Chef to Chef January 2019

C&RB’s

JANUARY 2019

Chef to Chef I D E A S F O R F & B S U C C E S S AT C LU B A N D R E S O R T P R O P E R T I E S

OH, THE PLACES YOU’LL GO

Executive Chef Manfred Braüer on leading, learning and achieving F&B success at The Vintage Club.

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HOW TO TAKE BETTER FOOD PHOTOS p22 STEAL THESE ACTION STATION IDEAS p24 THE POWER OF THE PRE-SHIFT p26

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Get the Most Out of Chef to Chef TECHNOLOGY HAS MADE IT EASIER THAN EVER FOR YOU to connect with colleagues, surf for ideas and find products just about anywhere in the world. Still, physically going to a conference, and specifically the 11th annual Chef to Chef Conference in March in New Orleans (see pgs. 30-31 and 34 of this issue), is more relevant than ever—not in spite of technology, but because of it.

(If you haven’t registered, do it now at www.cheftochefconference.com; available space is going fast.)

EDITOR’S MEMO

But just going to the Conference isn’t enough; you also have to have a solid game plan for what you’ll do while there. Here’s my five-point prescription for getting the most out of every minute: 1. What’s your why?

One of my favorite spin instructors likes to shout out this question during hard climbs on the bike. She wants us to use the answer as inspiration to push through and work harder. The same applies to you: What’s your why? What are you hoping to get out of Chef to Chef?

Figure that out before you get there. Effective networking requires purpose and preparation. Think about your biggest challenges at your club and what you hope to find answers to. Think about your biggest successes, too—and don’t be shy about sharing them.

Set some goals for yourself, and be clear about them. Maybe you hope to meet X number of new chefs, learn about sous vide, or connect with a specific sponsor.

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

2. Show up.

I know the days start early and the nights run late. But there will be coffee in the back of the room and you’re strong enough to power through.

Don’t just RSVP; actively RSVP. Show up to every session. Talk to the sponsors at every break. Be there for cocktail hour. Come to the Pythian Market for the Monday night reception (trust me, it will be a unique and memorable experience).

3. Use the Tools We’re Giving You We’re in the process of building a Chef to Chef Conference app that will help you further connect with the presenters, material, us and one another. Use it.

4. Leverage Your Time by Being Social My goal at Chef to Chef is probably much different than yours. My main driver is to connect you with one another. So, during breaks and cocktail hours, I like to bounce around the room and find chefs who haven’t quite been welcomed into the fold. I’ve made some of the best connections by walking up to someone I’ve never met before and shaking their hand.

Try it. And after you’ve made that connection in person, back it up on LinkedIn or Facebook.

5. Maintain the Momentum.

Networking only works if you follow up—and not just with people you met at Chef to Chef, but also with colleagues who may not have been there. Find a few ways to share your experience and insights with your team. Walk them through some of the most impactful messages. Connect them with your new connections.

January 2019 C&RB’s CHEF TO CHEF 3

F E AT U R E S

IN THIS ISSUE

the next phase of casual club dining How to Take Better Food Photos, pg. 22

PHOTO COURTESY OF ERIC FLOYD, EXECUTIVE CHEF, WASHINGTON ATHLETIC CLUB

Club chefs are taking upscale ingredients and serving them in modern yet approachable ways. 10

Executive Chef Manfred Braüer is leading, learning and achieving remarkable F&B success at The Vintage Club. 16

how to take better food photos Club chefs looking to improve their photography skills can learn and apply these tips from two pros. 22

D E PA R T M E N T S EDITOR’S MEMO, 3 CHEF’S THOUGHTS, 6 Russell Scott, CMC, Culinary Director for The Club at Carlton Woods in The Woodlands, Texas, is an avid outdoorsman who loves chocolate.

