, they have created a palpable energy that was absent from Brookside for a time. Second, they push us to do more in the way of making the event more creative, pushing the limits with the food, etc. If we’re constantly trying to one-up ourselves from the last time, we know the membership is getting our absolute best.

Q: As someone who has stayed involved with Culinary Arts students and as a fairly recent graduate yourself, what do you see as culinary schools’ biggest shortfall in preparing students for the field?

A: The biggest problem I see when meeting recent grads coming out of culinary school is a lack of understanding about how the business actually works. Some go to culinary schools for the wrong reasons; they want to have a TV show or fame and fortune. I think it’s difficult because they are taught in school that this degree will move them ahead of the pack, which to a point is correct. But at the same time, graduates should not expect to come out of school and be the sous commanding a brigade and making $45,000 a year.

The other point I always drive home whenever I get to talk to culinary students is that to get ahead in this business, you need to be willing to make some big sacrifices. This includes working nights and weekends, sometimes twenty days or more in a row. You will also miss birthday parties and nights out with friends. As someone just shy of 30 who has been going in this business nonstop since high school, I know the hours are not optimal. I’ve missed a lot of family events and trips with friends, but I wake up every morning, sometimes earlier than I want to, and get to open up my kitchen and do something I love with a crew of people I respect and who think about food as much as I do. I get to try new food, cooking techniques and experiment constantly. There’s nothing else I would want to do. If you don’t feel that way, think long and hard about what your future will be in this business.

The other big hurdle I think students face is not being brought up to speed on contemporary techniques. Sous vide, the incorporation of molecular cooking, and modern trends should be part of the curriculum. These techniques aren’t going away. Even if you get a job in a kitchen that does not use these things, you’ll still have the knowledge and will be well-rounded.

Q: A passion for cooking was instilled in you as a boy; I assume there were no shortcuts when making filled pastas and other specialties with your dad. How did that help you move up the ladder?

A: You certainly assume correctly—but I only seldom got to get my hands on the dough myself! I usually watched in wonder as those little yellow squares somehow became the tortellini I knew and loved in my father’s hands. For as long as I can remember, I knew that one day I would do that, just like he did.

My dad came here from Italy at 16 not knowing a word of English, yet was fluent when he graduated high school a year-and-a-half later at an English-speaking school. He felt that working hard to be successful was just what you did to succeed, and you did it until you achieved your goals. My mom started as a floor nurse in the early ‘70s and is now the administrator of a hundred-bed facility. To say that took drive and hard work is an understatement.

Having inspiration like that taught me to not stop until I achieved what I set out to do. I think having a knowledge of food beyond just what we were taught in school made it easier for me to branch out and experiment with new things and grow as a chef. I believe my drive for success, which translated into always learning new things and being creative, is what stood out to people and made my climb up start a little sooner than it does for some.

With that said, once I became a sous chef for the first time, it made me set a goal to work as hard as I could in that position for four years, and then try to make the jump to take over my own brigade as Executive Chef. I was a bit over the four-year mark, but I wouldn’t change a thing in my journey to get there.

Brookside Country Club in Macungie, Pa.

Q: You compete regularly in cooking competitions and have won some prestigious awards.  What was your dish that took first place in the Pork Producers Council’s “Taste of Elegance”?

A: It was a pork loin stuffed with a confit of baby back ribs, truffles, and manchego cheese. It was served with a sweet potato gratin layered with pork belly, and a Perigoux sauce. It was a fun dish to prepare, although labor-intensive. I just missed the mark at Nationals, taking fourth  place. I still think about it, and I know my pork was a little overdone. I feel things would have been different if I executed the dish properly. At the time, I was only three years out of school and at a national event, so I was proud to be there and to make it to the finals. It was also on that trip I tricked my loving and understanding wife into trying sweetbreads (now one of her favorites) for the first time, so it wasn’t a total loss…

Q: You are currently working towards your Certified Executive Chef certification.  Can you walk us through the process and time commitment you’ve made towards your goal so far?

A: I’m in the very early stages of this journey. I’ve enrolled in the required online refresher courses, so I’m “back to school” for the first time in seven years as a student. Once those courses are complete, I can move ahead to having the American Culinary Federation review my application, verify my information and clear me to take the exams. There is a written exam that I will most likely do first, followed by a practical exam involving preparing three courses from a market basket that is timed, graded, etc. I estimate I should be able to complete everything in the next six to eight months. I plan to concentrate on this in the off-season (I promised myself I’d have it done by July 2012).

Recipe for Veal Saltimbocca

The Country Club of Peoria, Peoria Heights, Ill.

Executive Chef James Kremer is adding new culinary sights and sensations to enhance grand traditions at the Country Club of Peoria that were once hailed by Teddy Roosevelt.

During a visit to Peoria, Ill., in 1910, President Theodore Roosevelt declared that city’s Grandview Drive to be “the world’s most beautiful drive.” Along that drive just north of the city, in Peoria Heights, were the 27 acres of the Country Club of Peoria, established in 1897. With its panoramic view of the Illinois River, the CC of Peoria’s 500 members and their guests enjoy that same experience today.

The CC of Peoria has many amenities that include an outstanding Food and Beverage department led by Executive Chef James Kremer, CEC. After a promotion last year, Chef Kremer now doubles as the club’s Food and Beverage Manager, directing a staff of 58 employees. Even with an incredibly busy schedule, Chef Kremer was kind enough to talk to us about his extensive resume and industry experience.

Executive Chef James Kremer James Kremer, CEC CHEF PROFILE Current Position: Executive Chef/Food and Beverage Manager, Country Club of Peoria, Peoria Heights, Ill. (2010-Present) Previous Experience: Executive Chef, Montgomery Country Club, Montgomery, Ala. (2007-2010) Executive Chef, The Landings Club, Savannah, Ga. (2004-2007) Education: Graduated with Honors, French Culinary Institute, New York Certificates: Certified Executive Chef Accredited Certification Evaluator, American Culinary Association Awards and Professional Affiliations: President, Savannah Chefs and Cooks Association Winner, Kiwanis Club Chili Cook-off, Savannah, Ga. (2004-2006)

Q Chef, after coming to CC of Peoria as Executive Chef at the start of 2010, you were given the added duties of F&B Manager in September 2011. What have been some of the biggest challenges involved with learning to handle these dual roles for a club operation that grosses over $4 million a year?

A The greatest challenge has been dividing my time between the front and back of the house. My core groups of chefs and front-of-house managers have been fantastic during the transition period. In a club that stays as busy as ours, having the right people in the right positions is vitally important to our overall success. I conduct a weekly front-of-house staff meeting where I try to lay out all expectations for upcoming club events and service to all of my key managers, and they have been fantastic.

Knowing where and when I need to be, either in the kitchen or dining rooms, has been challenging. I’m lucky to have a great General Manager, Gary Behan, CCM, who has mentored me during this time. As any great chef knows, having that key person who can help you along while you build the essential skills you need to succeed will ultimately help you become a better Chef/Manager.

Membership support of the entire food-and-beverage department is also extremely important. I try to get as much member input, as well as listen to all member concerns about food and service, as I can. I also sit on the House Committee, Entertainment Committee and the Wine Committee. The feedback and suggestions that we get from members really guide us along the way and help us succeed—and the proof of that is that membership satisfaction is at an all-time high.

Peoria is a great city that is home to many large employers, such as Caterpillar, Maui Jim, Bradley University and several large hospitals. We often see key political and business figures here, along with our 500 families. Our members and guests are well-traveled and know good food and service, and they expect both at the club. We make sure we deliver.

Q When you take control of a club F&B operation, what are the main areas of focus to raise the level of service right off the bat?

The Country Club of Peoria, established in 1897, has 500 members in a city that is home to many large employers, including Caterpillar and Bradley University.

A Training, training…and training.

I like to run my kitchens as learning kitchens. I make sure every cook has the skill sets needed to perform the job(s) they will need to do every day.

My menus are based on scratch cooking and sustainability. With all of the convenience products out there, many of our young culinarians are losing the ability to truly cook. I make sure they have the ability to come to work and learn how to really cook. They love it, and in return I have very low turnover and a group of cooks who like coming to work every day. And membership gets a higher-quality product, so it’s a win all around.

