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

Chicken & Apricot Terrine

Amt    Ingredient
6 ea.    whole chickens, 2½-lb.
as needed     bacon or fatback to line terrine molds

For the mousseline:
2 lbs.     chicken breasts from whole chicken (reserve remainder)

For the smoked chicken legs:
12     chicken thighs from whole chicken

For the curing brine:
Amt    Ingredient
1 quart    water
¾ cup     kosher salt
¾ cup     granulated sugar
1 tbsp.    crushed red pepper flakes
1 tbsp.    whole coriander seeds
1 tbsp.    whole fennel seeds
2 tsp.     crushed star anise
6 ea.    bay leaves
1 tbsp.    cracked black pepper
10 sprigs     fresh thyme

For the marinade:
Amt    Ingredient
4 ozs.    brandy
¼ cup     chopped shallots
1 tbsp.     fresh tarragon leaves
1 tbsp.     fresh thyme leaves
1 tsp.     ground black pepper
1 ea.    egg white
2 cups    heavy cream
1½ tbsp.    salt

For the garnish:
Amt    Ingredient
2 cups     dried apricots, diced and soaked in ½ cup Grand Marnier
2 cups     ham, diced ½” x ½”
1 cup     pistachio nuts
½ cup     parsley, chopped

Procedure:

• Bone out the chickens and reserve the wings, drumsticks, and carcasses for later use.
• Mix brine ingredients and soak the thighs for two hours.
• Hot-smoke the thighs until they reach an internal temperature of 140°F.
• Skin the chicken breasts and cut into strips. Marinade overnight.
• Line the terrine molds with bacon or fatback.
• Make a mousseline with the marinated chicken breasts.
• Skin and debone the thighs, and then dice the meat into ½-in. cubes.
• Mix the mousseline, chicken thigh meat, and garnish together.
• Cook a small amount of forcemeat, taste, and then adjust seasoning if needed.
• Fill the terrine molds and bake in a water bath at 300°F to an internal temperature of 155°F.
• Weigh down the terrines with 1-lb. weights and allow to cool overnight.
• Slice and serve with fennel leek and orange relish, port wine sauce or apricot chutney.

Submitted by Daniel Pliska, Executive Chef, The University Club of Missouri, Columbia, Mo.

Wild Mushroom Risotto Cakes

Amt    Ingredient
2 cups    Arborio rice
¼ cup    melted butter
¼ cup    olive oil
1 cup    diced morel mushrooms, re-hydrated
1 cup    diced cremini mushrooms
1 cup    diced shiitake mushrooms
¼ cup    shallots
2 tbsp.    chopped tarragon
½ cup    chopped parsley
½ cup    brandy
1 cup    white wine
6 cups    mushroom stock
2 cups    grated Parmesan cheese
2     eggs
1 to 1½ cups    breadcrumbs
to taste    salt and pepper

Procedure:

• In a heavy-bottom pot, brown the rice in the olive oil and butter while stirring over medium-high heat
• When the rice is brown, add the shallots and the mushrooms, and continue to stir over the heat
• Add the brandy and wine and continue to stir until the rice has absorbed all of the liqueur
• Add the stock in 1- to ½-cup stages, stirring until absorbed each time before adding the next batch
• On the last batch, add the chopped herbs and when absorbed, check to make sure the rice is cooked and soft; if not, add more stock
• Finish with the Parmesan cheese and season with salt and pepper, then spread out on a pan to cool
• When cold, add the bread crumbs and the eggs
• Form into patties and coat with herbed bread crumbs, then sauté and serve

Submitted by Daniel Pliska, Executive Chef, The University Club of Missouri, Columbia, Mo.

Plum Tart with champagne lemon sabayon sauce

Amt    Ingredient
8 to 12 ea.    plums, seeded and cut into wedges
6 ea.    eggs
13 ozs.    granulated sugar
3 ozs.    butter, room temperature
6 tbsp.    apricot jam
cinnamon (to sprinkle on top)

Equipment needed:
2 tart pans    lined with Linzer dough and par-baked, blind

For the champagne lemon sabayon sauce :
Amt    Ingredient
½ cup    champagne
2 tbsp.    lemon juice
½ tsp.    lemon zest
½ cup    granulated sugar
4 ea.    egg yolks
½ cup    whipped cream (soft peaks)

Procedure:

• Over a bain-marie in a stainless-steel bowl, whisk the champagne, lemon juice, lemon zest, sugar and egg yolks until they are cooked to 160º
• Chill over ice until room temperature
• Fold in the whipped cream and serve

To prepare the tarts:

• Mix sugar and butter together in a bowl, then add the eggs and mix to make a custard base
• Spread the jam onto the par-baked Linzer tart bases, and arrange the plums in nice pattern
• Pour over the custard and sprinkle with cinnamon
• Bake at 350º until golden brown and the custard is set
• Cool and prepare the champagne lemon sabayon sauce (see separate recipe above)
• Slice and serve with the sauce and cinnamon whipped cream, if desired

Submitted by Daniel Pliska, Executive Chef, The University Club of Missouri, Columbia, Mo.

Victor Zapata, Executive Chef, Sylvania (Ohio) Country Club

Balancing seasonality, sustainability and originality, chefs are cooking up creative and successful seafood presentations—even at clubs firmly located on dry land.  

