Club + Resort Chef March 2020

March 2020 www.clubandresortchef.com

Innovate with purpose The Polo Club of Boca Raton is positioning itself to add unparalleled value by creating a culture of culinary excellence, spearheaded by Director of Culinary, Ed Leonard, CMC.

March 2020 www.clubandresortchef.com

Innovate with purpose The Polo Club of Boca Raton is positioning itself to add unparalleled value by creating a culture of culinary excellence, spearheaded by Director of Culinary, Ed Leonard, CMC.

Flavor That

INSPIRES ADVENTURE To you, to the craft, we proudly offer Minor’s® Masala Curry Flavor Concentrate.

From authentic Indian cuisine to unexpected mashups, you can easily add global flavor across the menu with a rich, savory blend of tomato, onion and fully bloomed spices.

TO ORDER OR LEARN MORE

please visit FlavorMeansBusiness.com.

All trademarks are owned by Société des Produits Nestlé S.A., Vevey, Switzerland.

29819_MasalaAd-ClubResort-v3.indd 1

12/20/19 11:24 AM

VGM Club is now….

We are excited to announce that after 25 years of being known in the marketplace as VGM Club, our company is now ClubProcure. Now a part of Foodbuy, North America’s largest foodservice & hospitality group purchasing organization, we look forward to providing even more for the private club & golf industry.

While the brand is fresher and the name sounds different, our team’s relentless dedication to serving our membership community remains the same. It is important to us to grow our company the same way you have come to know & trust.

Just as VGM Club became synonymous with savings & solutions, ClubProcure will continue to do so providing even more for your team in the future.

ClubProcure. Same Team. More Benefits. New Opportunities.

Visit Us

Call Us

www.clubprocure.com

800-363-5480

Follow @ClubProcure

- 12 -

CONTENTS March • Vol. 10 • Issue 2

The Power of Plating

The arrangement of each element on a plate directly influences a dish’s taste and impact.



8

Innovate with Purpose

The Polo Club of Boca Raton is positioning itself to add unparalleled value by creating a culture of culinary excellence, spearheaded by Director of Culinary, Ed Leonard, CMC.

D

Memo 5 Editor’s Skeptic Turned Beliver Memo 7 Publisher’s 57 Treats for All 16 Sweet Gluten-free desserts are trending on pastry menus.

Here’s how chefs across the country are incorporating this dietary restriction into their grand finales.

20

How Current Trends Affect a Club’s Wine Program

Beverage experts from Sea Pines Resort and Bellerive CC weigh in on what trends will impact programs in 2020.

22 24

Raise Your Glass

26

Managing Up

28

From Good to Great

34

Chef’s Thoughts

Smoky and Spicy Margarita by Sleepy Hollow CC.

Showtime!

How two chefs are using innovative action stations to erase the line between the back and front of the house.

Sous chefs play a vital role in the success of the kitchen, the club and the chef.

How Seattle Tennis Club is making the leap by focusing on F&B.

Brandon Gross, the newly named Executive Chef of Columbia Country Club, is more than prepared to take on the challenges of his new role.

30 Product Showcase 33 Ad Index PHOTO COURTESY OF L’HIRONDELLE CLUB, TOWSON, MD.

4

l

Club + Resort Chef

l

March 2020

www.clubandresortchef.com

Dishing

with

DeChellis

SKEPTIC TURNED BELIEVER WHEN WE FIRST ANNOUNCED a few years ago that the 2020 Chef to Chef Conference would be in Charlotte, North Carolina, I wasn’t super-psyched. Charlotte is a lovely city, but it doesn’t have the same allure as some of the other destinations we’d been to.

No matter, though. The contracts were signed, and we were going.

Fast forward to 2019: We’re deep into the planning process and the ideas are flowing. Let’s do a local club tour. Let’s move Iron Chef to Tuesday afternoon.

Let’s host a sponsor raffle. Let’s bring in a celebrity chef to keynote. Let’s talk about topics that we’ve never discussed before.

Every idea was vetted by the team. And almost every idea made the cut.

In the run-up to the event, we marketed all of those ideas, and attendee after attendee registered. Ditto for sponsors. The city didn’t matter. The content mattered. The camaraderie mattered. The opportunity to network, learn and grow drew hundreds of club chefs to Charlotte, just as it had for previous Conferences.

The event kicked off on March 1st with a riveting keynote address by Michelle Bernstein, where she discussed the drive and passion it takes to be a chef.

www.clubandresortchef.com

I was lucky enough to sit next to Chef Bernstein during dinner. We talked about totally normal things, like how nervous she was, and how excited she was to talk to a room full of chefs, and how big the slice of cheesecake was.

Monday was even more powerful. Four insightful presentations preceded our first-ever “Inside the House” club tour. Jerry Schreck, our National Program Coordinator for the Conference and the Executive Chef of Merion Golf Club, stationed himself at Carmel CC, while I hung at Quail Hollow Club.

Watching the staff at Quail wait for our buses to arrive was one of my proudest moments.

The team was so incredibly excited to host us. Later, Jerry told me the Carmel team gave him the same feeling, too.

From Quail and Carmel, we all landed at Myers Park CC, where attendees were taken on a behind-the-scenes tour before ending up in the ballroom, where we were able to network and sample all sorts of innovative bites.

Tuesday’s presentations continued the momentum and touched on mental health and women in the industry. Then, after Chef to Chef Live, we concluded with the Iron Chef Cook-Off in the Grand Ballroom, where four two-person

teams, staggered in 20-minute waves, battled for the title.

I got to MC the cookoff along with Tom Birmingham, CEC, Director of the Club + Resort Chef Association, which gave me a front-row seat to eight incredible chefs doing exactly what they love—albeit under immense pressure and scrutiny.

That was the “official” end of the Conference, but many attendees also stayed around for a tour the next day of one of Charlotte’s special attractions, especially for those in the culinary and hospitality fields: the city’s Johnson & Wales University campus.

All told, the 2020 Conference was unbelievable, and Charlotte proved to be an incredible host city. One that will be hard to top, in fact—but I know that with the team we have in place and the network of chefs we have supporting this platform, no idea is too big.

Austin, Texas (our 2021 site), we’re coming for you.

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

March 2020 l Club + Resort Chef l 5

EDITORIAL

ADVERTISING

EDITOR, CLUB + RESORT CHEF

VICE PRESIDENT/GROUP PUBLISHER

Joanna DeChellis jdechellis@wtwhmedia.com

DIGITAL MEDIA/WEB/DEVELOPMENT

Tom McIntyre tmcintyre@wtwhmedia.com

412-260-9233 EDITOR, CLUB + RESORT BUSINESS

Joe Barks jbarks@wtwhmedia.com 610-688-5666 SENIOR EDITOR

Rob Thomas rthomas@wtwhmedia.com

216-533-9186

Virginia Goulding vgoulding@wtwhmedia.com

SALES DIRECTOR

DEVELOPMENT MANAGER

Tony Bolla tbolla@wtwhmedia.com

Dave Miyares dmiyares@wtwhmedia.com

773-859-1107

SR. DIGITAL MEDIA MANAGER

REGIONAL SALES MANAGER

Pat Curran pcurran@wtwhmedia.com

Ashley Burk aburk@wtwhmedia.com

216-316-5294

DIGITAL PRODUCTION MANAGER

737-615-8452

ASSOCIATION DIRECTOR CLUB + RESORT CHEF ASSOCIATION

Tom Birmingham tbirmingham@wtwhmedia.com

Reggie Hall rhall@wtwhmedia.com

REGIONAL SALES MANAGER

Jake Bechtel jbechtel@wtwhmedia.com

DIGITAL MEDIA SPECIALIST

Nicole Lender nlender@wtwhmedia.com

440-465-1914

708-526-1825 NATIONAL CHEF TO CHEF CONFERENCE PROGRAM COORDINATOR

Jerry Schreck, Executive Chef Merion Golf Club, Ardmore, Pa.