My cooks with more experience get the chance to teach those skills to someone; this not only reinforces what they know, but they get the satisfaction of seeing that employee grow and succeed, and now have a part in the club’s success.

I also try to push ACF certification and competitions with my cooks, with the goal to one day have every one of my cooks certified at some level. I hope to have my Sous Chef take his CEC practical early next year and finish his requirements before the end of the year.

I also developed—you could say “borrowed”—a program from one of the Midwest’s greatest chefs. The Excellence Program that Charlie Trotter used at his namesake restaurant in Chicago is the same one I use for my staff. It doesn’t allow any exceptions and calls for a total commitment to providing the best food and service while striving for excellence within one’s self.

It can be a difficult task to start a program with such lofty goals, but once everyone gets the mindset and sets the bar that high, it has fantastic results. Everyone defines excellence a little differently, but at the end of the day the food and service we provide only gets better.

Another thing that I have come across is stale or outdated menus. As a chef of a high-tier country club, I have a responsibility to stay current with trends and styles. Continuing education and being active in groups like the American Culinary Federation and Club Managers Association of America definitely helps. I also use food and trade shows as great ways to network and make it a point to know what is working, or not working, at other clubs.

Chef Kremer and his staff are given frequent opportunities to get their creative culinary juices flowing, through events such as the annual Maui Jim golf event, which ends with a poolside luau for 300 players and guests.

Club chefs need to change menus and listen to their membership as much as they can. Spending a little time in the dining rooms, getting to know member likes and dislikes, goes a long way to help make decisions on what to put on menus. Once members get to know you, they will be upfront and honest with you and freely provide feedback, good and bad. They, too, only want what is best for their club—and that is what we are here to do.

Q Maui Jim, the very successful sunglasses company, has its mainland U.S. headquarters in Peoria, and you do an incredibly innovative golf event for them each year. Tell us about what’s involved for the F&B portion.

A I have been very fortunate in my career as a club chef to do some amazing weddings, parties and golf outings; I’ve seen some really cool things and have been able to do great events like “Pigs and Pinot.” But nothing I’ve ever done has been as grand as what we do every year for our Maui Jim golf event.

The tournament itself supports the Children’s Home here in Peoria and is their biggest fundraiser. We start off the night before at a member’s home here on Grandview Drive, where we do a welcoming party for all players and sponsors with seafood displays, action stations, magicians walking around doing tricks and three golf professionals from the Seniors tour, who also play with the guests during the tournament the next day. Craig Stadler, Morris Hatalsky and Dave Stockton have been just some of the pros who have come out every year to support this event.

We start planning months in advance for the tournament, and try every year to outdo the last. The tournament itself starts at 6:00 a.m. with breakfast for the players and volunteers. From there we go to an on-course buffet with food stations and bars set up at 12 holes, as well as a grandstand where VIP guests can watch the action. Many of the stations are live, chef-attended grills serving everything from sliders to pan-seared U-10 diver scallops.

When the golf ends, the party begins back at the club, with a poolside luau for 300 players and guests. The night ends around midnight with a very tired but proud staff.

An emphasis on healthful options at CC of Peoria is reflected in buffet displays as well as low-calorie menus for appetizers, dinners and desserts.

As a chef who was brought up in the hospitality industry from a young age, I am used to giving back—in fact, I don’t know of too many professional groups that give as much time to charity as chefs do. So I love this event and I am so impressed with the Maui Jim company for its dedication and commitment throughout the entire year, with this and other fundraisers they do for other local charities. It’s a company that has committed itself to excellence, and I am proud to be a part of that effort.

Q Chef, as we all know, smaller portions and lighter, healthier options can attract members to the club on a nightly basis. Tell us how you engineered this concept through your low-calorie menus.

A This concept has taken off bigger than I ever would have imagined. Last year, I took myself through a personal quest to lose weight and be healthier, after attending a national ACF conference and hearing about the “Chefs Move to School” program that puts local chefs into schools in their areas, to teach kids and their families about healthy eating.

I sat there and listened while being, as many chefs can get to be, very obese and out of shape. How could I stand in front of anyone and talk about healthy eating? So I started eating healthy, with smaller portions, and exercising every day.

Like most chefs who have small kids, when you have time off you’re usually running the kids to sports and school events, and aren’t at home planning what’s for dinner. So like many families we eat out a lot, and when you do that it’s more difficult to watch calories and fat intake or want to eat salads.

I figured some of our membership might be going through the same difficulties as I was when they came out to the club to eat. So I wanted to make it easier for them to make healthy choices, too.

A poolside luau at the Maui Jim golf event at CC of Peoria.

I developed a menu that we run every meal period, with appetizers and desserts under 100 calories, and dinners under 500 calories, and with all nutritional information included. The recipes are developed just like the ones we use on all other menus—flavor and taste are the first thought, and then we figure out how to “trim the fat.” For example, we developed a vodka-poached shrimp with Bloody Mary cocktail sauce as an appetizer that’s very flavorful, but still low-calorie.

Acceptance has been tremendous—some nights, low-cal dishes will now account for up to 50% of the menu mix. We are now getting many members to come out more often, and many will still order an appetizer, entrée and dessert, bringing the bill up to that of an entrée off the regular lunch or dinner menu. So these menus have kept revenues and check averages high—and at the same time, some of our older members have told me that the portion size is perfect for them.

It also helps that I can now literally stand in front of the members as “living proof” of the benefits of a healthier approach to dining (to date, I have lost over 100 pounds, and have run in two 5k races with my family). Last month, a member told me that I inspired him to lose weight. I cannot tell you how good that feels to hear, and I am proud that my menu has helped to change the eating habits and improve the lives of members.

We are the keepers of the gate when it comes to feeding our members and guests and helping them choose healthy, sustainable food options. These menus give them that choice, and show that healthy food does not have to be bland—it can be great, and fun to create.

The Country Club of Peoria, Peoria Heights, Ill.

Q Chef, I have heard so many good things about the French Culinary Institute in the past few years. As an alum who keeps tabs on what goes on there today, what separates their curriculum from the CIAs and Johnson & Wales of the world?

A The French Culinary Institute—now the International Culinary Center—will always be a special place for me. Dorothy Hamilton started an amazing program and from the start made sure she had the best. With Deans of the school like Andre Soltner, Alain Sailhac, Jacques Pepin and Jacques Torres, that is a good way to start, for sure.

The chef instructors are from some of the best restaurants in New York, and they work one-on-one with every student in a smaller class size than most schools. Every student is cooking from day one until they graduate.

The alumni list is amazing for such a young school: it includes Dan Barber, David Chang, Wylie Dufresne and Bobby Flay, just to name a few. The chefs and celebrities who would walk through the kitchens were outstanding—Martin Scorsese walked in to say hello to one of my instructors during my first week!

The total immersion in French cooking taught by amazing instructors and in a city like New York is a recipe for success. I have taken classes at CIA and they have a top-notch program with amazing facilities and instructors as well. Having worked both under and with graduates of both CIA and Johnson and Wales, I can say nothing but good things about their schools.

They just are not FCI or in New York—but then I am a little biased, to say the least.

Recipe for Vodka-Poached Shrimp with Bloody Mary Sauce

Recipe for Skuna Bay Salmon and Tomato Salad

The Cleveland Yachting Club in Rocky River, Ohio

With a four-star restaurant and catering pedigree, The Cleveland Yachting Club Executive Chef Michael Valentino is versatile, adventurous and cool under pressure.

The Cleveland Yachting Club (CYC) sits on an island at the mouth of the Rocky River near Lake Erie, in the Cleveland suburb of Rocky River, Ohio. CYC traces its roots to 1878 and has endured everything from the Great Depression and massive ice jams to 105-knot (120-mph) windstorms. Today, as home to over 300 sail and power boats, CYC is a vibrant, member-owned club that hosts a variety of events for sailing and other water sports.

CYC is also an extremely active social club, with all types of events hosted year-round for its nearly 750 members. Last year, CYC hired one of the Cleveland area’s rising young culinary stars in Executive Chef Michael Valentino. As he revealed in our interview, Michael has big plans for the club and is already very proud of the increased cover counts that have been generated since he arrived. It is clear that Michael understands what it means to service a club membership, and we appreciate his taking the time to share some of his experiences with us.