JANUARY 2019

“

THE SUCCESS OF OUR PROGRAM RELIES ON SATISFYING AND SURPRISING OUR MEMBERS. WE WILL CONTINUE TO ENGAGE ALL THE SENSES, OFFER LOTS OF VARIETY, AND FIND WAYS TO OFFER PERSONALIZED TOUCHES.

oh, the places you’ll go

PHOTO COURTESY OF HAMILTON HARBOR YC

WRITING A MODERN BY-THE-GLASS WINE LIST, 8

“

SEAN DWYER PASTRY CHEF, HAMILTON HARBOR YACHT CLUB NAPLES, FLA. PAGE 14 ON THE COVER: MANFRED BRAÜER, EXECUTIVE CHEF, THE VINTAGE CLUB, INDIAN WELLS, CALIF.

FOLLOW US:

CREAM OF THE CROP, 14 For Hamilton Harbor Yacht Club, artisan ice creams and sorbets are enriching the club’s developing pastry program.

STEAL THESE ACTION STATION IDEAS, 24 Club chefs are coming out of the kitchen to be the star of the party with eye-catching action stations that not only feed, but also entertain.

Chef to Chef A quarterly supplement to Club & Resort Business

EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Joe Barks jbarks@clubandresortbusiness.com 267.566.1215 EDITOR Joanna DeChellis jdechellis@clubandresortbusiness.com 412.260.9233 NATIONAL CHEF TO CHEF CONFERENCE PROGRAM COORDINATOR Jerry Schreck, Executive Chef Merion Golf Club, Ardmore, Pa. GROUP PUBLISHER Tom McIntyre tmcintyre@csdecisions.com 216.533.9186 ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER Sean Carr scarr@clubandresortbusiness.com 216.952.2753 VP, BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT Dan Ramella dramella@clubandresortbusiness.com 216.272.2446 ASSOCIATE EDITOR, C&RB Rob Thomas rthomas@clubandresortbusiness.com 216.316.5294 CUSTOMER SERVICE ADMINISTRATOR Barbra Martin bmartin@clubandresortbusiness.com 216.905.2583 DIGITAL OPERATIONS MANAGER Nicole Lender nicolelender@clubandresortbusiness.com 216.952.3117

EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD Matt Hinkle, Executive Chef Exmoor Country Club, Highland Park, Ill. Edward Leonard, CMC, Director of Culinary Operations and Executive Chef, The Polo Club of Boca Raton (Fla.)

THE POWER OF THE PRE-SHIFT, 26 Properly managed pre-shift meetings can make steady contributions to F&B success.

Lawrence McFadden, CMC, GM/COO The Union Club, Cleveland, OH

GROWING UP GVC, 28 John M. Corey, GM/COO, has been with Genesee Valley Club (Rochester, N.Y.) for more than 28 years and has seen the club’s F&B operation evolve and expand to become its cornerstone amenity.

Chad Myers, Executive Chef, Dubuque (Iowa) Golf & Country Club

Cody Middleton, Pastry Chef, Forsyth Country Club, Winston-Salem, N.C. Nelson Millán, Executive Chef, San Antonio (Texas) Country Club

Colby Newman, Executive Chef, Grosse Pointe (Mich.) Yacht Club Michael Ramsey, Executive Chef, Jacksonville (Fla.) Golf & Country Club Drew Tait, Executive Chef, Kelly Greens Golf & Country Club, Ft. Myers, Fla.

PRODUCT SHOWCASE, 32 AD INDEX, 33 CHEF TO CHEF CONFERENCE UPDATE, 34

4 C&RB’s CHEF TO CHEF January 2019

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C&RB’s

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CHEF’S THOUGHTS

RUSSELL SCOTT, CMC CULINARY DIRECTOR THE CLUB AT CARLTON WOODS THE WOODLANDS, TEXAS

PHOTO BY THE CLUB AT CARLTON WOODS

Russell Scott, CMC, is one of the elite few Certified Master Chefs in the world and serves as the Culinary Director for The Club at Carlton Woods in The Woodlands, Texas, where he oversees the food production facilities at both Carlton Woods locations.

At the 2019 Chef to Chef Conference, which will be held March 10-12, 2019 in New Orleans, Scott will offer a presentation called, “Staying Focused on the Key Culinary Details Amid Fast-Changing Trends and Technology.”

