The chefs of Oak Hill CC and La Grange CC found that small-plate success is largely dependent on responding to member preference. Small plates and downsized dishes are ubiquitous. They cater to members looking for smaller portions, as well as those looking to dance around a menu and try multiple dishes at once. Chefs also…
How the CC of Buffalo Transformed Its Dining Operation and Itself
GM/COO Tim Minahan and recently appointed Executive Chef Joe Piazza plan to take the Country Club of Buffalo—and its newly renovated dining spaces—to the next level. For old-line clubs deeply rooted in history and tradition, change can be difficult. But when change is embraced, it can lead to a dynamic and often positive shift in…
How Dearborn CC Landed a CMC
At Dearborn (Mich.) Country Club, General Manager/COO Bruce Lilley and Executive Chef Michael Russell, CMC, are working hard to reinvent the dining program. Bruce Lilley doesn’t shy away from a challenge. So when Dearborn (Mich.) Country Club asked him to take over as General Manager and Chief Operating Officer nearly six months ago, with the…
Best Practices for Controlling Food Costs
Four club chefs share insights into how they keep costs in line. Without constant vigilance, food costs can spiral out of control. And the subsequent “solutions”—raising prices, lowering quality, or worse—can be damaging to a club’s food-and-beverage operation. The better way to maintain a budgeted cost structure is to control it in a sustained fashion.…