You’ll be hard-pressed to find a club or resort that doesn’t offer a pretty darn good version of fish and chips. It’s familiar. It’s quick. It has a low food cost. And members go crazy for it. It’s basically the seafood version of a club sandwich.

But that doesn’t mean all seafood dishes have to play by the fish-and-chips rule. Instead, chefs are casting a wider net, to come up with menus and events that feature new and interesting seafood applications for everything from trout and tripletail to scallops and sea urchin.

“If it lives in a body of water, we consider it ‘seafood,’ ” says Andreas Sellner, Executive Chef, The Reserve at Lake Keowee Club, Sunset, S.C. “At The Reserve, we feature fish, crustaceans, and mollusks from all over the world. I have a really great relationship with my supplier, who sends me weekly updates about what’s in season, what’s been overfished and what’s coming available, so I am able to get the freshest and highest-quality product available.”

Sellner puts those two attributes—freshness and quality—above all else when it comes to his seafood menus. Sometimes this means steering members toward different dishes and fishes. “I try to be in front of members as often as possible,” he says, “so I can explain to them why we’re featuring some products—and, more importantly, why we’re not featuring other things.”

Like Sellner, chefs at properties across the country—even those firmly located on dry land—are going above and beyond to ensure their seafood dishes are equally responsible, delicious, interesting and most importantly, saleable.

Visual Effects
Seeing is believing, and at Sylvania (Ohio) Country Club (SCC), “Fresh Fish Market Fridays” prove that members and guests really do eat with their eyes.

Each week, Executive Chef Victor Zapata sets up an iced display of fresh fish for members to view as they pass through the dining room. The featured fish, which is presented on the club’s menus in a variety of forms, changes each week. And rarely, if ever, is a special repeated.

“ ‘Fresh Fish Market Fridays’ have been our most successful dinner service of the week for over two years,” reports Zapata. “By putting the fish on display, members can see the quality that is available.”

Andreas Sellner, Executive Chef, The Reserve at Lake Keowee Club, Sunset, S.C.

Even though Sylvania, a Toledo suburb, is not a coastal city, Zapata is able to purchase fresh, high-quality seafood from neighboring fish markets in Detroit, Chicago and Cleveland. “We’ve introduced seafood that I would have never thought my members would like,” he says. “A surprising number of them recognize the different species, too. Lately, it seems like I can’t stump them.”

Two such examples are tripletail and sea urchin, which have both become popular offerings. “As we come up with recipes, we focus on the flavor of the fish,” says Zapata. “I don’t want to drown something light and fresh in a heavy sauce, or weigh it down with too many ingredients.”

SCC always offers at least one good-for-you seafood option, too. “Fish is synonymous with healthy eating,” says Zapata. “So we try to balance the market menu with one lighter dish that might be topped with a fresh arugula salad, alongside one heavier dish that might be dressed with a beautiful beurre blanc.”

To keep costs in line and round out the market special, SCC offers a make-your-own salad bar with dozens of fresh choices and composed salads.

On its regular a la carte menu, SCC features four to five fish dishes, which rotate seasonally. “Salmon and sea bass are our biggest sellers,” says Zapata. “Ivory salmon, in particular, has probably been our most successful fish dish to date. It’s really rare, but the flavor and texture are incredible.”

And, according to Zapata—and perhaps more importantly, SCC’s members—it’s worth the higher price point.

To educate servers about the different dishes, SCC holds pre-meal lineups where servers are able to taste new items and learn about the fish’s flavor and texture, as well as hear about how it has been prepared. “I have to be completely accurate with what I tell them,” says Zapata. “They all carry smartphones, as do the members—so if I make something up about how fresh it is, where the fish came from, what it ate or how it was harvested, they call me out.”

Scott Harrison, Executive Chef, Plantation Golf & Country Club

Like most clubs, SCC features a mix of products that are farm-raised and caught in natural habitats. “Seafood is tricky,” says Zapata. “You have to put in the work to guarantee freshness. That means knowing your order dates, ship dates and arrival dates, and planning accordingly.”

A Seafood Bounty
At Plantation Golf and Country Club, Venice, Fla., Executive Chef Scott Harrison “puts in the work” by not only changing half the club’s menu weekly, but also by offering a once-a-month seafood buffet that generates, on average, 400 covers.

“We do it up,” says Harrison. “There’s a raw bar with oysters, a bunch of different homemade cocktail sauces to pair with the shrimp, seafood soups, composed salads that feature things like mussels or shrimp, a hot line, a carving station, a salad bar, a baked potato bar, crab legs and a huge dessert station.”

The monthly buffet is promoted in the club’s newsletter, on posters, in e-blasts and through good ol’ fashioned word of mouth. Beyond being good for business, the buffet, and the soups in particular, help with inventory and waste control, allowing Harrison and his team to come up with creative applications for any leftover product.

A Real Catch
Most everyone offers a “catch of the day,” so to truly differentiate their daily seafood features, club chefs are finding that a little ingenuity goes a long way.

“Our club is five miles from the ocean,” says Keith Bayer, Executive Chef at Old Palm Golf Club, Palm Beach Gardens, Fla. “Our membership is sophisticated and well-traveled. I couldn’t get away with offering them the same fish and seafood items they could get at a local restaurant. It has to be unique and truly special.”

Bronzini, pompano, hogfish, cobia and monkfish are all popular at Old Palm. And while he prefers to keep preparation of these fishes simple, Bayer relies on his house-made spice mixes and oils to elevate flavor profiles.