21.

1. You’d be surprised to learn that I am a competitive skeet shooter.

2. One of my most memorable meals was on Christmas Day several years ago. We served assorted chilled seafood and Bloody Marys by the pool at home.

3. My go-to drink is sparkling rose or a classic kir royale.

4. My last meal would be Rhonda’s pork steaks.

5. My worst culinary creation was a sausage without enough fat.

6. If I could change one thing about my club it would be to add more kitchen space.

7. My favorite junk foods are potato chips and good chocolate.

8. If I wasn’t a chef, I’d love to be a professional hunter.

9. I knew I wanted to be a chef when my parents’ cooking forced me to begin cooking in self-defense.

10. You’ll never see catfish on the menu at my club because I was told not to put it on.

11. My favorite ingredient is fresh herbs. Sunchoke is the most overrated ingredient. Bay leaves is the most undervalued ingredient. I detest unripe produce, and I can’t live without charcuterie products.

12. I want to learn more about global food waste and its impact on the planet.

13. The rules of conduct in my kitchen are practice it at least once before we serve it and taste, taste, taste.

14. I don’t like to brag, but I have a smoking hot wife.

15. My most embarrassing moment in the kitchen was confusing bone marrow for marrow squash during the Master Chef test.

16. If I could have dinner with one person, dead or alive, it would be my Mom. 17. I cook cream of rice at home, but I’d never cook it at the club.

18. I’d like to see more club chefs recognized for their craft.

19. I am motivated from within and inspired by others.

20. I earned my CMC certification because I chose to pattern my career after several chefs that I have been blessed to work with.

MY BIGGEST MISTAKE WHEN I FIRST STARTED AS A CHEF WAS CREATING A MENU WITH ITEMS THAT I THOUGHT MY GUESTS WANTED, INSTEAD OF A MENU WITH DISHES THAT THEY ACTUALLY WANTED.

View the extended conversation with Chef Scott at www.clubandresortbusiness.com/category/crbs-chef-to-chef/chefs-thoughts 6 C&RB’s CHEF TO CHEF January 2019

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FOOD & BEVERAGE

by Joanna DeChellis, Editor

BEVERAGE

WRITING A MODERN BY-THE-GLASS WINE LIST AS CLUB CHEFS CONTINUE to deliver bolder, more flavorful and inventive food, club sommeliers and beverage directors are reaching beyond chardonnay and cabernet sauvignon to offer members wines by-the-glass that are nimble and adventurous—and function almost as an extension of the club’s identity.

“Wines by the glass give members the chance to try something new and different,” says Silvio Garcia, Beverage Director and Club Sommelier of Cherokee Town and Country Club (Atlanta, Ga.). “The most successful lists feature just enough variety, without overwhelming members with too many choices.”

Cherokee carries $1 million in wine inventory in its award-winning cellar. And members have access to more than 28,000 bottles, representing nearly every grape varietal, wine region, price and brand.

The club’s by-the-glass list, however, features only thirty wines handpicked by Garcia, who believes the selection truly showcases the club’s wine style and palate.

Cherokee’s glass list includes two sparkling choices, a rosé, a sweet white, a pinot grigio, a sancerre, and two sauvignon blancs. There are six chardonnays ranging in price from $12.50 per glass up to $20.00 per glass. There are four pinot noirs, four cabernet sauvignons, a malbec, a shiraz, a merlot and a cabernet blend. (View Cherokee’s by-the-glass list with the online version of this article.)

“I suggest clubs overlap the categories, so the glass list doesn’t become too exhaustive,” says Garcia. “For example, maybe you Pretzel offer three different dryRolls red wines

IMAGES COURTESY OF LEHIGH COUNTRY CLUB

VARIETY, VALUE AND QUALITY ARE THE BENCHMARKS FOR THESE SUCCESSFUL BY-THE-GLASS LISTS.