CREATIVE SERVICES

REGIONAL SALES MANAGER

DIGITAL PRODUCTION/ MARKETING DESIGNER

Patrick McIntyre pmcintyre@wtwhmedia.com 216-372-8112

Samantha King sking@wtwhmedia.com

PRODUCTION SERVICES

SR. DIGITAL MARKETING STRATEGIST

CUSTOMER SERVICE MANAGER

VP, CREATIVE SERVICES

Stephanie Hulett shulett@wtwhmedia.com

Mark Rook mrook@wtwhmedia.com Erin Canetta ecanetta@wtwhmedia.com

DJ Bozentka dbozentka@wtwhmedia.com

Jane Cooper jcooper@wtwhmedia.com

WEBINAR COORDINATOR

Halle Kirsh hkirsh@wtwhmedia.com

ART DIRECTOR

Matthew Claney mclaney@wtwhmedia.com

FINANCE

WEBINAR COORDINATOR

CONTROLLER

PRODUCTION MANAGER

Kim Dorsey kdorsey@wtwhmedia.com

Brian Korsberg bkorsberg@wtwhmedia.com

Barbra Martin bmartin@wtwhmedia.com

Michael Ulanski mulanski@wtwhmedia.com SOFTWARE ENGINEER

CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE

CREATIVE DIRECTOR

VP, DIGITAL MARKETING

EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD Eva Barrios, Executive Chef Royal Oaks Country Club, Houston, Texas David Clark, Executive Sous Chef Army Navy Country Club, Arlington, Va. K. Scott Craig, CEC, CCA, WCMC Director of Culinary Operations, Myers Park Country Club, Charlotte, N.C. Ryan Daniels, Executive Chef, Fiddlesticks Country Club, Fort Meyers, Fla. VIncent Horville, Executive Chef, The Metropolitan Club of the City of Washington (D.C.) Thayer Johnson, Executive Chef, Orinda (Calif.) Country Club Andrew Maggitti, CEC, Executive Chef, Chartwell Golf and Country Club Severna Park, Md. Lawrence McFadden, CMC, GM/COO, The Union Club, Cleveland, OH Cody Middleton, Executive Pastry Chef, Pelican Golf Club, Bellair, Fla. Colby Newman, Executive Chef, Grosse Pointe (Mich.) Yacht Club Drew Tait, Executive Chef, Kelly Greens Golf & Country Club, Fort Myers, Fla.

ACCOUNTS RECEIVABLE SPECIALIST

Jamila Milton jmilton@wtwhmedia.com

DIRECTOR, AUDIENCE DEVELOPMENT

Bruce Sprague bsprague@wtwhmedia.com

MARCH CLUB INDEX Properties featured in this issue

WTWH MEDIA, LLC

1111 Superior Ave., 26th Floor, Cleveland, OH 44114 Ph: 888.543.2447

SUBSCRIPTION INQUIRIES

To enter, change or cancel a subscription: Web (fastest service): www.ezsub.com/crb Phone: 844-862-9286 (U.S. only, toll-free) Mail: Club & Resort Business, P.O. Box 986, Levittown, PA 19058 Copyright 2020, WTWH Media, LLC

6

l

Club + Resort Chef

l

March 2020

2011 - 2018

Addison Reserve Country Club Delray Beach, Fla. Army Navy Country Club Arlington, Va. Bellerive Country Club St. Louis, Mo. Columbia Country Club Chevy Chase, Md. Crystal Springs Resort Vernon, N.J. The Farm at Brush Creek Saratoga, Wyo. Green Spring Valley Hunt Club Owing Mills, Md. Kenwood Country Club Cincinnati, Ohio Kiawah Island Golf Resort Kiawah Island, S.C. L’Hirondelle Club Towson, Md. Monroe Golf Club Pittsford, N.Y. The Polo Club of Boca Raton Boca Raton, Fla. Sea Pines Beach Club Hilton Head Island, S.C. Seattle Tennis Club Seattle, Wash.

Sleepy Hollow Country Club Scarborough, N.Y.

16 26 20 34 24 12 24 26 16 12 16 8 20 28 22

www.clubandresortchef.com

The

19th Hole

with

McIntyre

57 CHEFS: HOW MANY OF YOU have pulled your cooks aside and asked, “Are you okay?”

GMs: How many of you have pulled your Chef aside and asked, “Are you okay?”

There’s a reason I’m asking this question. We just wrapped up our 12th annual Chef to Chef Conference in Charlotte and I learned some alarming facts.

• 71% of chefs sleep fewer than six hours each night.

With so little sleep, chefs often become foggy. It affects their brain chemistry and leads to stress, anxiety, false memory and mood swings.

• Chefs are more susceptible to weight gain, knee and back pain, cuts, and burns.

• Chefs are also more susceptible to mental-health issues like irritability, depression and suicide.

As a result, chefs often selfmedicate with drugs, alcohol and other destructive behavior.

The most alarming thing I learned, though, is the number 57.

We all know what it means to 86 something. We also know what a 2-top or a 4-top refers to. And 3-all-day makes complete sense.

But what about 57? Did you know that 57 is the average life expectancy of a chef?

This is an intense, crazy profession. It’s not a job—it’s a vocation.

Chefs are thick-skinned and used to criticism. They aren’t asking for sympathy, but we owe them empathy. Maybe they need members to better understand their challenges.

Or maybe they need GMs to better support them with the tools they need or the labor required to do the tasks asked of their department.

I recently read an article by Andrew Clarke, head chef of the much-admired Brunswick House restaurant in Vauxhall, London.

He didn’t hold back in describing the demons he struggled with.

“Inside, I was suffering from a pain so extreme I could barely cope,” Clarke wrote. “I hated who I was and wanted to kill myself every time I came home from work. I never believed in depression and only ever saw the world in a positive light. But it’s not until you experience it that you realize just how real it is.

“Depression can happen to any one of us—don’t suffer in silence,” Clarke added. “Talk to someone. Talk to me.”

Everyone has a story. It’s up to managers to uncover those stories. A pissed-off member has a story. A line cook showing up late has a story. An Executive Chef having a bad day has a story.

We need to be aware of our team’s stories.

For all of these reasons, I’m excited about the kinds of connections and platforms we’re building through the Chef to Chef Conference and the Club + Resort Chef Association. By connecting club chefs with one another, we can share challenges, find solutions and grow each club chef’s support system.

And help 86 the number 57, at least where it applies to chefs’ life expectancy.

VICE PRESIDENT-GROUP PUBLISHER Tom McIntyre tmcintyre@wtwhmedia.com

216-533-9186

7

l

Club + Resort Chef

l

March 2020

www.clubandresortchef.com

COVER FEATURE

CULINARY INNOVATION IS NOT EASY TO EXECUTE. CLUBS CAN’T SIMPLY TELL THEIR CHEFS, F&B MANAGERS AND COOKS T TION.

Innovate with purpose The Polo Club of Boca Raton is positioning itself to add unparalleled value by creating a culture of culinary excellence, spearheaded by Director of Culinary, Ed Leonard, CMC.

By Joanna DeChellis, Editor 8 8

l l

Club + Resort Chef Club + Resort Chef

l l

March 2020 March 2020

www.clubandresortchef.com www.clubandresortchef.com

ND COOKS TO GO FORTH AND BE CREATIVE. RATHER, IT TAKES PLANNING, WAGERING, PRACTICE AND CAREFUL EXECU-

e

e

CULINARY INNOVATION IS NOT EASY TO execute. Clubs can’t simply tell their chefs, F&B managers and cooks to go forth and be creative. Rather, it takes planning, practice and careful execution.

Culinary innovation is also not easy to manage. There are budgets, Boards, members, training programs and staffing challenges that must be carefully navigated.

But the purpose of culinary innovation is to provide a greater dining experience for members while simultaneously pushing the industry forward, challenging others to think beyond the status quo.

That’s the premise upon which The Polo Club of Boca Raton’s “Culinary Pride” program has been built.

Its mission, and its leader, Ed Leonard, CMC, Director of Culinary, favor free-flowing idea generation, underscored by purpose and execution.

“Innovation must be sustainable,” says Leonard.

“Whether that means you renovate one of your dining rooms, update a menu, change a concept or write a www.clubandresortchef.com www.clubandresortchef.com

new mission statement—you can never rest on your laurels and expect to be successful. You must change with purpose in order to drive excellence.”

CREATING A BETTER CAFÉ As part of its mission to improve the member dining experience, The Polo Club recently unveiled its newly renovated Barefoot Café.

“What started as a simple burger-and-hot dog venue grew into a full-service casual dining outlet,” says Leonard. “We’ve seen record covers in the space over the past two seasons—upwards of 800 a day—but service was painful.”

The kitchen and dining areas were insufficient for the level of volume. Leonard knew it wasn’t sustainable, so he championed a $2.5 million renovation to the front and back of the house.

“Three days before the town hall meeting and Board presentation to the membership, I was asked to March 2020 l Club + Resort Chef l 9 March 2020 l Club + Resort Chef l 9

COVER FEATURE

Polo’s Crown Room features a Tuscan steakhouse-inspired menu with ingredients sourced from local farms paired with wines handpicked by the club’s sommelier.

THE POLO CLUB OF BOCA RATON at a glance

make the pitch,” says Leonard. “It was nerve-wracking. The café had already had three slight modifications and fixes prior to my arrival at Polo, but the presentation went extremely well and the membership approved the project without any pushback.”