Q: Michael, the three years that you spent with a four-star restaurant and catering company must have taught you some really valuable skills that now help you execute events at CYC. Can you tell us about some instances where this experience has come into play for the very diverse catering you do around your property?

A: Catering, on- or off-premise, can always present a challenge. You plan for the best, but must be prepared for the worst. One instance I remember at the restaurant was when we were doing off-site catering for President Obama and had to build a kitchen in a field with three inches of mud. When you have situations like this, you must work as a team and understand that anything is possible.

One of my first big parties I had at CYC was a five-course meal for 200-plus people. Our kitchen is narrow, so to avoid congestion I turned an unused party room into a cold-course plate-up room, by turning on the air conditioning. By doing this, it created a better flow of traffic while servers cleared and served tables. My catering experience has strengthened my ability to execute elegant dining, no matter what the circumstances may be.

Q: Chef, you do a lot of kids meals as you host Junior Regattas. What are some specific ideas you have come up with to keep what you’re serving on the healthy side?

A: Our buffets are always prepared with multiple salad choices and fresh fruit. Grilled chicken and vegetable skewers are our healthy alternatives to fried chicken fingers. The chicken is Ohio-raised organic, allowing us to support local business and provide the freshest options. We also offer salmon and broiled white fish for healthier options.

Q: Michael, you work out of a really confined space serving a la carte meals. What modifications have you made there to speed service and efficiency on some of your very busy nights, without sacrificing quality?

A: The menu I prepared was a heavy prep but fast-execution menu, using things like chilled coulis, salsa and insalatas to help with faster plating. For items such as jambalaya and étouffée, we keep them warm to cut down ticket times, and the proteins we have are faster-cooking. We also have a grill on our patio to take stress off the kitchen. On Fridays, we offer different seafood entrées off the grill, and Saturday we offer BBQ night.

The Cleveland Yachting Club in Rocky River, Ohio

It’s also of the utmost importance to set up your kitchen staff in a way that fully utilizes everyone’s strengths; this is critical to creating a great team.

Q: I think it’s cool that your membership takes to many types of cuisine as you implement new themes from the a la carte side and on your entertainment calendar. What are some of the most successful ones you’ve added?

A: Having a membership on the same page as a chef is a true blessing. After returning from the Chef to Chef Conference in New Orleans and seeing the demonstrations on Cajun cooking and other regional specialties, and also sampling some of that city’s great restaurants, we decided to create a section on our menu for Southern-based foods.

In Northeast Ohio, we are accustomed to having fresh perch and walleye, so this created a great alternative. This past winter we hosted an eight-course wine dinner featuring Spanish wines and food pairings. This fall, we will be busy with the clambakes we offer, along with a membership-driven chili cook-off and our Fall Festival.

Q: Michael, as a relatively new club chef to the industry, what first attracted you to the last Chef to Chef Conference in New Orleans, and what knowledge and valuable experience did you leave with?

A: Continuing education is a must in this career. Being introduced to the cuisine and chefs of different regions can be a tool we can all use to great benefit. Styles of cooking, wherever you may be, can always be brought home and utilized. My buffet ideas and presentation were expanded from attending the Conference, and I also learned some valuable things about the financial aspects of a club’s success.

Stuffed Beef Tenderloin

Seabass Over Pancetta and Spinach Risotto

St. Davids Golf Club in Wayne, Pa.

St. Davids Golf Club, on the “Main Line” west of Philadelphia in Wayne, Pa., opened for golf in 1897. As is the case for any club over a century old, St. Davids has gone through many changes over the years. Most notably, its golf course was redesigned by renowned architect Donald Ross in 1925.

St. Davids, with a property that is adjacent to the prestigious Valley Forge Military Academy (where the 1981 movie “Taps,” starring George C. Scott and Timothy Hutton, was filmed), has had several clubhouses over the years. Its newest one was finished in 2006, successfully reflecting the goal of capturing the farmhouse appearance and informal nature of past buildings while adding the features that a modern club operation needs.

The club didn’t know it at the time, but shortly after it opened its new clubhouse, it also added its future head chef. John Zeggert joined St. Davids as a line cook in 2007 and, after leaving to work for the Arizona Golf Resort and Convention Center, came back in 2011 to become the club’s Executive Chef.

We appreciate Chef Zeggert taking the time to talk to us about how he and his culinary style are perfect for this great old Philadelphia Main Line golf club—and how he’s brought new traditions there through his special artistic talents.

John Zeggert Executive Chef John Zeggert CHEF PROFILE Current Position: Executive Chef, St. Davids Golf Club, Wayne, Pa. (April 2011-Present) Previous Club Experience: PM Kitchen Manager, Arizona Golf Resort and Conference Center (2009-10) Roundsman, Banquet Chef and Sous Chef, St. Davids Golf Club (2007-08) Garde-Manger, Philadelphia Country Club, 2001-03, 2006-07 Broiler Chef, Llanerch Country Club, 2005-06 Education: East Valley Institute of Technology, Culinary Arts/Commercial Baking Program Awards and Accomplishments: Three-time First Place winner, National Online World Pumpkin Competition, “Best Organic Carve” Category; Third Place, world competition

Q: Chef, you have been a world-champion pumpkin carver, an award-winning cake sculptor, and have had paintings on display at one of the largest malls in the country. How do these artistic talents help you look at food?

A: I see food in shapes and colors, and use the natural progression of the seasons to decide what my plates and presentations look like.
For example, when I wrote our weekend specials for the early days of August, I knew that watermelon, heirloom tomatoes, corn, pea tendrils, sour pomegranate and scallops were all in their prime—and, because they would all be coming from a state or two away at most, would taste amazing together, as long as I, as the chef, knew when to stop messing with them.

Don’t forget that as much as color and aesthetic are important in a painting, as chefs we’re blessed with other senses to apply to our canvases. Things like texture and scent, when paired with colors, are so strong it allows us to take our patrons on journeys and through memories. The whole point of art is to share or evoke emotion. Chefs, as artists, are given incredible gifts.

Q: Your pumpkin carvings are especially amazing. How did you develop this skill, and how do you showcase it at your club?

A: I started carving pumpkins in elementary school and just never stopped. My grandmother had a long, winding driveway I would line with carved pumpkins. She would let me take the day off from school and carve around 20 of them.

I’m sure I wasn’t the first to try a multi-layer technique with a pumpkin, but I’d never heard of it before and started doing that in high school, carving different layers and using a bright light source to reveal all the details.

The average pumpkin I do takes about five hours, and if it’s a ‘custom carve’—someone wanting a family portrait, or a specific scene from a movie, for example—the whole process can take upwards of 20 to 30 hours.

I use a pushpin to transfer the design, an antique ice-cream scoop to level out the section to be carved, and a series of modified plastic-handled saws and a couple of wood-carving tools. It’s possible to use carbon paper to transfer the more basic patterns.

St. Davids Golf Club in Wayne, Pa.

There’s also a method of carving, using a Dremel tool, that creates very clean lines. The designs can be found on the Internet, or designed yourself either by hand or with a variety of computer programs.

For the club, I usually do one per weekend through October, and a few less detailed ones to be shown through the clubhouse on Halloween weekend. It’s really not a difficult hobby or something you have to take classes in. It’s a learned skill that’s more of a question of patience and tolerance for tedium. The best way to learn is to just do it over and over. I can’t begin to tell you how many pumpkins I’ve been halfway through, only to connect two wrong lines and have the entire thing collapse.

For me, the best part of the process is walking into a room with a pumpkin wrapped in plastic and a cord hanging out of the bottom. Without the light in it (I use a green string of 100 clear Christmas lights), nobody ever has any idea what the finished product looks like. But as soon as I plug it in, the crowd of people waiting always make me smile. That final “reveal” makes the 5 to 12 hours of carving all worth it.

Q: Chef, at one point you were a garde-manger specialist—one of the most demanding kitchen stations that is often taken for granted. What tips can you share on how club chefs should hone their skills in this area?

A: I’m a great fan of the cold kitchen, and it seems to be a bit of a dying art. It’s not common, even in a club filled with “foodies” like St. Davids, to sell terrines, gelees or pates.