At Lehigh Country Club, the tent list includes twelve wines picked by Food & Beverage Manager and Certified Sommelier Bradley A. Shultz, CS (pictured above).

from three different regions and brands at three different prices. More often than not, when presented with three different prices—low, medium and high—members will choose the medium price point. Make sure that wine has a decent value.”

By shifting the focus of Cherokee’s glass list away from the simple and obvious picks, and instead

8 C&RB’s CHEF TO CHEF January 2019

toward variety, value and quality, Garcia aims to excite members.

He invites them to engage with the staff to learn and try more.

“Our members enjoy being able to try different wines without the commitment of having a whole bottle,” says Garcia. “It encourages them to branch out and explore what our cellar has to offer.”

IMAGES COURTESY OF CHEROKEE TOWN AND COUNTRY CLUB

Cherokee T&CC carries $1 million in wine inventory in its award-winning cellar (left) managed by Silvio Garcia, Beverage Director and Club Sommelier (above).

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At Lehigh Country Club (LCC), Food & Beverage Manager and Certified Sommelier Bradley A. Shultz, CS, runs a tighter list than Garcia. It features twelve wines picked by Shultz, who came to the club about two years ago.

“The list I inherited was built around Wine Spectator ratings,” says Shultz. “Those ratings can be very informative, but there’s so much more out there.”

LCC calls the wines it serves by the glass “tent wines.” In addition to the twelve tent choices, there are also a handful of low-cost house wines, which, until recently, were outpacing tent wines.

To reverse that trend, Shultz had to establish a more dynamic wine culture within the club. He did so by offering tastings and education to both the members and the servers. After he earned their trust, he began tinkering with the tent list.

It now features a bordeaux, a cabernet, a barolo, a pinot noir, a rioja, a sangiovese, a chardonnay, a pinot gris, a grüner veltliner, a sauvignon blanc, a chenin blanc and a sparkling rosé. Prices range from $12 per glass up to $17 per glass.

(View LCC’s by-the-glass list with the online version of this article.)

“Some well-known brands make the cut, but so do some lesser-known wines,” says Shultz. “It’s all about education, learning your membership and finding out how adventurous they are. You can’t just put a glass in front of them and say, ‘I think you’ll like this.’ You need to tell the story, and you need your servers to be able to tell the story, too.”

Shultz’ strategy appears to be working: “We sell more tent wines than house wines now,” he says.

All of which is to say that LCC’s tent list has become successful—not in spite of a makeover that offers more adventurous choices and demands more education, but because of it.

9/11/18 10:51 AM

PHOTOS COURTESY OF (LEFT) FIDDLESTICKS COUNTRY CLUB; (OPPOSITE) SALEM GOLF CLUB

THE NEXT PHASE OF CASUAL CLUB DINING CLUB CHEFS ARE TAKING UPSCALE INGREDIENTS AND SERVING THEM IN MODERN YET APPROACHABLE WAYS.

CASUAL CLUB DINING HAS EVOLVED—AND RIGHTFULLY SO. Club chefs with fine-dining pedigrees are pushing the movement in a new direction. They’re introducing upscale ingredients into everyday dishes like burgers, meatloaf, pizza and pasta. They’re serving these culinary mash-ups to members wearing jeans who are sitting by the pool, at the bar or at a communal table.

Against this new casual club-dining backdrop, chefs are engaging members in an exciting culinary adventure, where quality and flavor come first.

PLAYING WITH PRESENTATION Ryan Daniels, Executive Chef of Fiddlesticks Country Club (FCC) in Fort Myers, Fla., creates chef-driven 10 C&RB’s CHEF TO CHEF January 2019

menus for FCC’s upscale and casual outlets. The difference between the two, he says, isn’t in the quality of what’s being served; it’s in how the final dish is presented to the member (see photos, above).

“I’m fortunate to have a team of people who really love to cook,” says Daniels. “Together, we brainstorm ideas for dishes and find ways to take traditionally upscale ingredients and incorporate them in a way that will enhance the dish.”