To execute the upgrade, management focused on needs first, looking for ways to improve the many weaknesses of the space, including poor ventilation, bad flow, and insufficient storage and service areas.

The new kitchen is now twice the size of its predecessor and features state-of-the-art, sensible equipment like a higher-powered griddle, chargrills, stoves, a double convection oven, and a showstopping stone pizza oven.

There is a better dishwashing area and also a back prep area with a small walkin for production work and storage.

10

l

Club + Resort Chef

l

March 2020

Airflow was also improved, and loading and unloading areas were added along with two walk-in coolers, a walkin freezer and a dry storage area.

In addition to the kitchen, the dining room was updated and expanded, with 60 new seats as well as a patio that would accommodate grilling and special events.

“Making it look beautiful is one thing—making it work is something else entirely,” says Lili Hang, Director of Club Operations. “This renovation was important for the future of Polo. It speaks to our approach: We don’t want to do minor fixes if they won’t solve the greater issue. It’s critical we evolve in a way that’s good for the life of the club.”

A CROWNING ACHIEVEMENT “As a team, we’ve completely changed the identity of the club,” says

Location: Boca Raton, Fla. Members: 3,000 Annual F&B Revenue: $11 million A la carte/banquet mix: 70% à la carte/30% banquet Food Costs: 56% Average Weekly Covers: >7,450 Annual Golf Rounds: 200-300 daily F&B Minimum: $0 A la carte Foodservice Spaces: • Crown Room • Steeplechase • American Bistro • Winners Circle • Barefood Café • Laurels Ballroom • Traditions Lounge No. of Kitchen employees: 98 No. of FOH employees: 501 No. of Kitchens: 9 Clubhouse Size: 150,000 sq. ft. + 35,000 sq. ft. spa and fitness center Banquet Capacity: 3,000

www.clubandresortchef.com

Samantha Gajewski, Executive Sous Chef, who has been with Polo for nearly five years, but worked with Leonard for narly seven years. “Members were unhappy with the food and the quality Polo’s focus on quality extends beyond before I came on board. But we’ve savory into pastry, where Leonard and listened to their feedback and now we Baker Yves Francois have developed an artisan bread program, making everything source locally, we make more scratchfrom sandwich bread to croissants in-house. based items, and we do everything a la minute.”

This dedication to quality has trickled down to all aspects of the operation, she adds. Case in point: The Polo such as Lobster Fra Diavolo, and fresh Club’s reconceptualized steakhouse. seafood selections.

“We have to predict what’s next with “Members have many choices when members and then have the flexibility, dining out or hosting events,” says and vision to actually execute on those Leonard. “We want each member to plans,” says Leonard. “It’s the only way consider us first. By constantly improvto keep Polo current. With the steaking the experience, we’re able to better house, we needed something new and ensure we remain at the top.” fresh.”

Adds Hang, a Level Three SommePolo’s Crown Room now offers lier: “The Crown Room has always been an Italian flair with the motto: Steak the jewel of the club. And now with Bistecca alla Fiorentina. the exclusive wine lockers, we’re able The expansion and renovation to add a whole new program for our added wine lockers—a first for the membership.” club—and the menu features USDAprime steaks, signature pasta dishes

A MASTERFUL PHILOSOPHY

“Polo has always been a big operation, but we’ve changed so much in the past few years,” says Hang, who has been with the club for 13 years, after starting as a dishwasher. “We went from hot boxes to live plate-ups. We are now fully committed to quality. We’re comfortable being uncomfortable.

The newly renovated kitchen serving Polo’s Barefoot Cafe is twice the size of its predecessor and features stateof-the-art equipment as well as a stone pizza oven.

www.clubandresortchef.com

“There’s more variety in everything we do,” she adds. “We don’t follow trends, we start them. And we do this because we have a captive audience of 3,000 members. Our entire purpose is to keep them excited about Polo.”

As one of only a handful of Certified Master Chefs, Leonard takes his role in the club’s success quite seriously. He is thoughtful about how he mentors and trains his team. He’s tough and he has high expectations, but he pushes his team members to succeed.

“Leadership is about having other people in places they would not have had access to, if not for your influence and mentorship,” says Leonard. “Out of all the awards and accolades I’ve won, I am most proud when one of my associates moves onward and upward.”

“The stronger he makes each of us, the more he is able to trust us,” adds Gajewski. “He is always pushing us to be better, because he’s always pushing himself to be better.” C+RC March 2020 l Club + Resort Chef l 11

FOOD

The

Power of

Plating The arrangement of each element on a plate directly influences a dish’s taste and impact.

By Joanna DeChellis, Editor

FIRST IMPRESSIONS ARE EVERYTHING. “The presentation of your plate tells your member exactly who you are as a chef,” says Angus McIntosh Jr. (pictured), Executive Chef of The Farm at Brush Creek Ranch in Saratoga, Wyo. McIntosh is meticulous about the composition of each dish he serves. “We’re ingredient-focused,” he says. “Our plating represents that. We don’t overload the dish or make it unnecessarily complicated.”

TJ Garrish, Executive Chef of L’Hirondelle Club (Towson, Md.), has a similar philosophy. “Each plate is like a blank canvas,” he says. “Once I have a concept of the dish, I sketch out how I think the plate should look, incorporating color, texture, the rule of odds and negative space.”

Most of the time, Garrish’s sketches look quite similar to the final plate. Sometimes they don’t. Regardless, both Garrish and McIntosh plate in a way that elevates the flavors while enhancing the visual appeal.

BEGINNING WITH INGREDIENTS Plating is a constantly evolving part of the culinary world. The way each element is arranged directly influences the taste of the final dish.

FOOD

“Beautiful plates start with beautiful ingredients—and none are more beautiful than the ones we produce here at Brush Creek,” says McIntosh, who worked in some of the country’s most progressive kitchens, including The French Laundry and The Broadmoor, before coming to Brush Creek 16 months ago.

Because the property is located in a rural part of Wyoming, the supply chain is somewhat limited. But that hasn’t stopped the club, or McIntosh, from creating a five-star dining experience.

Instead of relying only on local purveyors and Wyoming’s short growing season, Brush Creek built its own greenhouse and hired a horticulturist to cultivate much of the produce McIntosh uses on menus.

The property also brought in its own agricultural specialist, who is breeding wagyu exclusively for the club.

In addition to the greenhouse and the cattle, the club is also raising 30

Because of the famous oysters-andpearls dish, Brush Creek’s Angus McIntosh Jr. is now ambidexterous.

14

l

Club + Resort Chef

l

March 2020

goats who currently live off-site while their stalls and a creamery is built.

Once their new home is completed, the goats will produce milk for cheeses, butters and creams.

“Our team, from the owner to each manager, puts their heart and soul into each ingredient,” says McIntosh. “My job is to make those ingredients shine on every plate we put out.”

SHOWSTOPPING RESEARCH One example of McIntosh’s commitment to Brush Creek’s ingredients is his Wagyu beef consommé. Served in a glass syphon, the dish is captivating.

“We stack all of the dehydrated herbs, onion, carrot, celery, and juniper in the top of the syphon,” says McIntosh. “We put the broth in the bottom chamber and present it to the table, where we turn on the heating element.

As the broth heats, it moves up the syphon and steeps in the herbs for about 45 seconds. Then we cut the heat, the broth descends, and we pour it directly into the guest’s bowl.”

It’s a showstopper—and when one guest orders it, eleven more follow.

Dishes like the consommé are developed during an intensive R&D period with McIntosh and his team in the slower winter months. Once the menu is finalized, the chef de partie produces it over and over, until each dish is consistently perfect.

“I can master a dish, but that means nothing if the cooks can’t do the same,” says McIntosh, who involves his cooks in the entire process.

“Fine dining and plating is about precision and nuance,” he continues. “Members and guests are inundated with imagery—

especially on Instagram. We have to find creative new ways to plate dishes so that the design doesn’t detract from the actual experience of eating, but does make an impression.”

STRAIGHT FROM THE DRAWING BOARD Like McIntosh, Garrish R&Ds his menu just as intensively. He begins by sketching each dish and testing the plate before refining it and testing it again. Then he and his team collaborate and test more, until the final dish is consistently perfect.

“We recently did a sweet bread with a butternut risotto that just didn’t pop,” says Garrish. “The flavors were excellent, but something was missing. We switched to a black stone plate, and it transformed the whole dish.

“The canvas—the plate—is so important,” he says. [See photo, opposite.]

Garrish’s favorite dish of late? A sous vide duck breast with beets three ways, arugula, blackberry demi, and chocolate coffee powder.

“There’s richness and color in the composition,” he says. “We use candystripe, red and golden beets with blackberries and the perfectly cooked duck.

It sits atop a chocolate coffee powder that is sprinkled on only half the plate.