Keith Bayer, Executive Chef, Old Palm Golf Club, Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.

To educate diners, Old Palm has a dedicated website where live videos of Bayer preparing different seafood dishes are posted. “It gives them a chance to see their chef in action,” says Bayer.

At SCC and The Reserve, Sellner and Zapata educate members about different fishes and seafood dishes through specialty cooking classes.

“When we ask members what they’d like to learn more about in the cooking classes, they always say seafood,” says Zapata. “It’s a great opportunity to have face-time with members,  and it gives us a chance to gauge whether new and different fishes will be successful.”

Turning Tides
With ongoing concerns about overfishing—along with the need to stay updated on nutritional and dietary issues and other ever-changing trends relating to seafood—chefs continue to increase their reliance on purveyors and watch groups, to help them “sort through the seaweed” and stay knowledgeable.

“I talk to my purveyors and rely on them to keep me abreast of trends and new products coming in,” says Kellen Graham, Kitchen Manager at Copper Canyon Golf Club, Buckeye, Ariz.

As a purely public club, Copper Canyon tends to play it safe with its seafood options, offering familiar proteins like cod, sole, salmon, shrimp and scallops in new and interesting ways.

“Our guests want mainstream, recognizable proteins, so we try to keep it familiar and find creative ways to enhance classic dishes,” says Graham, who also works closely with the club’s fitness department to create guest-specific, lighter fish dishes based on calorie content and nutritional profiles.

At Galveston (Texas) Country Club (GCC), Executive Chef Gustavo Vega likes to explore local markets, to see what’s on trend and in season. “Versatility and freshness are most important,” he says. “It allows us to make seafood a focus of our F&B program.”

Gustavo Vega, Executive Chef at Galveston CC, has established Flounder Milanese, red snapper and parmesan-crusted soft-shell crabs as some of the club’s most popular dishes.

Vega helps educate members about different fishes by sharing details about special preparations and by adding complimentary toppings, cooking wines and herbs.

“We educate servers so they can describe the taste and texture and recommend pairings and alternate preparations,” he says. Flounder Milanese, red snapper and parmesan-crusted soft-shell crabs are some of GCC’s most popular dishes, he notes.

Snapper is also a popular offering at Plantation G&CC, where the club’s petite plates feature combinations like bruschetta prawns in a light white wine brodo, and Maryland crab cakes served with a chipotle remoulade and cilantro aioli.

“The petite plates allow me to cater to a larger demographic looking for a casual seafood option,” says Harrison. “Plus, my fish guy brings me the best of the best. Today, he’s bringing in swordfish that we’ll sear, then top with a fresh kiwi and blackberry relish.

“We’re fortunate to have adventurous eaters at the club,” Harrison adds. “It allows for more turnover and better quality product. But we’re also fortunate to have developed really great relationships with our suppliers. We trust them, and they deliver excellent quality.”

Recipe for Hot and Fragrant North Carolina Trout

Recipe for Pacific Halibut Seared with Northwoods Mushrooms

Recipe for Grilled Salmon Special

Menu for Copper Canyon Golf Club

Old Palm Golf Club Menu #1

Old Palm Golf Club Menu #2

Old Palm Golf Club Menu #3

Pacific Halibut seared with Northwoods Mushrooms

Halibut:

Amt     Ingredient
2 lbs.     skinned halibut fillets
¾ oz.     dried Northwoods mushroom blend
2 tsps.     sea salt
½ tsp.     ground toasted coriander
pinch     fresh ground white pepper
1 oz.     canola oil

Procedure:

1. In a spice grinder, chop dried mushrooms into a fine powder
2. Cut halibut fillets into 6-ounce portions
3. Mix sea salt, ground coriander, and white pepper and season both sides of halibut pieces
4. Completely cover one side of each halibut portion with the ground mushrooms
5. In a large pan, heat the canola oil and sear the halibut, mushroom side first, for about 2 minutes, then turn to finish
6. When halibut is fully cooked, plate them over roasted potatoes, pour 2–4 ounces of consommé around the potatoes, and fish with a drizzle of white truffle oil

Herb Roasted Potatoes:

Amt     Ingredient
22 ozs.     mini fingerling potatoes (gold, red, and purple)
2 tbsps.     minced fresh herbs (rosemary, thyme, oregano)
½ tsp.     garlic powder
½ tsp.     onion powder
1 oz.     olive oil
to taste     salt and pepper
1 oz.     sliced green onions

Procedure:

1. Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees
2. Scrub the potatoes clean and cut them in halves
3. Toss with olive oil, fresh herbs, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper
4. Lay the potatoes in a roasting pan and place in the oven for about 20-30 minutes until golden and tender
5. Remove potatoes from the roasting pan, mix with sliced green onions and place them in the center of your plates

Wild Mushroom Consommé:

Amt     Ingredient
2 lbs.     fresh wild mushrooms (black trumpet, hedgehog, hen of the woods)
8 cups     water
½ cup     white wine
1 cup     diced white onion
4     peeled garlic cloves
2 tsps.     olive oil
to taste     salt and pepper
white truffle oil for drizzling

Procedure:

1. Brush any dirt from the fresh mushrooms
2. Sweat onions and garlic in a large sauce pan with olive oil
3. Add the fresh mushrooms and coat them with the onions and garlic for about 4 -5 minutes
4. Deglaze with white wine and add the water to the sauce pan
5. Reduce by half and season with salt and pepper
6. Strain the consommé with fine mess strainer and keep warm for service

Submitted by Victor Zapata, Executive Chef, Sylvania (Ohio) Country Club

Amt     Ingredients
2      large green chilies, seeded and coarsely chopped
5      shallots, peeled
5      garlic gloves, peeled
1/2 tbsp.      fresh lime juice
1/2 tbsp.      Thai fish sauce
1 tbsp.       brown sugar
4      kefir lime leaves
2      trout
to garnish     fresh garlic and chive

Procedure:

• Wrap the chilies, shallots, and garlic in a foil package. Place under a hot grill for 10 minutes until softened.
• When the package is cool enough to handle, tip the contents into a food processor or pound with a pestle and process to a paste.
• Add the lime juice, fish sauce, sugar, and lime leaves and mix well.
• With a teaspoon, stuff the paste inside the fish. Smear a little on the outside of the fish also.
• Grill the fish for about 5 minutes on each side until its cooked through.
• Lift onto a plate and garnish with fresh roasted garlic and chive. Serve atop rice.

Alternative stuffing for the trout:

Crab meat stuffing

Amt     Ingredients
6 ozs.      jumbo lump crab meat
1 slice      white bread
1      egg
1 oz.      parsley, chopped
1 tsp.      mayo
dry mustard
Old Bay seasoning
salt, white pepper
lemon juice

Procedure:

• Combine all the ingredients. Let it sit for one hour in a cooler, then stuff trout  with it.

Submitted by Andreas Sellner, Executive Chef, The Reserve at Lake Keowee Club, Sunset, S.C.

Amt     Ingredient
6oz      farm-raised salmon, grilled to medium

Procedure:

• Grill salmon on both sides for about 3 minutes, making grill marks on both sides

Breadcrumb Topping

Amt     Ingredient
1 cup      Panko bread crumbs

1 oz.      parsley, chopped

1 ea.      lemon, zested

2 ozs.      freshly grated pecorino cheese

1 oz.      mayonnaise to get break crumbs to stick

Procedure:

• Lightly brush top of salmon with mayonnaise after salmon has been grilled and then top with bread crumb mixture and broil in oven 400 degrees until golden brown, about 1-2 minutes

Sautéed Spinach

Amt     Ingredient

1 oz.      shaved garlic clove

1 oz.      extra virgin olive oil

1 oz.      fresh squeezed lemon juice

5 ozs.      baby spinach

to taste     salt and pepper

Procedure:

• Start with warm pan, add garlic and sauté lightly. Add spinach until lightly wilted, add lemon juice and salt and pepper to taste.

Red Bell Pepper Coulis

Amt     Ingredient

4 ea.      cored and seeded red bell peppers, chopped

1/2 ea.      yellow onion, chopped

1 ea.      red tomato, chopped

1      garlic clove, minced

16 ozs.      chicken stock

to taste     salt and pepper

Procedure:

• Add all ingredients to sauce pot and simmer until almost dry
• Add ingredients to blender and blend until smooth

Long Grain and Wild Rice

Amt     Ingredient
1/2 cup      wild rice

1/2 cup      long grain rice

2 cups      boiling water

1 oz.      butter

to taste     salt and pepper

Procedure:

• Add all ingredients to an oven-safe pan and cover with aluminum foil
• Cook in a 350 degree oven for 25-30 minutes

Recipe courtesy Copper Canyon Golf Club, Buckeye, Ariz.

LakeRidge Country Club, Lubbock, Texas

New General Manager Patrick O’Brien led the charge to transform the apathetic F&B program at LakeRidge Country Club into an award-winning amenity to which members are flocking.

When the service in a club’s food-and-beverage program is easily compared to an indifferent waiter in a Quentin Tarantino film, it’s time for a change—even if there is a quality $5 milkshake on the menu.

“I would compare the service to Jack Rabbit Slim’s in ‘Pulp Fiction,’ with Steve Buscemi as Buddy Holly,” says Patrick O’Brien, current General Manager of LakeRidge Country Club in Lubbock, Texas. Just before he accepted the position in March 2012, O’Brien visited the club’s restaurant with Board members, for a taste of what he was getting himself into.

During his initial visit, O’Brien noted that it took 45 minutes to get his food, in a restaurant that only had three copies of the menu and only offered three items.

“It was just a lack of caring. It felt like an episode of ‘Restaurant Impossible’—you can’t do anything if you don’t care,” O’Brien says.

After transforming F&B at Ancala Country Club in Scottsdale, Ariz., another Eagle Golf facility, from average to exciting, O’Brien was tasked with turning around an inefficient, apathetic food-and-beverage program in which members had lost faith.

“To put the state of the F&B program into one word, it was neglect,” he says, “The prior staff here had lost direction and focus, and got away from doing the daily things that make clubs successful.”

At LakeRidge, the golf course frequently was front-and-center among staff—and consequently, members—because other amenities received less attention.

“If you can’t get the beer you like on the course or the food is terrible, people are going to explore their options,” O’Brien notes. “People would come play golf, then go somewhere else and eat.”

From the Ground Up
Though the overhaul of the club’s F&B program was a large undertaking, O’Brien says it wasn’t scary, because the staff had simply gotten away from the day-to-day basics that keep operations running smoothly. As a previous owner of restaurant companies, O’Brien knew that consistency above all was key.