For example, Daniels does sliders in the pub, but substitutes beef for lamb and serves the patty between two rounds of grilled pita. He tops the slider with a crunchy cucumber-fennel salad, tzatziki, and feta cheese.

Instead of a traditional beef tartare, Daniels uses a venison loin. “In the marinade, we incorporate flavors

FOOD & BEVERAGE

that marry well with venison, like juniper, allspice and orange,” he says. The final dish is paired with a roasted garlic crema.

FCC’s striped bass is plated on a bed of brown rice, pickled cucumber, Kennett Square shiitake and a soy reduction. Ramen features a house-cured and sous-vide’d pork belly, scallions from the club’s garden, a soft-cooked egg and a bacon-dashi broth.

“There is a fine line between putting a modern twist on a classic dish and taking it too far,” says Daniels, who changes menus weekly.

“It’s important to know how adventurous your members are, and to be careful with dishes that are especially nostalgic.”

Daniels’ pierogi offer a perfect example.

“Everyone I know grew up eating potato-andcheese pierogi,” he says. “We make ours from a scratch pierogi dough recipe that was my grandmother’s. We fill the dough with short ribs, earthy aromatics, brunois vegetables and aged cheddar cheese. And we pair the finished pierogi with a dill chimichurri and carrot puree.”

“Our members don’t want to get dressed up to use their club. But casual doesn’t mean lazy.”

—Chad Esposto (above), Executive Chef, Salem GC

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January 2019 C&RB’s CHEF TO CHEF 11

FOOD & BEVERAGE

GAINING TRUST At Salem Golf Club in North Salem, N.Y., farm-totable is the focus of the club’s $1.6 million dining program, which skews casual. “Our members don’t want to get dressed up to use their club,” says Chad Esposto, Executive Chef. “But casual doesn’t mean lazy.”

Quite the opposite. In fact, Esposto, like Daniels, changes the club’s menus weekly so he can capitalize on whatever his farmers have available. “We’re inspired by these really high-quality, fresh ingredients,” he says.

While he does incorporate upscale ingredients in subtle ways—as with Atlantic halibut with truffled mushroom risotto, or his bronzini Provençal—Esposto struggles with getting members to take the leap of faith and try new things.

The best way around this, he explains, is to do progressive dinners on the course and feature small plates of any new concepts during these events.

“We use that time as an opportunity to introduce members to new ideas and dishes,” says Esposto.

‘WOW’ FACTOR At The Country Club at Castle Pines (Castle Rock, Colo.), Executive Chef Joe Martin likes to deconstruct traditional comfort foods and find ways to reinvent them for the club’s 600 members.

Take, for example, the Castle Pine Burger. Designed for hungry golfers as they come off the course, the burger is built with a “La Freida” patty. It’s topped with applewood smoked bacon, fried poblano peppers, fried onions, cheddar cheese, sliced avocado, housemade BBQ sauce and a sweet corn aioli.

“The only thing I want my members to say when we set that burger down in front of them is ‘How do I put this in my mouth?’” says Martin. “We want our dishes to have a ‘wow’ factor, especially casual picks, and the Castle Pines Burger doesn’t disappoint.”

Martin’s goal is not necessarily to take a classic dish and totally transform it into something unrecognizable.

Rather, he seeks to improve the process and the dish in 12 C&RB’s CHEF TO CHEF January 2019

PHOTOS COURTESY OF FIDDLESTICKS COUNTRY CLUB

The final result is a deeply satisfying, casual, comfort dish.

Because Daniels sources high-quality ingredients, he strives to make the most of each. With his beet risotto, for example, he uses the tops to create a bright green vichyssoise.

“The little details are what make casual dining successful,” he continues. “You’re never going to get everyone on board with every dish you serve. But the more you understand what your members like, the more progressive you can be.”

Fiddlestick CC’s Executive Chef, Ryan Daniels, says it’s important to know how adventurous members are, and to be careful with dishes that are especially nostalgic.

any way, big or small.