It’s finished with bright micro greens.”

The dish has depth and dimension, and the negative space reinforces the colors and composition, Garrish notes.

The best part? It’s one of the club’s best-selling items.

A LEFT-HANDED CHEF Both McIntosh and Garrish are inspired by culinary titans like Escoffier, Bocuse and Ducasse.

“When you look at what chefs like Michel Bras did, you see elements of control amid chaos,” says McIntosh. “The impact of their plating style echoes through my cuisine. But I approach every dish asking two questions: How can I make it unique? How do I make it my own?”

The answers to these questions often come from the most unexpected places. www.clubandresortchef.com

McIntosh, who is left-handed, works alongside Executive Sous Chef Drew Anderson, who is right-handed. When they work side-by-side, they occasionally bump elbows. This has the potential to pose problems when the line is busy and plates are being pushed out quickly. So to solve the problem, McIntosh relies on his own ambidextrousness.

“When I worked at the French Laundry, I was responsible for the oystersand-pearls dish,” he says. “When I went to plate it for the first time, the chef stopped me. He said, ‘This dish is made to be plated by a right-handed chef.

You’re going to stand here and plate it until you’ve mastered doing so with your right hand.’”

Years later, the ability to use both hands has proved invaluable. And it forces McIntosh to think through every step of his plating process, to ensure the chorography of the kitchen is seamless.

EYE OF AN ARTIST For as long as he can remember, Garrish has had an eye for art. This passion translates well to his plating process.

“My menus are highly seasonal,” he says, adding that new dishes are introduced everyone four to six weeks. “Once we build out the flavors of a dish, I incorporate modern techniques to enhance it— whether that’s a puree or a cracker or something else entirely.”

But Garrish is careful to show restraint. “Modernist methods are useful only when they enhance a dish,” he says. “They must be used thoughtfully.

And they must be simple to incorporate into the final plate.”

To ensure consistency, quality and speed, Garrish is laser-focused on his line’s mise en place.

“Most of our plates have a foam, a gel, a crumble or a powder,” he says.

“We put each of these components on the line, ready to use in squeeze bottles or deli cups. Then, with purees, cooks must only swoosh a spoon.

With powders, they can sprinkle them like seasoning. Having the right mise makes it work.” C+RC

Our new Truly Good line features some of our most popular snack mixes in resealable bags for grab-and-go snacking. With six flavors available in 4-5oz and six in 6.5-7.5oz, there is an ideal size and flavor for every buyer. Colorful and eye-catching, the line also includes our newest snack mix Protein Punch.

Learn more about our snacks at trulygoodfoods.com/clubresort

www.clubandresortchef.com

March 2020 l Club + Resort Chef l 15

PASTRY

Sweet Treats

for All IF THERE’S ONE PART of a meal that should be consumed with reckless abandon, it’s dessert. But with food allergies like gluten becoming more prevalent, club and resort pastry chefs are faced with the challenge of modifying ingredients without sacrificing flavor.

ONE SMART COOKIE At Monroe Golf Club in Pittsford, N.Y., Pastry Chef Eileen Trenkler has been preparing gluten-free desserts for nearly three years. Before serving as the assistant pastry chef at The Country Club of Rochester (N.Y.), she honed her skills at eight facilities within Turning Stone Resort and Casino in Verona, N.Y. “Each outlet had a different concept, so I was able to apply my gluten-free knowledge to a whole range of restaurants—from BBQ to a high-end steak house to a buffet and more,” she says.

While Trenkler has offered dietary-restrictive options on 16

l

Club + Resort Chef

l

March 2020

Gluten-free desserts are trending on pastry menus. Here’s how chefs across the country are incorporating this dietary restriction into their grand finales.

By Pamela Brill, Contributing Editor

both her a la carte and buffet menus, she has noticed a recent uptick in gluten-free requests. “In the last year, I have seen a huge influx Eileen Trenkler, in members asking for more options to Pastry Chef, eat at the club and at home,” she says.

Monroe Golf Club “More and more, I see less and less of my gluten-free options being left over from buffets, too.”

In fact, the buffet menu is where Trenkler has been able to experiment and implement more gluten-free options. These range from naturally gluten-free items, such as French macarons and flourless chocolate cake, to modified recipes like her mudslide cookies. She adapts recipes as needed, serving them standard on her buffet menu, or a la carte as a warmed cookie topped with house-made malted milk vanilla bean ice cream and salted caramel sauce.

Trenkler’s greatest challenge is maintaining a texture www.clubandresortchef.com

BEYOND BARBECUE The SC-300 features dual smoke elements with woodchip boxes to produce the maximum amount of smoke. An optional steam system is also available. Family owned and operated, we proudly offer a network of distributors that take care of your Electric, Gas or Mobile configurations from start to finish.

Southern Pride smokers are designed with high-quality components that help guarantee a long life, ease of use, accuracy of controls and consistent heat resulting in unmatched, dependable performance every time.

Visit us online at southernpride.com today!

MADE WITH PRIDE IN THE USA

PASTRY

consistent with the original product. To achieve this result, she relies on cookbooks that focus on combining potato, rice and nut flours. One of Trenkler’s personal favorites is GlutenFree Baking with The Culinary Institute of America by Chef Richard J. Coppedge, Jr., CMB. “He taught the specialty baking course while I was attending the CIA, where we learned exactly how to cater to allergies,” she says.

Today, Trenkler continues to expand her repertoire by creating delicacies that conceal their gluten-free identities. “My goal is to make my gluten-free items enjoyable for everyone, and to leave the member not even knowing the difference,” she says. “The last thing a chef wants to do is to give a sub-par product, just to adjust for an allergy.”

Dana Iannelli, Executive Pastry Chef, Addison Reserve Country Club

RISING TO THE OCCASION At Addison Reserve Country Club in Delray Beach, Fla., Executive Pastry Chef Dana Iannelli has been meeting the recent demand for gluten-free desserts head-on. “I hadn’t prepared many gluten-free desserts

before working at Addison Reserve,” she admits. “The desserts that I did prepare were naturally gluten-free…French macarons, dacquoise, flourless chocolate torte and crème brûlée. I wasn’t making them out of necessity or request.”

But in recent years that has changed. More members are reporting gluten-allergies and sensitivities. There are also more members avoiding gluten as a diet strategy, so Iannelli is being more proactive about including gluten-free options in her a la carte menus.

To meet the higher demand, Iannelli recently added several varieties of gluten-free cookies to the menu and glutenfree pies to her Thanksgiving menu.

Iannelli’s biggest hurdle has been showing members that swapping out ingredients does not mean compromising taste. “People assume that gluten-free equals inedible and low-calorie, and is basically not a yummy dessert,” she says.

But by creating signage that details the ingredients, members are able to see for themselves and decide which glutenfree options are to their liking.

Such efforts have not gone unnoticed at Addison Reserve, with members now placing custom orders for gluten-free desserts on a consistent basis. One guest, Iannelli says, now

takes her gluten-free banana bread home to her daughter whenever she travels. “Other members are surprised by how many things can be made gluten-free,” she adds.

NATURALLY DELICIOUS Going gluten-free has been a work in progress for Executive Pastry Chef Shannon Yelmini ever since she began working at the Kiawah Island (S.C.) Golf Resort six years ago.

“Seeing the diversity of clientele on the island has opened my eyes to the various requests that guests can have,” she says. “The gluten-free lifestyle was just gaining popularity as I was finishing culinary school, so I learned much of it on the job by working with and accommodating guests who had dietary restrictions, but who still wanted to indulge in dessert and breads.”

Approximately four years ago, Yelmini made a concerted effort to provide gluten-free dessert options. With an increasing number of servers sharing diners’ requests, she and her staff began experimenting with starches and other substitutions to create desserts that maintained their flavor, minus the gluten.

For a la carte, Yelmini concentrates on incorporating naturally gluten-free ingredients and also using recipes with

gluten-free flour. “Dishes such as panna cottas, ice creams, mousses and fruits are all already gluten-free and great to integrate into dessert menus,” she notes.

She applies this same philosophy when developing banquet menus, offering gluten-free options with the expectation that someone will have Shannon Yelmini, a restricted diet. Yelmini’s macarons Executive Pastry Chef, Kiawah Island (S.C.) are a prime example of a gluten-free Golf Resort cookie that can also be made nut-free if necessary. “Utilizing the same elements from a la carte desserts into buffet and banquet options is not only great for the client, but also allows us to crossutilize product, to keep menus gluten-free across the board,” she notes.

Guests that have been treated to Yelmini’s culinary creations have responded with appreciation for being able to order dessert without having to ask for substitutions. “Everyone should be able to end an amazing meal with a sweet bite,” she says. C+RC

BEVERAGE

Hot

orHowNot? Current Trends Affect a Club’s Wine Program Beverage experts from Sea Pines Resort and Bellerive CC weigh in on what trends will impact programs in 2020.