“It’s rare that people go to the same restaurant because they get their socks knocked off every time; they go for consistency,” he says. “If you want people to come in 3, 4, 5 times a week, you have to give them a consistent product, update menus regularly, and make holidays an opportunity to step out of the box.”

The first step to rebuilding was to put the right people in the right positions. Under O’Brien, LakeRidge has turned over nearly 100% of the staff, save for a “gold” accountant. Some staff left because they didn’t want to adhere to the new standards, and some were let go. But ultimately, everybody from the chef to the F&B director moved on, so a new batch of employees with the proper focus could get things rolling in the right direction.

Executive Chef Jeff Ivey worked his way up the F&B ladder at LakeRidge CC, and now incorporates his baking skills into daily menu items, like cinnamon rolls and the cheddar chipotle loaf BLT.

“I don’t believe in looking for people with just a wealth of experience,” O’Brien explains about the re-hiring process. “I look for caring, character, a desire to succeed, and someone who’s committed. I needed people who, if I would ask them to rake a bunker, bus a table, or cook a meal, they would do it.”

Food & Beverage Manager Andrew Bishop proved to be a “big addition,” O’Brien reports, and was instrumental in making sure the program’s new service model was in place.

During the transition, the kitchen operated without a chef, and O’Brien even brought in a short-term, high-profile chef who helped clean up and make people respect the department. From there, O’Brien opted to promote from within, and found a diamond in the rough in Executive Chef Jeff Ivey.

“They had him in a role where they didn’t ask or care about his background,” O’Brien says. “After talking with him and seeing an opportunity to promote from within, we went through a trial period, and he excelled running the kitchen.

“Promoting from within shows that effort and caring pays off and it shows a clear path—if you do the right thing, you can get here a year from now,” O’Brien adds.

Climbing the Club Ladder
Ivey’s prompt rise within the private club’s F&B department is noteworthy. In February 2012, he joined the club as a part-time cook and quickly climbed the ranks to baker, sous chef and ultimately Executive Chef in less than a year.

Ivey proved himself during his trial period through smart purchasing and organizing inventory; making sure everyone knows his or her role, which included removing people from the line when they’re not needed; and evolving a homestyle, made-from-scratch menu by paying attention to member feedback.

Patrick O’Brien, General Manager, LakeRidge Country Club, Lubbock, Texas

“We just finally got a workable menu that members enjoy,” Ivey says. “We don’t fully change it throughout the year, we just add to it and take things off seasonally, like when certain vegetables are in season.”

Basic updates like implementing new plateware, flatware and glasses, and pricing items properly, helped provide a more subtle indication that times were changing.

One special offering Ivey brings to the table is his skill at baking, which ensures that all sandwiches, like the cheddar chipotle loaf BLT, are served on fresh, housemade bread. Previously, the club pulled breads from a box, but it is now developing a take-and-bake offering, where members can pick up pre-mixed bread doughs and pizzas, and pop them in the oven at home.

Everyday comfort foods like chicken-fried steak, meatloaf and scratch-made pastas round out the menu, all with the quality and taste that club members have come to expect.

“High-end and difficult things don’t work here,” O’Brien says. “You have to give the membership what they want and remember who the base is. When you have a limited number of people you’re serving food to, you have to give them something they can eat three to four times a week.”

Service with a Smile
Next on O’Brien’s to-do list was to instill a sense of pride in his workers and the expectation that members come first above all. He calls this the “happy to do it” mantra, and it’s his most repeated mantra of all.

“Members are well within their rights to request special items and preparations,” O’Brien says. “Whether they have food allergies, such as being allergic to sulfites, we have to be happy to take care of that person. You get that going, then you get trust back, and you get business back.”

O’Brien created daily checklists for workers to make tasks more systematic, indicating what to do shortly after clocking in, what to have completed by mid-day, and how to close, with the front-of-house manager verifying completion.

“I probably take a more active role than most GMs in F&B, so I go in and ‘inspect what you expect,’ ” O’Brien says. “You can’t give a task and just expect it to happen; you have to follow-up, make sure everything gets done, and have it become part of the culture. They have to know what is expected.”

LakeRidge Country Club, Lubbock, Texas

O’Brien emphasizes that “being clean and accommodating doesn’t cost money,” so kitchen staff is used to having their work spaces presented well, as though they are always on stage—because they are. A prospective member could swing by to tour the facility at any moment.

In a town where going out to eat is a frequent occurrence and every restaurant has a half-hour waiting list, O’Brien says the club’s biggest concern is increased usage. Future growth, he says, revolves around luring members back through events, and building trust after years of disillusionment.

“Our prospects are former or current members who are just now starting to use F&B,” O’Brien says. “Many swore it off because of bad experiences, and it takes awhile to get those people back. You have to take care of the ones who are coming in, because if you don’t, they won’t sell it to their friends.”

In fact, O’Brien explains, about 95% of new members come from current members who bring in family and friends. As a result, LakeRidge bills itself as the “fun club” on its website, highlighting the membership’s own emphasis on creating a clique-free, family-friendly environment, without concern for entitlement or club politics.

“The more we can have members using facilities and engaging with other members, we see that as a win,” says O’Brien. “We want to have members bring friends into the club, because that’s a potential member. We do not rush them, but encourage them to come in and feel what it’s like to be in a private club.”