You’re absolutely right—garde-manger work is under-appreciated and often forgotten about. It doesn’t have the “flashy” moments like the fire and drama of the hot line, so it’s never focused on by the modern TV shows. Therefore a lot of young culinarians almost shun the station.

One of Chef Zeggert’s pumpkin creations

The best garde-mangers are often a bit difficult to deal with. They’re almost Prussian in their order and mise; everything has to be “just so.” But if you’re lucky enough to find someone like that, you should do everything you can to nurture them.

Start with the cold-kitchen classics. Like mathematics, they’re the foundation for all the fun stuff that comes later. Embrace molecular gastronomy, but in a way that can enhance the consumer’s experience. Don’t be afraid of things like agar-agar and xanthan gum. The cold side has so many amazing possibilities that were only recently discovered within the last decade or two.

Q: Chef, you’ve worked your way up in the club industry from starting as a line cook to now being an Executive Chef. What characteristics do you possess that helped this come to fruition? And has your own success caused you to look at the development of young talent differently than most chefs?

A: I don’t feel I possess different characteristics than any other driven chef. Luckily for me, Michael Butler, the General Manager here at St. Davids, saw a passion and creativity in my performance with every step up I took, and remembered it when the time was right. He and I began building a mutual respect for each other years ago, when he got behind the line and worked next to me on a busy Friday night, just to provide the extra set of hands that I needed. That kind of management sets a fantastic standard.

One of Chef Zeggert’s pumpkin creations

I think you need to do the very best in every aspect of whatever it is you do, both in and out of the kitchen. If you’re a line cook, you should be making a conscious effort to lessen the steps you take to produce a dish, while at the same time finding ways to improve your station setup: mise layout, perfect prep, mindful systems, etc. If you’re the Sous, you need to realize that your job, day in and day out, is to make the Executive Chef look his best at everything he does, and be mindful of the costs to maintain his operation. You need to apply everything you’ve learned, from fixing the dishwasher in the middle of a dinner shift, to making sure he got the last drop of demi off the side of the plate for his tasting menu.

As for developing young talent, I intentionally look for young culinarians who have a passion for the industry, an eagerness to learn, and the willingness to be humble. If you find someone with those characteristics, and an overall good attitude, everything else can be learned.

Q: One of the biggest challenges facing a club chef on a nightly basis is the a la carte frenzy that occurs when members having cocktails see others sitting and ordering, and follow suit. This can affect food quality and service, no matter what precautions are taken. What do you do at St. Davids to handle this effectively?

A: This is inevitable; it’s happened in every private club I’ve ever worked in. I’ve always noticed a frenzy coming from the front of the house that’s almost like a constant panic-mode.

One of Chef Zeggert’s pumpkin creations

Here at St. Davids, I’ve tried to instill a mentality that we, as kitchen staff, not only need to be the physical middle of the clubhouse, but the calm center as well. The staff working as hard as they can to deal with the onslaught on the other side of the doors needs to know, even if they don’t see it, that on my side everything is calm, controlled, and managed within reasonable silence and laughter. Smiling is something a kitchen, even at its most hectic, needs to do.

You, as a chef, can ask the front-of-house staff to explain to the membership or patrons that the food might take some time this evening, perhaps offering a complimentary glass of wine. Or, you can ask that they hold off the 10-top for half an hour, to make everything go more smoothly for everyone.

But in the long run, I feel that controlling the pace of the kitchen yourself—calmly communicating through the evening, and smiling along the way—will make a huge impact on the clubhouse in general.

Q: Chef, when we were speaking about the fact that you have a solid management team going in one direction, you mentioned that you “have each other’s back.” How can others develop and nurture this concept?

A: As chefs and managers, we spend so much time together that it’s very similar to a marriage; the key to any relationship is communication. It’s almost impossible to have too much. Event times, menus, staff, personal requests, and dietary restrictions can all change within minutes of an event, so it’s critical that not only as much information as possible is shared as a team prior to an event, but also during and after.

One of Chef Zeggert’s pumpkin creations

It’s also important to be able to roll with the time-changing punches that are sure to come as events unfold, and not force the front-of-the-house banquet team to hold to a very rigid schedule. Tom Groves, my Sous-Banquet Chef, and I try to give the front-of-the house the leeway to sway with whatever changes come about. This creates a great environment for not only the staff on both sides of the doors, but also the guests and members.

Lastly, you need to take the time after each event to reflect on what was learned by how things unfolded. This is crucial to nurturing a staff as young as my team, and it ends up creating an incredible dynamic in the kitchen that radiates into the dining rooms.

Recipe for Harvest Scallops
Recipe for Winter Barramundi

Menus for dining venues at The Country Club of Florida are changed every two weeks, to provide variety for members who dine at the club four times a week or more, and also accommodate frequent member requests.

Tony Larsen, Executive Chef at The Country Club of Florida (CCF), in the town of Village of Golf in Palm Beach County, is just one of the many examples of young talent raising the level of cuisine in the club industry. Chef Larsen makes you think back to what club food used to be—and also makes you realize that there is no limit to its potential.

CCF opened in 1956 and now has tennis, pool and fitness facilities along with 18 holes of golf designed most recently by Lester George. Tony brought his talents to this exclusive club five years ago, and every member will attest to the huge improvements that have been made in all areas of the culinary operation.

C&RB would like to thank Chef Larsen for taking time to share some insights into how he’s worked to help turn CCF into a personalized, stimulating dining destination.

Q: Chef, prior to your club work, you had extensive training in hotels and resorts with Ritz-Carlton, Starwood and the Trump organization. What are some of the processes and procedures you learned through those experiences, and have since implemented at The Country Club of Florida?

A: Lots of systems—hotels need to run very efficiently, and to do so, they rely on systems. I have adapted some of them, but not all are necessary at CCF. For example, I use cleaning schedules, ordering guides and recipe-costing systems I learned while at hotels. This helps us to be more consistent in a changing environment.

Tony Larsen Executive Chef Tony Larsen CHEF PROFILE Current Position: Executive Chef, The Country Club of Florida, Village of Golf, Fla. (July 2007–present) Previous Experience: Executive Sous Chef, The Club at Admirals Cove, Jupiter, Fla. (October 2004–January 2007) Executive Sous Chef, Starwood Hotels and Resorts, Providence, R.I. and Kansas City, Mo. (March 2002-October 2004) Education: Culinary Institute of America (Degree in Culinary Arts, 3.5 GPA) Stagiaire experience: The French Laundry, Yountsville, Calif. (4 weeks, August 2010) Le Bernardin, New York (1 week, August 2009) Jean-Georges Vongerichten (1 week, July 2006)

Q: Your culinary stagiaire experience is impressive, with stints at The French Laundry, Le Bernardin and Jean-Georges Vongerichten. What advice can you offer club chefs about how to go about looking for opportunities like this to expand their knowledge?

A: Persistence! If you want something badly enough, you can get it. The first thing is to decide where you want to go—then make phone calls, write letters and be persistent. You will certainly need to sacrifice something, but you will get your opportunity. The restaurants want solid cooks helping them, and some actually depend on the free labor.

These experiences can also be a wonderful “gut check” for chefs who have been in the same place for more than two years. You grind for twelve-plus hours, but you’ll see new foods, new techniques and new systems for running your kitchen. It’s invaluable.

Q: You do a lot of personalized service for CCF members, including dinners at their homes, takeout, etc. What made you decide to do this extra service, and what kind of positive buzz has it created at the club?

A: CCF is a unique club; the membership is relatively small, and the members are like one big family. I meet with most members on functions either in my office or the GM’s office. Sometimes they ask me to personally cook at their house and it’s only for ten people.

It makes for a great relationship and the closeness gives us instant feedback. They love it because they can voice their opinion and get results. We want them to know that we are their solution for food and beverage.

Q: Tony, I know clubs that change menus every day, and I know some that are seasonal. You change every two weeks. We all know how club members like their favorites, so what are the pros and cons involved with changing menus with such frequency?

A: The pros are that we can keep everyone stimulated with the food. The members eat here sometimes four nights a week or more. If they eat here with that frequency, they are not going to want the same menu.

The Country Club of Florida in Village of Golf, Fla.