For Thanksgiving, for example, he broke down the turkeys, brined the breast and sous vide’d it at 150° for three hours. Then he roasted the breasts until they came up to temp and had a beautiful color. For the legs, he cured them like duck confit.

“I am always looking to improve the process behind a dish,” says Martin, who also seeks to inspire his staff to be equally creative and sharp.

Lamb Sliders INGREDIENTS: 10 LBS. GROUND LAMB 4 TBSP. ONION POWDER 3 TBSP. GARLIC POWDER 1 TBSP. TUMERIC 1 TBSP. GARAM MARSALA 2 TBSP. PAPRIKA .5 TSP. CAYENNE 1 TBSP. GROUND FENNEL 4 TBSP. DRIED CHIVES 2 TSP. CURRY POWDER 1 EA CUCUMBER (PEELED AND THINLY SLICED) 1 EA FENNEL BULB (CORED AND VERY THINLY SLICED) .5 EA RED ONION (THINLY JULIENNED) AS NEEDED, DILL PITA, CUT IN ROUNDS DIRECTIONS: 1. Mix first ten ingredients together in mixer until spices are fully incorporated 2. Mold into 2-oz. portions. Grill.

3. TO PLATE: Place patty between rounds of pita. Top with salad. Serve.

RECIPE COURTESY OF RYAN DANIELS, EXECUTIVE CHEF, FIDDLESTICKS COUNTRY CLUB, FORT MYERS, FLA.

PASTRY

FOR HAMILTON HARBOR YACHT CLUB, ARTISAN ICE CREAMS AND SORBETS ARE ENRICHING THE CLUB’S DEVELOPING PASTRY PROGRAM. SEAN DWYER, PASTRY CHEF OF Hamilton Harbor Yacht Club (HHYC), in Naples, Fla., is known for his creative house-made sorbets and ice creams, which feature fresh ingredients that make way for bright colors and big flavors.

Mango, raspberry and coconut sorbets are always available, alongside vanilla ice cream. A handful of more seasonally inspired variations, as well as an alcohol-infused ice cream, complete the ever-changing menu.

At Hamilton Harbor Yacht Club, members can choose three to six housemade sorbets and ice creams.

With traditional flavors, Dwyer keeps it simple and spins sorbets for each service. For the more adventurous flavors, he likes to incorporate herbs and seasonings, to add depth and round out the flavor.

Members can choose between a

half-order of three or a full order of six different ice creams and sorbets that Dwyer forms into quenelles and plates in a frozen deviled-egg tray.

“We serve the dish with as many spoons as the table would like,” says Dwyer, who was recently named Pas-

January 2019 C&RB’s CHEF TO CHEF 13

PHOTO COURTESY OF HAMILTON HARBOR YACHT CLUB

CREAM OF THE CROP

PHOTOS COURTESY OF HAMILTON HARBOR YACHT CLUB

FOOD & BEVERAGE

Dwyer uses housemade ice creams and sorbets to enhance more upscale desserts.

Raspberry Sorbet INGREDIENTS: 850G 135G 5G 300G 35G

RASPBERRY PURÉE SUGAR STABILIZER WATER GLUCOSE

DIRECTIONS: 1. Mix half sugar and stabilizer 2. Bring remaining sugar water and glucose to a boil 3. Whisk in sugar stabilizer mixture 4. Whisk in purée 5. Process in a ice cream machine.

RECIPE COURTESY OF SEAN DWYER, PASTRY CHEF, HAMILTON HARBOR YACHT CLUB, NAPLES, FLA.

14 C&RB’s CHEF TO CHEF January 2019

try Chef of the Year by his local ACF chapter.

These cold, colorful quenelles are a hot ticket with HHYC’s 400 members. But the sweet treats aren’t the most impressive thing about HHYC’s pastry program. Rather, it’s how they help to further elevate an already impressive operation.

Dwyer came to HHYC in June of 2017, after serving as Pastry Chef of Palmira Golf and Country Club in Bonita Springs, Fla. When the opportunity to come to HHYC was presented, the pastry program was in its infancy. Dwyer saw the potential and jumped at the opportunity to make his mark.