By Megan Freitas, Contributing Editor

FROM A FIZZY INFATUATION with Pét-Nat to understanding the science behind vegan wines, the past year has been abuzz with wine trends. Be it as hip as orange wine or as altruistic as purchasing more wines made by women, many of these trends can and should impact a club’s wine program. But how?

One of the more popular trends to gain traction is year-round rosé consumption. The always-anticipated seasonal explosion is still greatly celebrated, but enjoying a pale pink glass of vino is now just as acceptable in December as it is in May. Eric Peterson, Beverage Manager and Sommelier at Bellerive Country Club (St. Louis, Mo.), has seen a steady rise in rosé sales over the last five years. Bellerive now carries one vintage rosé by-the-glass listing, as well as a few bottle options, year-round.

20

l

Club + Resort Chef

l

March 2020

www.clubandresortchef.com

“Members are far more willing to

step out of their comfort zone and try something new when it’s just one glass.”

- Eric Peterson, Beverage Manager and Sommelier, Bellerive CC

During the season, Bellerive even hosts two “Rosé All Day” events with six by-the-glass options, including a sparkling Cava, representing four different countries and several varietals.

Sea Pines Beach Club on Hilton Head Island in South Carolina has seen a similar rise in off-peak rosé sales, which has led to the resort hosting a number of rosédedicated events, including “Rosé in May,” and “Rosé & BBQ Soiree.”

“For each of these events, we select wines with distinct countries of origin, varietal composition, and palate, so our guests can experience rosé’s range,” says Alex Dinerstein, Sea Pines BC’s Wine Program Manager.

Another trend gaining momentum is the utilization of wine-preservation systems, to offer higher quality and bythe-glass pours of older vintages.

At Sea Pines BC, Dinerstein offers both on-list as well as featured by-the-glass pours. He also uses the system to gauge demand for candidates that have the potential to be included on future lists.

Bellerive CC plans to introduce a wine-preservation system this spring, and Peterson is looking forward to the opportunity to offer members by-the-glass options at or above the $25 price point.

Another trend heating up wine lists is the surge in interest for lesser-known varietals from undiscovered regions. Peterson has been able to utilize his by-the-glass list and wine-tasting events to encourage Bellerive’s fairly traditional membership to try some of these more nontraditional wines.

“Last summer I was able to pour a sémillon from Hunter Valley, Australia as an alternative to chardonnay,” he says.

“The members loved it.”

At the club’s weekly Friday Wine Tastings, he introduces new crowd favorites that include lesser-known grapes such as Grüner Vetliner, Soave, Etna Rosso (Nerello Mascalese), and others.

“It’s wonderful to be able to offer our members really great wines by the glass like Trebbiano, Barolo, or Amarone,” says Peterson. “Members are far more willing to step out of their comfort zone and try something new when it’s just one glass, as opposed to a whole bottle. It also helps when I can tell them the story behind the wine.” www.clubandresortchef.com

At both Bellerive and Sea Pines, new wines are most successful when strong leaders can offer insight into where they came from, what they taste like and why they’re being poured. Both Dinerstein and Peterson utilize their rapport with members and guests as they carefully curate events, tastings, and weekly by-the-glass features that showcase new concepts and help to gauge how trendy wines might perform on their well-crafted wine lists. C+RC

Looking for new recipe ideas?

Find the best Club + Resort Chef recipes

recipes.clubandresortchef.com

March 2020 l Club + Resort Chef l 21

BEVERAGE

RAISE YOUR GLASS

Where There’s

Smoke... …there’s extra excitement, when it’s part of the show for theatrical tableside cocktails.

IT’S ONE THING TO order a drink from the bar. It’s another thing entirely to watch your drink be measured, poured, shaken, smoked and garnished from the comfort of your table.

For a recent popup event at Sleepy Hollow Country Club (Scarborough, N.Y.), Grill Room Manager Ron Brown upped the theatrical value of the dining experience for members and guests by preparing two innovative cocktails tableside.

The first, a smoky and spicy margarita, was made with Casamigos Blanco Tequila, Cointreau, fresh-squeezed lime juice, agave, egg whites, freshsqueezed grapefruit juice and slices of jalapeno. Each glass was smoked before the cocktail was poured over one giant ice cube and garnished with salt, lime and jalapenos (recipe, below).

The second, a barrel-aged Manhattan, was made with Makers Mark, Cinzano Rosso Vermouth and a dash of bitters. Like the margarita, the glass was also smoked before the cocktail was poured and then garnished with blood orange and Luxardo cherries.

“Tableside cocktail service is a throwback, but it speeds up the time it takes to get the drink into our members’ hands,” says Brown, who is passionate about mixology and has been with Sleepy Hollow for almost three years. “It also engages all the senses, to make the drink a relevant part of the experience.

“The smoke especially accomplishes something unique that you can’t achieve from using juices or syrups,” he adds. “It brings out a totally different texture and enhances the flavor

Smoky

&

In addition to his smoked cocktails, Sleepy Hollow CC Grill Room Manager Ron Brown also recently created house-made bathtub gin, Meyer Lemon Limoncello, and Cracker Jack Bourbon.

profiles distinguished in the spirits.”

As soon as Brown approaches the table, he begins making the drink.

While the cocktail settles, he smokes the glass (see photo, above). Then, just before he pours it, he releases the smoke, to set the aromatic stage for that magical first sip.

“Anything we can do to make the experience more memorable is worth the time and effort,” says Brown. “It takes us from good to great.”

Spicy Margarita

INGREDIENTS: 2 ozs. Casamigos Blanco Tequila 1 oz. Cointreau 1 oz. fresh-squeezed lime juice ½ oz. agave syrup

1 oz. egg white 1 oz. fresh-squeezed grapefruit juice 3 slices jalapenos

PROCEDURE: 1. Muddle three thin slices of jalapeno in a mixing glass. Add two ounces of Casamigos Blanco Tequila, fresh lime juice, fresh grapefruit juice, egg whites and agave syrup to a mixing glass. Combine all ingredients and shake vigorously. Strain the mixture into a quartino container.

2. Smoke a glass tableside and add a jumbo ice cube. (Note: jumbo ice cubes are used to allow the cocktail to shine through and not hamper the flavor, as melted ice typically does.)

3. Pour the mixture from quartino into the smoked glass. Garnish the glass with smoked salt, lime wedge, and jalapeno slice.

Recipe courtesy of Ron Brown, Grill Room Manager, Sleepy Hollow Country Club 22

l

Club + Resort Chef

l

March 2020

www.clubandresortchef.com

The Club + Resort Chef Association is the leading professional community for the culinary teams at private country clubs, city clubs, yacht clubs, athletic clubs and high-end golf properties and resorts.

CRCA supports its members’ unique needs through networking, continuing education, and professional development.

why join crca?

Peer-to-peer networking and continued education In-person events Podcasts Monthly Association blogs Online forums Subscriptions to Club + Resort Business and Club + Resort Chef as well as our weekly Club + Resort Chef eNewsletter Members-only award programs Mentorship opportunities Continuing education opportunities The Club + Resort Chef Association was launched to meet the unique needs of the club and resort food-and-beverage segment.

The association was formed to provide the chefs and others on their teams with even more opportunities to benefit, on a yearround basis, from the targeted content, educational resources and networking value that Club + Resort’s magazines, websites and events provides.

Find out more at association.clubandresortchef.com

BANQUET

Showtime!

Green Spring Valley Hunt Club’s Thomas Hall and Crystal Spring Resort’s Aisling Stevens are using innovative action stations to erase the line between the back and front of the house.

By Ginny Bartolone, Contributing Editor

IN THE CENTER OF the dining room, aromatic steam rises from a wok as the chef tosses a rainbow of vegetables into the air.

Members look on in awe as they personalize their dishes in real time. With the rise of interactive dining across the industry, club and resort chefs are finding new ways to tempt their members’ senses with the use of action stations and tableside displays.

An action station invites the diner to learn more about the preparation, ingredients and inspiration behind the meal. Stations may range from build-your-own mac-and-cheese bars to ones where chefs construct colorful works of edible art.

This trend also brings the chef out of the kitchen and into the dining experience.

Here’s how two chefs are finding unique ways to push the action-station boundaries.

24

l

Club + Resort Chef

l

March 2020

THOMAS HALL, Executive Chef, Green Spring Valley Hunt Club, Owing Mills, Md. Thomas Hall, Executive Chef of Green Spring Valley Hunt Club (Owing Mills, Md.), connects with his members by adapting and introducing some of today’s most innovative culinary ideas that he gathers from around the globe.