The cons are food cost, consistency and training. You really put yourself out there when you change the menu that much. As for the member favorites, we get that a lot. I try to manage that with each menu. I also have a file on my computer that is for member requests. They will have their request on the next menu,  usually within a week. If it’s something I can do for them the next day, I will, and they are satisfied.

Q: Chef, the “Speaker Series” you offer is something I have always wanted to try at my club. Can you talk a little about it, and how the F&B ties in?

A: We do two types of these events. One is called the “Speaker Series” and the other is “Great Decisions.” We have members organize them and schedule guest speakers, or one of our own members will speak on their area of expertise. Topics vary from “Overview of World Affairs” to “The NFL: A Business or a Game?”

All of the events are well-received and well-attended; we usually get about 120 members for them. After the speaker is done, we seat them in another room for a three-course meal—and if possible, the menu relates to the topic.

Recipe for Rack of Lamb with Carrot Puree
Recipe for Lobster Salad

The Vineyard Golf Club, Edgartown, Martha’s Vineyard, Mass.

Concern for the fragile Martha’s Vineyard ecosystem was high in the late ‘90s, when a group of developers proposed construction of the first new golf course on the island in over 30 years. First, they had to commit to reduce the overall area of managed turf, be pesticide-free and use only organic fertilizer. Secondly, there was no model to follow, since this had never been done before.

Looking back, proprietary members of The Vineyard Golf Club can now say they have a piece of one of the most environmentally sensitive golf courses in the world. What was a 235-acre failed housing development is now a relaxing world-class golf venue in one of the most beautiful places on earth.

The food at The Vineyard Golf Club is exceptional as well. Executive Chef Mark Chaput has been given free reign since the club opened in 2002 to create a world-class dining room. He has done just that, despite the challenges of running a seasonal operation in an out-of-the-way location. We thank him for taking time during his busiest month of the year to share insights into his success.

Executive Chef Mark Chaput Mark Chaput CHEF PROFILE Current Position: Executive Chef, The Vineyard Golf Club, Edgartown, Martha’s Vineyard, Mass. (2002-present) Previous Experience: Executive Chef,Eastward Ho! Country Club, Chatham, Mass. (1988-2002) Executive Chef, Oxford Golf and Racquet Club, Oxford, Mass. (1986-1988) Chef/Owner, Café Elizabeth, Harwich Port, Mass. (1982-1986) Education: Ecole Ritz Escoffier, Paris Continuing Education, Culinary Institute of America, Hyde Park, N.Y. La Varenne, The Greenbrier Club & Resort Business Chef to Chef Conference (2012, New Orleans and 2011, San Francisco)

Q: Chef, you are on an island with a short season, so your major challenge is obvious.  How have you been able to staff your kitchen and the rest of the club? 

A: Living on an island is challenging all by itself, and running a seasonal business is quite difficult. Staffing is undeniably our biggest obstacle. We spend a large portion of our winter months recruiting our employees for a five-month season. In the past, we’ve traveled to Florida and hired staff at golf clubs where the seasons run opposite to ours. We also attend career fairs at C.I.A., Johnson & Wales and Cordon Bleu, which has worked quite well for us. We’ve managed to retain some of our best help through the years; my Chef de Cuisine is on his eleventh year and our two Sous Chefs have been here for several years. We also have many students from Eastern Europe who spend summers on the Island and work as line cooks, servers, busers and dishwashers.

Q: Is procuring everything you need to operate a fine-dining restaurant equally challenging?  

A: Before moving to the Island, I assumed getting quality product was going to be difficult. It turns out it’s just the opposite. Because there are so many excellent restaurants here that are packed every night, every major purveyor delivers on a regular basis. Sysco, for example, delivers six days a week. And I have access to the freshest local seafood and produce every day we’re open. However, we do pay a little more, since traveling to the Island is expensive.

Q: Chef, we are all running our club kitchens more and more like upscale public restaurants. This goal was communicated to you ten years ago when the club was built. You have worked at other clubs, so you know what we do on a daily basis.  What is it like having just an a la carte focus without outside parties, swim meets, weddings, etc.?  Does it even feel like a club kitchen?  

A: When I was hired, the three original developers expressed their vision for a high-end upscale restaurant without the typical buffets, weddings etc.—and I feel we achieved that. In recent years, however, we’ve added a bar menu and a kids’ menu, and we are planning a lunch buffet four days a week. We also have the normal club events (Member/Guest Weekend, wine dinners, club championships, etc.) throughout the season. But on a daily basis, offering only an a la carte menu without the distractions is a dream. We can really focus on the food and dining experience and concentrate on bringing our members the best possible product. It feels like a club kitchen simply because we’re not open to the public—and an enormous amount of members’ “special requests”!!

The Vineyard Golf Club, Edgartown, Martha’s Vineyard, Mass.

Q: Mark, your menus are interesting and innovative. Tell us about the French influence that is evident accompanying your seasonal American style.

A: Believe it or not, my first mentor was Julia Child. I grew up watching her on TV and thought that this might be something I wanted to do. So I stayed with the French influence in my training, style of cuisine and menus. I also attended professional studies at The Ritz Escoffier Hotel in Paris, where I fell in love with French food.

Q: I was surprised to hear there were so many farms on the Vineyard. Tell us how you use them and the products they offer.

A: I am amazed every day at the number of farms that operate on this small island and what a diversity of products they grow and raise here. I can buy local lamb, poultry, eggs and shellfish, as well as local produce,  from island farmers. Because of the salt air, I have access to the sweetest corn I’ve ever tasted. We are very fortunate to be the closest restaurant to Morning Glory Farm, which provides not only their own produce but items from other farms in their market. This year, we’ll be using the Produce Connection, which picks up  local produce and meats and delivers them to our door. On our current menu, we’re featuring local oysters, yellowtail, lobsters, asparagus, pea shoots and microgreens.

Executive Chef Mark Chaput (far right) has the support of a well-tenured culinary staff at The Vineyard GC, including (from left) Sous Chef Brian Murray, Sous Chef Marnely Rodriguez-Murray and Chef de Cuisine Anthony Rabeni.

Q: Mark, you have a long off- season to rest. But how do you prepare yourself for such a long period without time off, and motivate staff late in the season?

A: After we’ve closed for the season, the kitchen is thoroughly cleaned, shut down and budgets are done. We start right in on planning for the next season only days after we close. The more we do in the winter, the smoother it goes in the summer. I’ll meet several times with the General Manager to talk about the past season and how we can improve the next one. I’ll attend career fairs, food shows, the “Chef to Chef” Conference—and before you know it, we’re back and off to the races! I keep my staff motivated by encouraging a team atmosphere, allowing them to come up with specials, menu items, etc. My goal is to try to be the best of the best—and hope they want to be a part of that, too.

Recipe for Fillet of Local Yellowtail Veronique

Recipe for Crab Cake with Grilled Corn Salsa and Roasted Red Pepper Remoulade

Dining amenities at Hillwood Country Club in Nashville, Tenn., include four restaurants and seven banquet rooms served by Executive Chef Perry Seal.

Hillwood Country Club (HCC), in Nashville, Tenn., opened in 1953. Today it ranks as not only one of the top private club facilities in Tennessee, but the entire South. The club’s golf course, built in 1957, has seen two renovations in the last ten years. Hillwood also offers extensive tennis and swimming programs for members of all ages, and a state-of-the-art fitness facility, with over 10,000 sq. ft. of workout space, that opened last September.

Dining amenities at Hillwood include four restaurants and seven banquet rooms, all served by Executive Chef Perry Seal and his young and talented team of culinarians. Since his arrival 11 years ago, Chef Seal has drawn on his previous experience with five-star hotels to change the way his membership thinks about club cuisine. He was good enough to spend some time with us to share his insights for taking more innovative approaches that go well beyond “standard” club fare.

Q: Chef, at age 26, you were the youngest Executive Chef in the Westin Hotel chain when you were at the Hermitage Hotel in Nashville. It’s hard enough with years of experience to run a five-star hotel kitchen. Tell us a little about that part of your career, and how it prepared you for private clubs.