Executive Chef Ivey’s playful bakery creations have inspired plans for take-and-bake offerings that members can enjoy at home.

Through happy-hour events with complimentary food and drink specials, the club looks to show appreciation for members without costing them extra money.

“We’re not worried about cutting into dinner sales; we want to do things that fill the house,” says O’Brien. “Starbucks is successful because people can come in, use the WiFi, and they don’t have to buy anything.

“We want you to use our club,” he adds. “We want to be your third place: first is your home, then your job, then us.”

The Private Club Advantage
Though O’Brien has many years of experience in restaurants, he admits that the private club business is difficult—but the relationships are more satisfying, so “once you get in it, you don’t want to go public again.”

“At a restaurant, you just want checks,” O’Brien says. “At a club, you want to build the membership first and foremost,  because a dinner check does not promote growth in a private club. Everything we do revolves around membership and membership growth.

“If you’re giving me dues, your ancillary spending on the course and in the lounge, and your check average, is inconsequential in the life of a member, which averages about seven years,” he explains. “We want you to continue your membership. It’s about satisfaction and the happiness of members.”

By developing “clubs within a club,” tournament committees, and amping up the types of activities that get members involved, LakeRidge is joining the ranks of clubs that are choosing to grow, rather than scale back, operations.

Increasing F&B activity among members who had become disillusioned by the club’s ineffective dining offerings remains a top goal of new GM Patrick O’Brien.

“Our members do not own this club, but we treat them like they do,” O’Brien says. “We don’t believe in cutting to get to our goal; we believe in selling, because signing members creates revenue. You can’t cut a private club; you have to grow.”

Now, about nine months into the rebuilding phase, the turnaround at LakeRidge is being recognized. Eagle Golf awarded the club with its “Most Improved Food & Beverage Operation” for a private club, and honored O’Brien with “Best New General Manager of the Year” for 2012.

“Getting that pride in staff and from membership, it’s probably our biggest accomplishment,” O’Brien says. “It’s nice getting awards, but it’s not what it’s about. We’re in this to do the best we can do, to be the best club.”

Recipe for Cinnamon Rolls

Rich Sweet Dough
Amt    Ingredient
1 lb.     milk
.75 oz.    active yeast
1 lb., 4 ozs.     bread flour
1 lb.     butter
8 ozs.     sugar
.5 oz.    salt
10 ozs.     whole eggs
1 lb., 4 ozs.     bread flour

Cinnamon Filling
Amt    Ingredient
1/3 cup     granulated sugar
3 tbsp.     brown sugar
2 tbsp.     ground cinnamon
6 tbsp.     melted butter
1/3 cup     small chopped nuts (optional)

Confectioners Sugar Glaze
Amt    Ingredient
1 cup     confectioners sugar
½ tsp.     vanilla
as needed     half and half

Procedure:

• Warm milk to 95-100 degrees; add yeast and first 1 lb., 4 oz. of bread flour mix until combined. Cover and let rest 7-10 minutes (this mixture is the sponge).
• Cream butter, sugar and salt until light and airy. Slowly add eggs in four stages, making sure to scrape sides of bowl after each addition until combined.
• Add remaining sponge to egg mixture until combined.
• Add enough of remaining flour to create soft dough; turn out onto lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic (about 8 minutes).
• Let dough retard 30-40 minutes, or overnight.
• Prepare cinnamon filling by combining the sugars and cinnamon; set aside.
• Brush two 9-inch round cake pans, at least 2 inches deep, with 1 tbsp. melted butter; set aside.
• After dough has rested, roll on a lightly floured surface to a thin rectangle, about 12×20 inches. Brush excess flour from dough, then generously brush dough with melted butter, and sprinkle the cinnamon nut mixture.
• Roll up in jelly-roll fashion, starting at one of the 12-inch ends, resulting in a fat log that is 12 inches in length. Cut roll in 2-inch intervals (use a string placed under the rolled dough and pull up and around sides, criss-cross thread at top, then pull quickly—this eliminates squashed rolls.)
• Put rolls cut side up (cinnamon spiral showing) in prepared pan; drizzle with any remaining melted butter.
• Cover and let rise in warm place for 20 minutes, or until doubled in size.
• Bake in a 375-degree oven for about 25-30 minutes,  or until puffed and golden brown. Cool in pan for 10 minutes.
• Sift confectioners sugar into a bowl. Stir in vanilla and enough half-and-half to make a medium-thick glaze.
• Unmold and drizzle with confectioners glaze; serve warm.

Submitted by Jeff Ivey, Executive Chef, LakeRidge Country Club, Lubbock, Texas

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.

Wisconsin Camembert, Chicken and Ham Tempura

With its unrivaled versatility, neutral flavor profile and endless applications for cooking methods and seasonings, chicken is essentially the perfect protein.

Chicken is the ultimate menu chameleon. You can stuff it or bake it. Pan-sear it or grill it. Brine it, marinate it or smoke it. It can be deep-fried or prepared sous vide. Its flavor mingles well with fruits, vegetables, herbs, spices, vinaigrettes and sauces. It can be light and healthy, or rich and comforting.

But with all its versatility, chicken must be handled carefully and mindfully, as its neutral flavor can sometimes translate as boring. Worse still, when not prepared and held correctly, chicken can dry out, resulting in a dull, dusty consistency.