“I’m always trying to keep up with what’s going on in the culinary world beyond my club,” says Hall. “There’s inspiration everywhere.

Every time I travel, dine out or see something new and interesting, my goal is to find a way to bring that idea back to my members.”

Last winter, the team at Green Spring Valley offered an interpretation of Chef Grant Achatz’s painted dessert from Alinea in Chicago.

The presentation was nothing short of a culinary performance put on

by Hall and his Sous Chef, Taylor Maxwell, who filled each group’s table with over 20 sweet ingredients as wide-eyed diners watched the developing work of art. www.clubandresortchef.com

Action stations at Crystal Spring Resort include elements of playfulness to help draw in the guest while also making the meal more memorable.

Personalizing and executing the meal required graceful planning. “After the main course was served, we told everyone at the dinner that we had a little surprise for dessert, and that we would need to relocate to another part of the clubhouse,” Hall relates.

As diners at each table completed their entrees, they were whisked into a separate room that had been arranged for the show.

“We decided to work with chocolate and coffee as the base flavors and build off of those,” says Hall.

Each guest received an individual mocha mousse topped with chocolate hazelnut biscotti and mascarpone cream. The chefs then swirled vibrant ingredients in the center of the table, including lemon curd, coffee crème anglaise, and both a salted caramel and chocolate sauce.

They then added texture, with homemade cinnamon toast crunch, biscotti crumb, and candied lemon peel. The final touch was a “chocolate bomb,” cracked open to reveal a profusion of treats including malted milk balls, pralines, edible flowers, and chocolate croquants.

Interaction with Green Spring Valley’s close-knit group of members is at the heart of Hall’s cooking style, and that was especially the case with this dessert course.

“Outside of the club, most people don’t get to meet who actually cooks their food,” he says. “Our cooks love to step out of the kitchen and do something new, to make the member’s dining experience special.”

Other action stations at Green Spring Valley draw members into the culinary experience through other senses, such as smell. “You know how the smell of boardwalk fries or funnel cake can immediately transport you to the beach?” asks Hall. “That’s my goal with our action stations. I want to take my members someplace unexpected and build a connection through food.” www.clubandresortchef.com

AISLING STEVENS,

Executive Chef, Crystal Spring Resort, Vernon, N.J. Tucked in the valley of a North Jersey ski town, Aisling Stevens, Executive Chef of Crystal Springs Resort, expertly manages a collection of distinct dining experiences. No matter the restaurant’s style, her use of action stations and displays taps into each guest’s culinary creativity.

“An interactive food station allows our guests to customize their fare to fit their preferences,” she says. “This not only makes the guest feel special, but it sets a sort of guarantee that they will love the food they are eating, because they built it.”

Whether served at a wedding or in Crystal Springs’ al fresco Chef’s Garden, each station and food display includes an element of playfulness. At the stir-fry wok station, for example, diners build their Chinese food box of lo mein, fried rice, tempura or stir fry with proteins of their choice.

Stevens features similar personalization options at stations themed around pasta, sliders, pretzels and hot

chocolate. Diners can even head up to the donut wall, choose their donut of choice, and add icing and toppings to complete their creation.

The Roaming Food Bar is one of the most recent additions to Crystal Springs’ wedding cocktail menu.

Caviar bars, Mexican food stations and raw seafood displays make their way around the room in custom transport boxes as wedding guests sip cocktails and mingle.

With several different restaurants at Crystal Springs, Stevens faces a unique challenge when adapting her menus for each unique outlet.

“For example, our Crystal Tavern has a ‘local/neighborhood’ type feel, so I encourage my head chef to bring a dish out or walk the floor, to get to know the guests,” she says. “It not only makes them feel great, but it makes everyone in the room feel like they’re being looked after.”

At the resort’s Chef’s Garden restaurant, which is only open in the warmer months, guests watch chefs roast lamb legs or whole pigs on an open fire.

Surrounded by panoramic views of the mountains, diners lounge in a patch of edible greenery.

“Guests are sitting within our chef’s garden, so they may spot one of the cooks snipping from salad leaves or fresh herbs at their feet, and find it on their plate minutes later,” she says. C+RC March 2020 l Club + Resort Chef l 25

MANAGEMENT

Managing Up Sous chefs play a vital role in the success of the kitchen, the club and the chef.

By Joanna DeChellis, Editor

EXECUTIVE CHEFS RELY HEAVILY on their sous chefs to do much of the heavy lifting when they can’t be in all places at all times. Similarly, line cooks and other culinary team members rely on the sous chef to serve as the buffer between them and the Exec.

This role comes with a unique set of challenges.

But it’s also rich with opportunity to learn, grow and progress.

“As second-in-command, I have to bridge the gaps, be quick on my feet and solve problems as they arise,” says David Clark, Executive Sous Chef of Army Navy Country Club (Arlington, Va.), who likens the role of the sous to that of a Swiss Army knife.

WHO’S THE BOSS? Clark has been with Army Navy CC for just over two years. Previously, he was the Executive Sous Chef of Baltimore (Md.) Country Club for nearly five years, under Executive Chef Richard Jallet. When he was ready to leave Baltimore for personal reasons, Jallet was instrumental in helping him land the gig at Army Navy under Tim Recher, CEC. When a new opportunity arose for Recher at Bay Colony Golf Club (Naples, Fla.), Clark found himself without an Exec. He applied for the position along with a handful of other candidates. He soon learned he was not only going to be interviewed—but also do the interviewing.

“I had to play double-duty during the search for a new chef,” says Clark. “I also had to keep the operation running. It was kind of awkward, but I wanted to learn from the process and my General Manager, Patrick King, was great about making sure that, no matter what happened, my role wouldn’t be contentious.”

At Kenwood CC, Executive Chef Sean Sennet (left) is helping to expand the skill sets of Executive Sous Chef Luke Anzano (right) by including him in budgeting, forecasting and labor discussions.

26

l

Club + Resort Chef

l

March 2020

www.clubandresortchef.com

Caption

Executive Chef Doug Anderson (right) and Executive Sous Chef David Clark (left) divide and conquer at Army Navy CC.

Army Navy CC decided to leverage the opportunity to reinvent its culinary program and streamline the kitchen.

Doug Anderson, who spent the bulk of his career with the Four Seasons organization, was hired as Executive Chef.

“We needed someone who was experienced, patient and able to confidently steer us in a new direction,” says Clark, who didn’t confess to Anderson that he had also applied for the position until they had worked together for nearly three months.

“He already knew,” says Clark. “But it didn’t bother him at all. If anything, it made him more confident in having me as his right hand.”

As the two have gotten to know each other better over the past year, it hasn’t all been sunshine and daisies. “We’ve butted heads, but we respect each other,” says Clark. “Trust is earned and we both knew early on it would come— and it has.”

Today, Clark and Anderson run Army Navy CC’s $7.8 million F&B operation with a “divide and conquer” mentality.

They leverage each other’s strengths and are focused on quality above all www.clubandresortchef.com

else. They’ve rewritten the banquet menus, adjusted the structure of the kitchen and reconceptualized the finedining menu to resemble a free-standing upscale restaurant.

“Chef [Anderson] is an incredibly creative culinarian,” says Clark. “He’s taught me that being patient is a strength and that I need to focus on refinement before I’m ready to step up as an Exec.”

NECESSARY STEPPING STONE Sous chefs must wear multiple hats and be comfortable not always having a clear scope on what will need to happen on any given day. They must fill in as needed, which can be difficult but is absolutely necessary to climb the ladder.

Luke Anzano has held the Executive Sous Chef position at Kenwood Country Club (Cincinnati, Ohio) for the past three years. This is his first tour as a sous, but he comes from a high-end hotel background.

He works under Executive Chef Sean Sennet and together, the two run a $5.5 million F&B operation.

When Anzano first met Sennet, he was immediately impressed by his knowledge. “I knew I would learn a ton working with him,” says Anzano.

And learn, he has. Today, Anzano spends the bulk of his time in the kitchen, making sure everything is running according to plan. He works with the banquet team on member events and holidays. He makes sure all the set up and mise is executed properly. He’s responsible for the weekly specials, ordering and stock, too.

“Chef [Sennet] can’t always be in the kitchen,” says Anzano. “So I help most by being there, making sure everything is up to his quality standard.”

While he doesn’t believe he’s quite ready to take on the Exec role, Anzano hopes to eventually move up once he’s learned everything he can from Sennet.

“It’s the non-cooking side—the budgeting and the forecasting—that is the biggest challenge for me,” says Anzano. “But I’m learning. Chef [Sennet] is great about making sure I’m at the table for those discussions, learning how to do all of the tasks associated with the role of the Exec.” C+RC March 2020 l Club + Resort Chef l 27

MANAGER to CHEF

From Good

to Great How Seattle Tennis Club is making the leap by focusing on F&B.