A: When I was at the Hermitage Hotel, it was the flagship hotel of Starwood Lodging and a member of Historic Hotels of America. My time at the Hermitage refined my experience in large, full-service establishments. We offered 24-hour food service at a high level and with precise standards. I always had the “large establishment” mindframe of a chef.
I worked in hotels most of my early career and chose my formal training accordingly at the New England Culinary Institute’s Essex Campus. I enjoy the pulse of a “grand establishment,” and the majestic approach to our business. I started cooking at 12 years old and have never looked back.

Q: At Hillwood, your a la carte menus are streamlined, contemporary and fresh-sounding. This is not the case all the time in our industry, either because of resistance to change or a talent-level issue.  Do you attribute your success in this area to pushing the envelope, delivering great food consistently, or both?

A: We are lucky that our members support our nightly specials and our culinary direction. I like the daily challenge of creating new foods that complement the ingredients used. We do our share of home-style food, but when we get the chance to do something edgy, we cherish the opportunity—and the accolades that come with it. My success comes only from the last meal served and the love that our staff put into creating that dish.

The culinary team at Hillwood CC is young (average age of 34) but long-tenured (average service at the club of 7 1/2 years).

Q: The younger-member demographic is the backbone of your a la carte business. Besides good food quality and service, what draws them to Hillwood, instead of Bonefish or the Capital Grill?

A: Our members are considered a part of our extended family, and Hillwood has a down-home appeal. We serve great food in a spirited atmosphere, which our members support and enjoy. Most of our members have grown up here and want to keep their family experience going with their children. We create children’s activities that help to offer a fun and exciting atmosphere for the entire family.

Q: The characteristics that define your culinary team include high retention rates, low turnover, a constant exchange of ideas, and mutual respect among staff members.  How have you achieved these things that all chef-managers strive for?

A: I work for my team as they work for me. As they grow, I grow. We all work in a tough environment as chefs; we like to have fun while executing a top-notch product. Our chefs enjoy a competitive culinary environment where quality and creativity are the focus, and the members are the benefactors. Our team of chefs and culinary management averages 7.5 years of service at HCC, with an average age of 34.
If you treat all of your colleagues and purveyors with respect, they in return will treat you respectfully.

Q: Perry, you have now been at Hillwood for about as long as I have been in my position, 11 years. During that time, I have seen a desire to eat less volume/weight of protein items and a heightened interest in creative and healthier components to those dishes. Have you realized the same thing at your club?

Seal's favorite station is Dessert Mini-Burgers with a Side of Fries and Milk Shake, comprised of re-purposed macaroons, ganache, puff pastry and raspberry and mango puree.

A: Most certainly—and today, our dedication to local fresh ingredients is a must. The days of a 12-oz. filet or a 20-oz. ribeye are over. As a whole, our dining community is a more educated group, with health being a main focus. We are bridging the gap between our fitness facility and our cuisine by advertising our food in a healthier direction.

Q: Finally, Chef, as one of the premier private club facilities in Nashville, you do your share of weddings and large functions. Can you tell us about the really innovative small-plate/action-station selections on your banquet menu for receptions? Does this concept sell well, and is it worth the front-of-the-house labor dollars that must be spent to execute them properly?  

A: We have a small-plate menu that we offer as part of our banquet package. But our main specialty is our “Shrimp and Grits” Station. As a part of our job, we create a dish and figure out a way to execute it as a small-plate offering. We feel it is money well-spent—and well-made.

One of my favorite stations is “Dessert Mini-Burgers with a Side of Fries and a Milk Shake.” It features a mini-burger made with flavored macaroons as the buns, ganache as the burger, a strawberry as a tomato and kiwi as the pickle. We use puff pastry as the fries, mini-verrines as the vessels for the milk shakes, and raspberry and mango puree as ketchup and mustard. We recently did it for a buffet dinner for 500—with no attendant—and they loved it.

Recipe for “Jewels of the Sea”

Recipe for Grasshopper Bombe

C&RB’s sold-out 2012 Chef to Chef Conference in New Orleans featured everything from skinned gators to instant ice-sculpture designs.

Clubs with members who root against the University of Florida and whose chefs attended C&RB’s sold-out 2012 Chef to Chef Conference may see a new dish, Cajun Microwave Alligator, at pre- or post-game events this year.

The Conference,  held at the Royal Sonesta hotel in New Orleans, March 4-6, began with a Sunday night dinner and a keynote speech by Mark Allison, Dean of Culinary Education at Johnson & Wales University, who detailed how the school is helping to shape the chefs of the future. The Conference program then kicked off the next morning with a demonstration on Cajun Cuisine by Colt Patin, Chef Instructor at the Louisiana Culinary Institute.

Chef Patin captivated the crowd of close to 200, which included 175 Executive Chefs and Food and Beverage Directors from leading club and resort properties in 35 states, plus the District of Columbia and Canada, as he demonstrated the versatility of gumbo and etouffee bases and how they can easily be integrated into club cuisine. Chef Patin then demonstrated special “Cajun microwave” preparations of crawfish and alligators, and drew a big laugh when he suggested the latter could be a great menu choice for a “Beat Florida” event.

Here are highlights of other Conference presentations:

• Wade Simpson, Executive Chef of Paradise Valley (Ariz.) Country Club, demonstrated the Chef’s Table concept he has successfully implemented at his club.  Chairs were brought on stage to simulate an actual evening’s activity in his kitchen, chefs were called up to pose as “dining members,” and the food was spectacular, especially Simpson’s version of an upscale “BLT” (Blue Cheese, Lobster and Truffle) slider. Simpson promoted the Chef’s Table concept as the best way for chefs to demonstrate the full scope of their creative abilities, not only to others, but to themselves. “It’s the one place where no one can dictate to you what to make,” he noted.

• Jason Friendy, Executive Chef at the Resort of Squaw Creek in Olympic Valley, Calif. described some of the inventive techniques he has used to connect with the kids who come to his resort, including letting the kids themselves make the call on potential menu items, using a rating system of 1 (gross) to 4 (delicious). Friendy recommended www.choosemyplate.gov as an important resource for valuable nutritional information.

• In a presentation on bar/casual dining concepts, Sean Sennet, Executive Chef of River Hills Country Club in Lake Wylie, S.C. stressed the value of using membership demographics as a key “ingredient” in the menu engineering process.

Such study showed that River Hills’ membership included as many people with ties to the Northeast U.S. as to the South, leading to a well-received decision to include New England beer-battered cod and clam chowder on its new casual menu.

• To start the final day of the Conference, Vincent Horville, Executive Chef, The Metropolitan Club of Washington, D.C., returned to the C2C stage to once again present impressive and easy-to-turn-out buffet enhancements, including 24-hour cured salmon and bacon-lobster cannoli hors d’ouevres. In a rousing finale, Chef Horville used isomalt sugar and ice cubes to created a crystallized ice design for unique table favors.

• For a demonstration on contemporary cuisine, Max Knoepfel, Executive Chef, Westchester Country Club, Rye, N.Y., showed examples of high-end plate designs and gave an overview of the “Farm to Table” concepts he has implemented at his club to showcase local farmers.

• In a demo on wine/beer pairings, Jeff Strahl, F&B Director/Executive Chef of Glen Oaks Country Club, West Des Moines, Iowa, stressed how flavor profiles of specific dishes should dictate a pairing, not the center of the plate.

• Chris Loss, an expert on modernist cuisine and molecular gastronomy from the Culinary Institute of America, walked attendees through fascinating taste tests to show how taste buds really work. Dr. Loss also suggested strategies for sodium reduction and outlined the advantages of pressure cooking.

• Three club managers made management-oriented presentations. Bert Morales, Director of Operations for West Lawn Country Club in Augusta, Ga., provided practical suggestions for how chefs can deal more effectively with their owners, Boards and House committees. In a lively presentation filled with motivational video clips, Tom Wallace, Chief Executive Officer/General Manager of The Club at Mediterra, Naples. Fla., offered ideas for more effective staff mentoring and training. Wallace also related that he no longer refers to the “front” or “back of the house,” instead calling the two areas the “heart” and the “soul” of the culinary operation. Mark Michie, General Manager of Inverness Country Club, Birmingham, Ala., walked chefs through what their basic grasp of food-and-beverage financials should include.

Executive Chef Carolyn Flinn draws on her extensive experience at high-profile, high-volume operations to bring quality and efficiency to Deal Country Club.