“Chicken’s simplicity makes it a clean and honest protein to work with,” says John Sexton, Executive Chef at Turnberry Isle Miami. “It’s not necessarily that we’re doing ‘new’ things with chicken, but we’ve found flavorful applications and cooking techniques that our members and guests enjoy—and making them happy makes us successful.”

Put a Little Love in Your Bird
Sexton has been with Turnberry Isle since July, after serving as Executive Chef at Reunion Resort and Club in Orlando, Fla., and before that at PGA National Resort & Spa in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.

Because the resort’s exposure levels are highest from November through May, he plans to change menus seasonally, with each new menu featuring dishes and flavors that are nurtured and well taken care of. “I want my members to taste love in each dish,” says Sexton.

When menus change, however, the “big dog” proteins—like chicken—won’t. So Sexton and his chefs come up with interesting applications for each go-round. “We’ve had a lot of success with chicken roulades,” he says. “It’s an attractive way to add a lot of flavor, without increasing sodium or fat content.”

One of Turnberry Isle’s most popular roulades features a lobster and spinach stuffing. “You start with a boneless, skinless chicken breast and pound it out to get it nice and thin, about ½-inch thick,” says Sexton. “Layer garlic, then spinach, then lobster meat on each breast. Then carefully roll up the chicken around the filling. Wrap each breast individually in foil, twisting tightly at each end to seal.”

Sexton either steams or bakes his roulades. “If you bake them, you can get a little color on the outside for a more attractive plate presentation,” he explains.

Another successful chicken dish at Turnberry Isle hinges on a well-developed marinating process. “We like big, acidic marinades with pungent herbs,” says Sexton, who only marinates for 30 minutes to an hour. “After too much time in a marinade, the acid starts to change the consistency of the meat,” he notes.

John Sexton, Executive Chef, Turnberry Isle Miami

To lock in flavor, pieces are seared in an extremely hot pan as soon as they are pulled from the marinade, so “the flavors adhere to the chicken,” Sexton says. After the chicken has a nice caramel color, it is finished in the oven.

Marinades that are especially successful feature bold vinegars, like balsamic or apple cider, mixed with fruit, such as apricot nectar or blended mango, and herbs, like rosemary, mint or basil. “We have a chef’s garden where we grow a variety of herbs we can use in our marinades,” says Sexton.

Bring on the Brine
Where Sexton’s marinades infuse intense flavors into the chicken, brining helps to lock in moisture. At The American Club Resort in Kohler, Wis., Alexander Glass, Chef of The Wisconsin Room, relies on brining to elevate the quality of his various chicken dishes.

“The best way to improve chicken is to brine it, so it stays juicy,” says Glass. “Equally important is letting it rest before cutting into it.” Smoking low and slow is another way to add flavor without adding fat and calories, he says. “You can incorporate a lot of flavor from a variety of wood,” he notes.

The Wisconsin Room provides Midwestern farm-to-table fare with local top-quality meats and produce, and menus change 4 to 6 times a year.

“Our pancetta-wrapped chicken with smoked onion potato puree, broccolini, and roasted chicken jus is by far our most popular chicken dish,” says Glass. Butterflying the breast and incorporating fresh herbs and seasonings heightens the flavor, while the pancetta helps to create a thin crispy skin. Even still, according to Glass, the jus is this dish’s pièce de résistance.

“A great chicken jus can be a game-changer, elevating a good dish to a great dish,” says Glass. “Plus, to up the presentation value, we pour the jus tableside.”

Fried Chicken for All
On Wednesdays at the Country Club of Columbus (Ga.), Executive Chef John Weatherford, CEC, prepares a lunch buffet of fried chicken with all the fixin’s that brings in more members than any other day. “We’re in the South, so we have to have good fried chicken on our menu,” says Weatherford.

While his chicken fame starts with the fryer, it doesn’t end there. He’s also created a menu that allows members to alter the health profile of dishes based on preference or health limitations.

“When we write menus and come up with new recipes, we’re careful to look at each dish and think of ways to make it more healthful,” says Weatherford. “For example, our pan-fried chicken could easily be grilled, if a member is looking to cut back on fat.”

Menus at the CC of Columbus are changed seasonally, with 60% of the dishes featuring member favorites and the remaining 40% featuring chef-inspired creations.

Among the favorites, you’ll find chicken and mushroom crêpe, which, according to Weatherford, is the club’s most popular chicken dish (aside from the fried chicken). “It’s one of those dishes we have to be able to make, no matter what’s on the menu,” says Weatherford.

It starts with mushrooms sautéed in white wine with shallots. Then diced chicken, cream cheese and cream are added. Once that’s all cooked together, it’s rolled into a crêpe and sauced with a garlic cream. “It’s super-simple, but the flavors are rich and comforting,” he adds.

Weatherford added what he thought would be a riskier addition, key lime curry chicken, at the last menu change. To his surprise, members fell in love. “We were pleasantly shocked by how many of our members ordered—and reordered—this dish,” he reports. “It’s become one of our more popular chicken entrées.”

Making Banquets Take Off
Craft Farms Golf Club, Gulf Shores, Ala., does breakfast and lunch daily, but reserves its dinner period for banquets, functions and golf outings. Executive Chef Cameron Mitchell has developed tried-and-true chicken recipes that work well for banquets, including his grilled chicken with a Creole crawfish sauce. “We use an airline breast because it has more plate appeal,” says Mitchell. “We grill it to get some nice marks, then finish it in the oven so that it cooks evenly.”