By Joanna DeChellis, Editor

PHOTO COURTESY OF SEATTLE TENNIS CLUB

28

l

Club + Resort Chef

l

March 2020

www.clubandresortchef.com

WHEN CHRISTIAN THON, General Manager of the Seattle (Wash.)

Tennis Club (STC), applied for his first club job as a Food & Beverage Director, he wasn’t chosen despite an impressive background in hotel management.

But like all the greats before him, he persisted, and his career has since exploded with success.

Before taking his current post three years ago, Thon was the General Manager of the Menlo Circus Club (Atherton, Calif.), a very private, highend family club with an equestrian center. Prior to that, he was the General Manager of Palo Alto (Calif.) Hills Golf & Country Club.

Thon’s management style is handsoff. He also believes that the food-andbeverage program is what differentiates a good club from a great one.

C+RC: What brought you to STC? CT: I loved the Menlo Circus Club, but living in the most expensive zip code in the U.S. was challenging. My wife and I decided to move for purely personal reasons. We’re big on nature—sailing, hiking, biking and skiing—so Washington seemed to be a great fit for our family.

C+RC: What was the F&B operation like at STC when you came aboard?

CT: It hadn’t been top-notch for quite some time. There had been very little leadership, and no one really cared about the F&B product. The food was underwhelming. The service was unprofessional, and ticket times were often 60 to 90 minutes during the busy summer months.

C+RC: How has it changed?

CT: We have made significant inroads with all of those issues. Ticket times and service have improved tremendously through menu development and training.

We’ve had three chefs in four years, though, so consistency has been a challenge. But we are excited to now have Stephane Collomb as Executive Chef. He is producing menus catered to our membership’s tastes. He is also elevating our operational standards. www.clubandresortchef.com

C+RC: What were you looking for in a new Executive Chef?

CT: Someone who listens to the membership’s voice, values his or her crew, and understands the big picture between the front and back of the house. It is very important to me that the kitchen environment is welcoming, and that the team has a can-do attitude.

C+RC: What made you decide to hire Chef Collomb?

CT: He has worked in some of the greatest restaurants and clubs in the world. It was an easy decision.

C+RC: What was your first impression of him?

CT: He is humble and quiet. He wants to do well and will do whatever it takes to make the membership happy.

C+RC: What were your expectations in the early days with him on board?

CT: He arrived on the Tuesday before Thanksgiving in 2018. He didn’t stop until the holiday season was over.

He had some tremendous staffing challenges in front of him, so it has taken quite some time to get the kitchen operations under control. The labor market in Seattle is as bad as it can be, so hiring good help is challenging, and getting the right people in place takes time.

C+RC: What kinds of people thrive on your club’s F&B team?

CT: People who are self-starters, have high standards, and don’t settle within themselves or their departments. I am very lucky to have a food-and-beverage team with people who are serious about what they do, but don’t take themselves too seriously.

C+RC: What is your relationship like with Chef Collomb?

CT: We have a close relationship. We talk about challenges, issues and opportunities. We discuss how to “make it better” and to go more local almost daily. I try not to get into the business of

kitchen operations; I’d be more in the way than helpful. At the end of the day, he is the Executive Chef.

C+RC: What should a club manager’s role be in the overall operation of an F&B department?

CT: I don’t think there is a single right answer to this question. There’s a lot of “it depends”—it depends on the nature of the club, the size of the club, and the offerings of the club. The larger the club, the more distant the club manager will probably be from the food-andbeverage department.

C+RC: How does F&B contribute to the greater goals of a club?

CT: Without food-and-beverage, a club is just a place where members go to do an activity. To socialize, you must have an F&B entity as the “tool” to make it happen. It’s extraordinarily important.

C+RC: What drives F&B success?

CT: A combination of value propositions: great food and beverage programs provided by a caring professional staff, in a welcoming environment.

C+RC: What do you value most in an executive chef?

CT: Great chefs need to be 50% manager and 50% culinary genius; both are needed in order to succeed. They need to leave their ego at the door and realize they are employed to make the kind of food the members want, not necessarily the food that they want. I trust the chef to be the master of his or her own domain, and to be the ruler of the kitchen.

C+RC: What have been some of STC’s most significant F&B improvements?

CT: We are still improving the department each and every day. The kitchen is more welcoming, more organized and much prouder of what’s put out. The food is more local, light and healthy, and changes more often. All the credit goes to our chef and the F&B team he has built. C+RC March 2020 l Club + Resort Chef l 29

PRODUCT SHOWCASE

BUSH’S BEST®— BLENDED BURGER Features:

• A plant- and beef-based offering that looks, tastes and cooks like an allbeef burger, but has less fat and fewer calories • Bush’s Best beans and mushrooms replace 40% of the beef content • Has just four ingredients: beef, Bush’s Best® Great Northern Beans, mushrooms and salt • One-third of Americans say they are flexitarian, mostly because it allows them to eat healthy without removing the foods they love • Pre-formed, frozen 4-oz. raw patties make it easy for operators to give their guests a delicious burger that is gluten-, allergen-, dairy- and soy-free

SNACK BAGS Features:

• Our snack bags and mini-snack bags offer a wide variety of some of our best-selling products • We use only premium-quality ingredients so that your valued brand is reinforced through our products • Great visual appeal on display racks or baskets, with window to see product • High-quality products for members to grab-n-go • Choose from 35+ snack mixes, dried fruit, nuts, candy and chocolate options

Truly Good Foods

704-602-0664 www.trulygoodfoods.com/clubresort

Bush’s Best

www.bushsblendedburger.com

CLAREMONT CHAIRS Features:

• We designed this very elegant stacking hardwood chair for the Claremont Country Club in Oakland, Calif., in July of 2013.

This spring, we took our 22nd and repeat order from the Rolling Rock Club in Pennsylvania • No other chair offers this level of elegance and comfort in a fullfunction stacking hardwood chair • No other company offers a 20-year warranty against joint failure on a stacking hardwood chair • Check out our website, and see why so many top-tier clubs are choosing Eustis Chair

RAPIDE CUISINE® COUNTERTOP HIGHPOWERED/HEAVY-DUTY INDUCTION RANGE

Eustis Chair

Hatco® Corporation

www.eustischair.com

30

l

Club + Resort Chef

l

March 2020

Features:

• Pan Sense Technology activates the unit only when a suitable pan is placed on top • Magnetic Power System provides the highest cooking power possible of any induction range available • High-resolution TFT display instantly communicates precise power, temperature and timer settings • USB port allows chefs to download system updates and add new programmable modes (800) 558-0607 www.hatcocorp.com/en

www.clubandresortchef.com

COOK-N-HOLD LOW-TEMPERATURE SMOKER OVEN Features:

TULKOFF FOOD PRODUCTS— CHESAPEAKE SAUCE Features:

• Newest addition to flavored mayonnaise product line • Described as “The only manufactured sauce offered to operators that captures the true essence and unique oneof-kind flavors of Maryland’s Chesapeake Bay” • Born out of the kitchen of the Calvert House Inn - a Maryland restaurant known for its Maryland-style crab cakes • Contains freshly made mayonnaise and a proprietary blend of bold seafood seasoning commonly known and recognized to the Maryland region

Tulkoff Food Products 410-262-9868 www.tulkoff.com

CHEF WORKS—HARTFORD CHEF COAT Features:

• 65% Polyester, 35% Cotton “Lite” Twill, 4.7 oz.

• Cool Vent™ side panels • Side-seam slits • Roll-up long sleeve with tab • Single-breasted with zipper closure • Back-collar apron holder with snap tab • Left sleeve thermometer pocket • Right sleeve cell phone/notebook pocket • Some colors available in 6XL • Available in white, black, blue and graphite

Chef Works

• Fully insulated Cook-N-Hold smoker designed for flavorful results by slow cooking with real wood chips • Efficient 3,000-watt power unit allows for reheating of prepared meals or bulk items with maximum temperature of 325°; powerful 250-watt cal rod heats chips quickly • Includes stainless-steel vented chip box and variable one-hour timer for mild to heavy smoke flavor • Standard solid-state electronic control with large, clean, easyto-read and operate LED digital display, to ensure holding at precise food temperatures • 18 factory- or field-programmed cook-and-hold cycles • Cook and hold up to 100 lbs. (45 kg.) of meat in less than 6 sq. ft. of floor space • Fully insulated, stainless-steel interior and exterior for ease of cleaning • Photo shown with optional stand

Cres Cor

www.crescor.com

MIRAGE® INDUCTION BUFFET WARMERS Features:

• Used for holding/warming foods for serving • Ideal for banquets and catering • Fewer cords—connect up to 3 units together with an interconnect cord and only run one power cord to outlet on wall • Subtle, low-profile, attractive design • Four power levels—low, medium, high and chafer preheat • Custom decorative patterns or logos available on 16×16 units • Available in countertop and drop-in

Vollrath Company www.vollrath.com

www.chefworks.com

www.clubandresortchef.com

March 2020 l Club + Resort Chef l 31

PRODUCT SHOWCASE

MOUNTAIN WAFFLE CO.—PURE MAPLE SYRUP & BUTTER LIEGE BELGIAN WAFFLES Features:

SPEEDHEAT FLAMELESS HEATING SYSTEM Features:

• Featuring zero ramp-up time and safer handling, Sterno SpeedHeat is a flameless, water-activated product that makes quick-serve drop-off catering safer and more efficient than ever • The patent-pending SpeedHeat system rapidly produces high-heat steam, keeping food heated at an ideal serving temperature.