In the 1890s, a wealthy shipping magnate and railroad financier by the name of George Washington Young discovered the Jersey Shore and built an estate near the coastline in Monmouth County, just south of New York City. In 1900, Young added a 6,500-yard golf course to his property, which was thought to be one of the longest in America at the time. So it was that Deal Golf Club, located on Golf Lane in the town of Deal, N.J., was established.

The club had many prominent members in its early days, including Robert Todd Lincoln (son of Abraham Lincoln), Will Durant (founder of General Motors) and two U.S. Presidents, William McKinley and Benjamin Harrison. As many other activities for members were introduced, the club changed its name to Deal Country Club in the 1940s.

One amenity that Deal is now popularly known for is great dining. In 2007, Deal CC brought Carolyn Flinn, a well-known chef in the New York metropolitan areas, to run the club’s kitchen, and the amount of dinners served at the property has since climbed steadily every year since her arrival.

Before things began to heat up for another season at the Jersey Shore, Chef Flinn was kind enough to share some of her thoughts on keys to success in today’s club dining environments.

Q: Chef, you offer high-impact specials each night that really help even out the flow at your club during peak hours and your peak season.  Tell us about the perceived-value items you offer that make your busiest nights at the club run smoother.  

A: Our menu is versatile in both choice selections and price point. The offerings include vegetarian and gluten-free menu items a la carte. The menu is divided evenly between the various stations, sauté, grill, entremetier and garde manger,  to ensure a smooth a la carte service.

Q: Along the same lines, you have experience in very busy public restaurants, where menu writing was essential to whether you sank or swam. One example was lunch at the Sea Grill at Rockefeller Center in Manhattan, where daily lunch and dinner covers could both exceed 200. What tips can you offer chefs and F&B managers to become more streamlined and efficient?

A:  In busy venues, the kitchen staff generally prepares mise en place a full day in advance, and having the appropriate prep is imperative. In addition, the staff both front and back must be well-versed on menu descriptions, preparations and presentations. Daily, informative Q&A at pre-meal meetings can set the tone for a successful meal service.

Q: You incorporate change constantly in the menu design process, whether it’s through your use of day-boat seafood from up the street, or brainstorming with sous chefs. How has this aggressive approach improved your cover counts at Deal?  

A:  Our members enjoy their club and spend a fair amount of time here. Thankfully we enjoy the frequency of our member dining. Naturally, variety is what drives the menu design, using seasonal ingredients, available sustainable market seafood and produce. I rely on my purveyors who understand our consistent standards and bring top quality and innovative products to our back door.

Q: Carolyn, with the wealth of experience that you have in teaching, high-end catering and restaurants, what’s your take on the private club member and their needs?  

A: Honestly, one aspect of my job as a club chef that I really enjoy is the wide scope of different culinary activity throughout the year. It has been helpful in recruiting and my staff is always working on different events, which keeps everything new and interesting.

The membership here at Deal is wonderful. I appreciate the opportunity to learn our members’ preferences and special needs, which also tend to drive the menu and our special events.

Q: At your club, you are the banquet chef as well as the head chef. Beyond doing this for budgetary purposes, what made you go with that strategy, as opposed to hiring a catering chef and focusing all of your energies on a la carte?  

A: There is advantage to cross-utilizing kitchen staff and growing a talented per diem staff, which has worked well for us. Directing staff with a variety of different tasks on any given day has created a positive team-building experience for everyone.

View Chef Flinn’s Recipes for:

Pan-Seared Day-Boat Scallops with roasted corn and shitake mushroom ragu
Minted Farro Salad
Poached West Coast Halibut with Littleneck Clams and Fava Beans

Toll Golf was formed in 1998 as a division for operating golf and country-club amenities within residential communities developed by Toll Brothers, the nation’s leading builder of luxury homes. Toll Golf now operates 11 clubs in five states (California, Florida, North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia), including Dominion Valley Country Club (DVCC) in Haymarket, Va., less than an hour west of Washington, D.C.

As part of the 2,000-home Dominion Valley community, DVCC offers an 18-hole Arnold Palmer Signature Design Course, as well as tennis, aquatics, a fitness center and a unique Toddler Town childcare facility.

Deb Scott, Executive Chef, has been with Toll Golf for six years, working at two of the company’s other locations before coming to Dominion Valley in 2010. Her talent and energy has helped to turn DVCC’s dining venues, including Palmer’s Grille and Mulligan’s, a family dining room, into popular destinations. We appreciate Chef Scott taking the time to share her experiences and thoughts as a young, up-and-coming chef within a well-known parent organization that is now emerging as a significant player in the golf and club industries.

Q: Deb, tell us about some of the family-oriented events you and your team have developed at Dominion Valley, and how you keep young ones occupied while their parents enjoy meals at Mulligan’s.

A: Here at Dominion Valley, kids are members, too! Our community has an average of 1.5 kids per household, so as a chef I often cater my menu to families. Kids are really important to us.

The family dining room is called Mulligan’s, after Arnold Palmer’s beloved yellow Labrador retriever. Just as Mulligan never leaves Mr. Palmer’s side, our restaurant with that name is dedicated to family dining, in the hope that it can become a “home away from home” for members and their families That’s why we are dedicated to providing quality food and events for the whole family.

Two popular events at Mulligan’s where children are the main focus include an Art Show and Valentine’s Brunch Exchange.

The Kid’s Art Show involves children coming into Mulligan’s on a designated day with their parents and friends, to tell us through art what they love about the club, or to show their favorite memory of club activities. Their artwork is displayed in the clubhouse foyer, and they’re given a cupcake coupon for their next visit.

The Valentine’s Brunch Exchange is a new concept I created to generate care among the children at the club. Just as they want to show classmates they are special, kids want to tell their friends at the club they’re special, too. The children will design cards and mailboxes at the Valentine’s Brunch Exchange that will take place in Mulligan’s about two weeks prior to Valentine’s Day. The mailboxes, with the children’s names on them, will be displayed for two weeks in the clubhouse lobby, so friends and family can add cards to the mailboxes.

On a daily basis, our young members can sit in a booth and tune into their favorite show on flat-screen TVs that are embedded in decorative mirrors, to keep them occupied as they wait for their meal to arrive.

Q: Your “Guest Chef Wine and Food Festival” sounds like a really cool event and a great way to utilize all of the resources that are made available to you from other Toll Golf properties. How was this conceived, and how did you execute it at your club?  

A: Toll Golf has many talented chefs, and the senior executives wanted to leverage these talents so that more of our operating clubs could glean ideas from other chefs, while also giving the clubs’ various memberships something new to taste.

To kick off the concept, the executives first picked Guest Chef John Soulia, Executive Chef of Hampton Hall Country Club in Bluffton, S.C., to collaborate with me at Dominion Valley. Then I went to South Carolina for a similar event, to showcase my skills to the Hampton Hall membership.

For these events, the executive chef of the home club picks the theme. My inspiration was the DC Street Food Festival, an outdoor festival that incorporates both food and wine. I wanted to bring Southern cooking to Virginia, so Chef Soulia and I prepared the dishes and set up food stations, outside on the patio of Mulligan’s, under open-air lighted tents that overlook our island 9th green. We brought in local wine vendors whose tastes complemented the food.

The chef collaboration, outside dining and new tastes were all a hit with members. And as chefs, we learned to try something new as well.

Q: You also have a new role, as an aide in corporate approval of menus. Give us some insight into your philosophy of menu writing, from its early development at a Toll Golf property to “gluten-free” choices and other healthy menu options.  

A: Creating dishes with local and seasonally fresh components is my passion. The reliability of most raw items is what makes me choose them over others. Natural is not only good for your body, but it’s also delicious, which is what I try to demonstrate to members.

I take the well-being of my members very seriously. I do not like to mask my dishes with heavy sauces, but rather enhance the genuine flavor profiles with chutneys, sofritos, purees and glazes. I believe it’s important to recognize member favorites and serve them, while still keeping my healthy approach. The rise of food allergies is a concern that can affect a fair percentage of our membership.

I identify dishes that are gluten-free on Toll Golf menus, to help guide our guests. And when someone on the wait staff tells me that a table has questions about allergies or other concerns, I go out to discuss them in person, so the members are comforted by my education and sensitivity towards health-related matters.