Chicken and Almond Sausage Bahn Mi Sandwich

The airline breast presents well and helps with portion control, while the crawfish sauce has big flavor, great color, and is mild enough that it appeals to a wide demographic. “Chicken takes well to different ethnic influences,” notes Mitchell. “We do a lot of Cajun, Latin, and Asian applications, too.”

Like Craft Farms, the Slammer & Squire golf course at the World Golf Village Resort, St. Augustine, Fla., executes well over 250 events annually. Executive Chef Brent Lynch and Food & Beverage Manager Aaron Holley agree that the airline breast is the best cut for banquet applications. “It’s a flavorful piece of meat,” says Lynch, who brines most of his chicken for barbecues and also likes to play with subtle marinades. “When we do chicken for a banquet, I hold it in chicken stock or its marinade, to keep it nice and moist.”

Recipe for Wisconsin Camembert, Chicken and Ham Tempura

Recipe for Tequila Chicken Tacos

Recipe for Chicken Alfredo

Recipe for Chicken and Almond Sausage Bahn Mi Sandwich

Recipe for Grilled Chicken with Creole Crawfish

Recipe for Grilled Chicken with Wisconsin Cheddar

Recipe for Honours Apple Salad

Slammer & Squire Legends Grille Late Afternoon Menu

Slammer & Squire Legends Grille Menu 2013

Slammer & Squire Legends Grille Lighter Fare

Amt    Ingredient
2 to 3 ozs.    organic mesclun salad mix
½     red apple, medium-diced
2 tbsp.     crumbled feta cheese
2 tbsp.     chopped spiced pecans
1 tbsp.     crushed spiced pecans (for garnish)
3 tbsp.     honey vinaigrette dressing (recipe below)
6 ozs.     marinated chicken breast, grilled

Procedure:

• Toss salad greens, apple, feta and chopped pecans in bowl with the dressing. Add only enough dressing to lightly coat the lettuces.
• Remove chicken from the grill and slice.
• Arrange salad in the center of the plate to give height, and lay warm sliced chicken across the top. Garnish with crushed pecans. Serve immediately.

For the honey vinaigrette dressing:
Amt    Ingredient
2/3 cup    local wildflower honey
2/3 cup    apple cider vinegar
½ tsp.    garlic powder
¼ tsp.    fresh nutmeg
1 1/3 cups    safflower oil

Procedure:

• Using a wire whisk, combine all of the ingredients except for the oil in a mixing bowl.
• While constantly whisking, slowly drizzle the oil into the honey-and-vinegar mixture.
• The finished dressing should be well-combined; however, as it sits the honey will naturally separate, and the mixture will have to be shaken or whisked together before each use.

Submitted by Cameron Mitchell, Executive Chef, Craft Farms Golf Club, Gulf Shores, Ala.

Amt    Ingredient
vegetable oil (for sautéing)
1     large red bell pepper, cut into strips
3/4 cup     julienne yellow onion
1 3/4 tsp.     Thai green curry paste
1 14-oz. can    unsweetened coconut milk
8 ozs.     Kenny’s key lime filling
2 tsp.     soy sauce
4     boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/4 cup     Chiffonade fresh basil (for garnish)
lime curls (for garnish)

Procedure:

• Heat oil in large saucepan over medium heat.
• Add peppers and onions; stir until soft.
• Add green curry paste, coconut milk, key lime filling and soy sauce; bring to boil.
• In a separate pan, sauté chicken until just cooked through.
• Add sauce to chicken; season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Serve over rice. Garnish with basil and lime curls.

Submitted by John Weatherford, CEC, Executive Chef, Country Club of Columbus (Ga.)

For the chicken:
Amt    Ingredient
1 ea.     skin-on Frenched chicken breast
1     thin slice pancetta
1     chopped sprig of each—parsley, thyme, chive
salt and pepper

Procedure:

• Butterfly chicken in half and season with salt, pepper, and herbs.
• Place chicken on top of pancetta and roll tightly.
• Roll again with plastic wrap and allow to rest for 1 hour in refrigerator.
• Pan-sear and finish in 375º oven until done.

For the potatoes:
Amt    Ingredient
2 ea.    Yukon gold potato, peeled
1     chopped leek
1     chopped onion
½ cup    butter
1 cup    heavy cream

Procedure:

• Smoke onion and leek for 10 minutes. Add to cream and simmer until tender.
• Puree onion mixture until smooth.
• Boil potatoes until fork-tender. Strain and pass potato through a ricer or sieve.
• Mix potato with butter and smoked onion cream. Season with salt and pepper.

For the broccolini:

• Blanch in boiling salted water and shock in ice water.
• Reheat with chicken stock and butter.

For the roasted chicken jus:
Amt    Ingredient
1     chicken carcass, fat removed
2 qts.    chicken stock
½     chopped onion
thyme
rosemary
garlic

Procedure:

• Roast chicken carcass in 400º oven for 15 to 20 minutes.
• Add roasted chicken carcass and the rest of ingredients to a pot and simmer for two hours.
• Strain and check for seasoning.

Submitted by Alexander Glass, Chef, The Wisconsin Room, The American Club Resort, Kohler, Wis.