• Sterno SpeedHeat will be available to the foodservice industry starting July 2018.

• Pure maple syrup and rBST-free butter already baked in … no need to add syrup or butter to your waffles ever again • Joins family of waffle products, including Butter, Chocolate Chip and Chocolate Covered • Come in multiple sizes and packaging types, including Individually Wrapped (IW) waffles for grab ‘n go convenience and Pre-Baked Bulk Packs for foodservice • Made with all-natural ingredients • Unlike typical Brussels Belgian waffles which are made with batter, these are made with dough

Mountain Waffle Co. www.mountainwaffle.com

Sterno Products www.sternopro.com

GLO-ICE SET Features:

• Banquet serving set includes clear tray, light box, mirrored skirt and sneezeguard • Light box is ULapproved for safety • Place an order online at www.gloice.com

SKHUG MIDDLE EASTERN CONDIMENT Features:

Glo-Ice by Engineered Plastics www.gloice.com

CLUBPROCURE Features:

• Formerly VGM Club, the program offers clubs 150 ways to save time and money • More than 3,000 clubs nationwide leverage ClubProcure’s strategic relationships with well-known, national companies and gain tremendous buying power • Pick and choose which offerings work best for your needs

ClubProcure

www.clubprocure.com

• Provides operators with an authentic, trending condiment as boldflavored ethnic sauces and condiments are ranked among fastest-growing in the industry • Improved with a more housemade texture and appearance, but still packing the same great heat and spice • Fulfills a need for authentic Middle Eastern cuisine that consumers are craving • Skhug was named one of the 25 most popular ingredients of 2018, representing Middle Eastern cuisine’s growing popularity among consumers • Capitalizes on the consumers’ trending interest in Levantine cuisine • Gives operators a quick and easy way to add flavor to proteins, vegan dishes and Kosher meals while remaining a clean-label option • Made with a combination of peppers (green bell peppers, roasted red peppers, Serrano peppers and white peppers), as well as cilantro and a touch of garlic and lemon • Pairs with Falafel, Shawarma or grilled meats and vegetables

Grecian Delight

www.greciandelight.com 32

l

Club + Resort Chef

l

March 2020

www.clubandresortchef.com

WORLD® PORCELANA STACKABLE DINNERWARE Features:

VECTOR® H SERIES MULTI-COOK OVENS Features:

• Enhanced user-friendly interface, made intentionally simple • Sleek design and custom exterior-color options • Compact and ventless—designed for foodservice operations with limited space • Structured Air Technology®—Independent oven chambers allow operators to simultaneously cook a variety of menu items with zero flavor transfer

• New stackable additions to Libbey’s top-selling World® Porcelana dinnerware • Modern aesthetic and minimalist style create an ideal canvas for your creations • Stackable and works in small spaces, minimizing storage space that is often at a premium • Steep rim is deep enough to hold sauce and aids grip for servers • Soft white color creates a clean look without being harsh • Works with other stackable Porcelana items

Libbey Foodservice

www.foodservice.libbey.com

Alto-Shaam

www.alto-shaam.com

SMART STEP PERFORMANCE MATS Features:

• The Best Anti-Fatigue mats • Perfect for areas where stationary standing occurs: shoe room, laundry room, kitchen, restaurant and bar • Unmatched Comfort and Durability • Trip-Resistant Edges That Won’t Curl • 20° Gradual Beveled Edge (ADA-Compliant) • Proudly Made in the USA • Available in PuzzlePiece Runners • SmartTech Polyurethane Technology • One-Piece Construction • Custom Branding Available

Smart Step Flooring

www.smartstepflooring.com

A D I N DE X Club + Resort Chef

21

Club + Resort Chef Association

23

Clubessential

35

ClubProcure

3

recipes.clubandresortchef.com association.clubandresortchef.com www.clubessential.com/leaders 800-363-5480 / www.clubprocure.com

Cres Cor

877-CRESCOR (273-7267) / www.crescor.com

18-19

Minor’s

2

800-243-8822 / www.FlavorMeansBusiness.com

The Montague Company

36

Pierce Chicken

13

Southern Pride

17

Truly Good Foods

15

800-345-1830 / www.montaguecompany.com www.poultry.com

www.southernpride.com www.trulygoodfoods.com/clubresort

www.clubandresortchef.com

March 2020

l

Club + Resort Chef

l

33

CHEF’S THOUGHTS

Brandon Gross Executive Chef Columbia Country Club Chevy Chase, Md. As the newly named Executive Chef of Columbia Country Club in Chevy Chase, Md., Brandon Gross is both experienced and capable. Prior to taking his new post, he served as the Executive Sous Chef of The Metropolitan Club of the City of Washington (D.C.) for more than three years, where he launched charcuterie and bbq programs, spearheaded numerous popups and themed events, and more.

1. You’d be surprised to learn that I’m fascinated with history, specifically with the WWII era in our country.

2. If I could trade places with one chef, it would be Chef Blake Wetzel of The Willows Inn on Lumi Lumi Island in Washington.

3. One of my most memorable meals was on a plane with Vincent Horville on our way to Seattle for the Chef to Chef Conference. We packed enough of our own charcuterie and cheese to serve about ten people. We sat there for the entire flight and enjoyed every bit of it, with copious amounts of red wine.

4. My last meal would be my mom’s cheesy spaghetti. It’s very simple but oh-so-good.

5. My worst culinary creation was the time I used a flavored oil (herbs de province) in a brownie recipe unknowingly. The smell was horrid. The taste was even worse.

6. My favorite junk food is sour gummies of any kind.

34

l

Club + Resort Chef

l

March 2020

The rules of conduct in my kitchen are that “ we are ambassadors of our craft—so honor it,

”

respect the process and never stop learning it.

7. If I wasn’t a chef, I’d love to be a marine biologist. I love the water and I’m fascinated by what is beneath it.

8. I knew I wanted to be a chef when I couldn’t stop asking questions about why dishes are prepared the way they are.

The process has fascinated me since early on.

9. The most ridiculous member or guest request I’ve ever had was ordering beef stew, no sauce, on a plate.

10. I love being a club chef because through food you get to create experiences and memories that members keep with them forever.

11. When I’m not in the kitchen, I’m BBQing, smoking and curing meats.

12. My biggest mistake when I first started as a chef was cutting corners. I tried to do things too fast and get them done before anyone else. I did not respect the process.

13. If I were stranded on a deserted island, I’d want these foods with me: Mongolista pigs (one female and one male to reproduce); Guajillo chili plants, to grow the chilis (I also love the flavors they bring to foods and their versatility); a case of High West Campfire (it is by far my favorite whiskey); and a massive supply of duck fat, to be able to confit, cure, and cook with.

14. I cook spicy chicken noodle bowls at home, but I’d never cook them at the club.

View the extended conversation with Chef Gross at www.cluband resortchef.com www.clubandresortchef.com

THE NEXT GENERATION OF CLUB LEADERS

Mobile Strategies Lead the Way

Clubs change. Members change. The world changes. Discover how club leaders are paving the way forward by balancing traditions with technology and mobile strategies to create the ultimate experience for their members.

Download “Conversations with the Next Generation of Club Leaders” to get their stories in their own words.

BUILDING THE NEXT GENERATION OF CLUB LEADERS

Conversations with the Next Generation of Club Leaders Hear how Clubs are Successfully Addressing the Most Pressing Industry Issues

Visit www.clubessential.com/leaders

“We want to stay creative. We’ll look at what we have and say how can we use it to be completely different?”

GRAHAM HOUSE Clubhouse and Lodging Manager, Cordillera Ranch

An American Original!

Steakhouse broiler with refrigerated base

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

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

It’s time to discover Montague!

® MADE IN USA

steakhouse broiler

The Montague Company • 1-800-345-1830 • montaguecompany.com