Chef Scott teamed with a Toll Golf chef from South Carolina for a Wine and Food Festival that brought special Southern flavors to Dominion Valley CC.

Q: Chef, a good mentor is something special in our industry, where there barely seems like there’s enough time to breathe when we’re busy. What did Cris Carter of Toll Golf see in you as a young chef that helped your development? And what skills are necessary to become a good chef teacher/mentor?

A: Cris Carter started with Toll Golf at Frenchman’s Reserve Country Club in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla., and worked his way up to be the current General Manager at Mountain View Country Club in LaQuinta, Calif. I believe he also saw in me that same determination that he embodies. A good mentor like Cris has the ability to always encourage, yet provide constructive criticism. He has taught me that if you give it your all the first time, you won’t have to re-do it.

Q: You’re a formally educated chef, but a self-taught pastry chef. What tips can you offer those of us at properties without pastry chefs on our staff, as we struggle with the “buy versus make” issue?

A: The struggle with “buy versus make” is not only addressed by talent, but also the equipment equation. We all have sheet trays, but specialty molds, utensils and pans can be costly. My advice is to determine if staff members are interested in growing their knowledge, and if the club values homemade items, and then let those answers guide your direction in this area.

View Chef Debra Scott’s Recipes here:

Mesquite Maple Salmon
Fennel-Rubbed Pork Chop
Chocolate Firecracker

The steady stream of culinary luminaries he works with for the club’s Celebrity Chef Series is just one way Executive Chef Nick Gatti helps to keep the excitement level high at Alpine CC.

In 1928, A.W. Tillinghast, famed designer of courses at Bethpage State Park, Winged Foot Golf Club, Baltusrol Golf Club and many other top U.S. clubs, took on his most challenging project. Alpine Country Club, in Demarest, N.J., is built on the rock formations of the Jersey Palisades, across the Hudson River from New York City. Much blasting was needed to get the course to Tillinghast’s perfection.

Alpine CC, which has earned “Platinum Club of America” status, has since become known for its pursuit of perfection in many other aspects of club life. Its members now enjoy a rebuilt (2007) clubhouse with many amenities, including first-rate dining for all occasions.

The head man in Alpine’s kitchen for the past 17 years has been Executive Chef Nick Gatti, an extremely popular figure around the club. And as he tells us in this interview, Chef Nick has worked with many popular celebrity chefs at his club for events that have provided exciting new member experiences.

Q: Nick, I had to ask you about your “Celebrity Chef Series” twice, because I didn’t believe what I had heard the first time. How has Alpine CC brought so many world-renowned chefs and culinary talent to your property, and what it’s been like to work with them in your own kitchen?
A: One of our members, Herb Karlitz, is the producer of the New York City Wine & Food Festival, among others. He knows, and is friendly with, many chefs including Morimoto, David Burke, Thomas Keller and Marcus Samuelsson, all of whom have appeared in our kitchen during Alpine’s Celebrity Chef Series.

We’ve incorporated something from each chef after they’ve been here. David Burke gave us a “Bronx Veal Chop” (a bone-in chop using filet mignon from the hip). Marcus Samuelsson left a North African spice mix, which we now emulate in several dishes. And the Morimoto evening was a truly symbiotic affair. We got to see some incredible East/West food, particularly the sushi, as well as one of the best Torchon de Foie Gras that I ever ate. From their side, the Morimoto team was able to use our banquet-style expertise to execute their tasting restaurant dishes for over 100 people per course.

Alpine CC’s distinctive clubhouse is often the scene, inside and out, of events that give the club’s culinary team the chance to prepare specialties such as “Lobster Rolls Without the Roll” hors d’ouevres.

Thomas Keller and the Per Se group were, of course, truly special. I nicknamed them the “Navy Seal Team 6” of the culinary world. They came in self-contained and thorough and were friendly, easy to work with, and very giving professionally. The Keller team is in the business of finesse and perfection, but they are also very calm. From them, we learned our kitchen’s new favorite expression: “Put eyes on that.” Be it the dessert station, carving board or banquet expediting process, it’s all about watching every process, to make it as perfect as we can.

Q: Chef, Alpine is a very family-oriented club, and you and your team do a great job with catering to the kids. What are some of the most successful concepts and specific dishes you have developed?  
A: Our General Manager, Joseph (Jay) Donnelly, CCM, our Clubhouse Manager, Chad Chadwell, and our front and back teams provide many of our ideas, as do our members. After all, we were all kids once (some of us still are), and many among us have little ones.

A recent success has been our Thursday Family Nights. This is a great way to keep the club full and operating on off-season Thursday nights. Every week has a different entertainment element; a magic show, ventriloquist, kids’ dance party, etc. Another big success recently was Chanukah “Holibaloo” crafts night (cupcake Menorah building, dreidel cookie decorating, etc.).

For these events, we usually have three manned action stations: build your own pizza, build your own hamburger slider, and a station where you can make your own taco or quesadilla, along with mac-n-cheese, a kids’ pasta bar, and a grilled cheese sandwich station. We rotate these things week to week. The children get a charge out of instructing the cooks how to construct their meals.

Q: Nick, you write four menus a week at Alpine. What are the keys to offering variety while still giving members their favorite signature dishes?
A: Always remember that you are cooking for the membership, and not fulfilling some culinary quest for yourself. Keep it simple and recognizable, with clean presentations. Our clubhouse manager tracks “stars” and “dogs” through our POS software. Do this long enough, and you can build a pretty long list of rotation items, without it seeming so repetitive.

I spend about one full day a week on menu planning. I try to incorporate upcoming buffet items into the a la carte mix, and also blend upcoming banquet items into the weekly mix. If I have to practice an item for an important banquet, I will “try it out” on the membership.

Q: After 17 years at the same club, what are you most proud of that you can share with fellow club chefs for developing their own long-range plans?
A: We seem to have achieved a singular reputation as ”THE” place to have a wedding or Bar/Bat Mitzvah. I have also heard many members reference Alpine Counry Club as “the best restaurant in town.” That sort of thing just wants to make you puff out your chest.

Advice? There are a few things I try to follow: Honor the past. It’s theatre, not war. Rome wasn’t built in a day. Nothing succeeds like success. And love your membership, which is your raison d’etre.

Q: What are the specifics of your menu-writing schedule, and your main sources of inspiration?
A: I write two a la carte menus per week, Wednesday and Friday. They contain about ten apps and ten mains. Of those, about six apps and six mains change completely every week. The Wednesday menu is tweaked so that about four apps and four mains will change again for Friday.

Additionally, in season I have to write 2 BBQ menus (Thursday and Sunday) that also change from week to week. More casual Bistro menus are needed for Saturday nights, and also change weekly.

Roast chicken, grilled salmon, New York strip steak and some type of large grill (lamb chops, veal chop) almost never change on the a la carte menus.  Shrimp cocktail and chopped and caesar salad are my only “must haves” on the appetizer side.

I write ideas down constantly. I subscribe to or read a bunch of food magazines (Food Arts, Art Culinaire, Lucky Peach, Food & Wine, Fine Cooking and more). I live on the food side of the Internet. I belong to a private food group of diners whose sole purpose, it seems, is to collect Michelin-starred dining experiences.

I am a charter member of Mouthfulsfood.com and find the CIA websites, the Wednesday New York Times and Cookingdistrict.com to be invaluable resources. I search out restaurant websites and constantly look at the menus and pictures. Not to steal ideas, but to gather inspiration.  GuySavoy.com is a great personal favorite.

Q: Finally, Nick, you are going to attend the 4th Annual Chef to Chef Conference in New Orleans in March. What are some topics that you would like to see covered and discussed? 
A: Lately, I am obsessed with the “Grand Unified Theory of Club Food and Beverage.” This involves developing a large, relational database of every inventory item currently in use that’s linkable to every associated individual item cost and scalable to every recipe in use, so that a banquet or a la carte menu can be instantly costed per person and per portion, as it is written, in real time. This way I can leave my computer and spend more time cooking.  How cool is that!

View Executive Chef Nick Gatti’s recipes for:

Alpine Potato Pancakes
Braised Short Ribs