“The club has an amazing executive chef— Carlos Torres—who is incredibly talented and current on trends,” says Dwyer. “He believes in pastry. Plus, the club was about to embark on a kitchen remodel that included the buildout of a brand new pastry shop.”

That shop was completed earlier this year and is outfitted with the highest-quality equipment, including a top-of-the line combi oven, a marble table, a cook-and-hold oven that creates a humid, rain forest-like environment that is great for custards, and the kind of ice cream maker pastry chefs dream of.

The cutting-edge space has become Dwyer’s think tank for menus that carefully balance traditional comfort desserts with more modern applications.

“The membership here really appreciates and craves high-end pastry,” says Dwyer, who is driven by one main goal: to create unique pastry experiences for members.

“We change menus monthly so we can showcase the seasons,” he adds. “But we’re also very conscious of catering to our members’ desires.”

For example, Dwyer has seen members gravitate toward organic ingredients and products. In response, he now offers at least one organic dessert on every pastry menu.

“The success of our program relies on satisfying and surprising our members,” he says.

“We will continue to engage all the senses, offer lots of variety, and find ways to offer personalized touches that really elevate the experience.”

Shanghai Sesame Seed Big Eye Ahi Tuna Wakame Cucumber Noodle Salad INGREDIENTS: 18 OZ. BIG EYE AHI TUNA, BARREL-CUT ½ CUP TOASTED SESAME SEEDS ½ CUP CORIANDER SEEDS

AND LEAVES, CHOPPED ¼ CUP SESAME OIL 1 TBSP. COURSE KOSHER SALT 2 TBSP. FRESH-CRACKED

BLACK PEPPER 4 OZ. WAKAME SEAWEED

4 OZ. RICE GLASS NOODLES 1 CUCUMBER PEELED,

SEEDED AND SLICED 4 TBSP. APPLE CIDER VINEGAR 3 TBSP. TAMARI SOY 2 TBSP. HONEY ¾ TBSP. SESAME OIL 1 GREEN ONION, CHOPPED ½ CARROT, SLICED 4 EACH PICKLED RADISHES 4 EACH DAIKOU SPROUTS 1 EACH FUJI APPLE

DIRECTIONS: 1. FOR TUNA: Season tuna with salt and pepper. Rub barrel-cut tuna with sesame seed and coriander. Place large non-stick pan on the stove over medium-high heat, add the sesame oil. Once the oil is hot, sear tuna for 10 seconds on each side until the tuna is rare, set aside and let rest.

2. FOR WAHAME CUCUMBER NOODLE SALAD: Soak rice glass noodles in hot water for 3 minutes. Marinate seaweed, noodles, cucumber, carrots and green onions with sesame oil, honey, tamari soy and apple cider vinegar.

3. TO PLATE: Place salad in the center of the plate. Slice tuna on ½-inch bias. Arrange tuna surrounding the salad. Decorate with pickled radish, daikou sprouts and Fuji apple.

RECIPE COURTESY OF MANFRED BRÄUER, EXECUTIVE CHEF, THE VINTAGE CLUB, INDIAN WELLS, CALIF.

January 2019 C&RB’s CHEF TO CHEF 15

Oh,

the places

you’ll go

by Joanna DeChellis, Editor

Executive Chef Manfred Braüer is leading, learning and achieving remarkable F&B success at The Vintage Club.

M

ANFRED BRÄUER, EXECUTIVE CHEF OF THE VINTAGE CLUB (Indian Wells, Calif.), is the kind of leader people want to follow. He has a clear and compelling vision for the club’s food-and-beverage

program. And he is relentless in his pursuit of excellence.

In the four years he’s been with The Vintage Club, Bräuer’s impact on F&B has been profound. In 2014, before he came on board, the club served 17,000 dining covers. In 2018, under his leadership, the cover count nearly doubled, to 30,000. Today, Vintage does a little more than $4 million in annual F&B—an increase of $1 million since 2014.

Despite that impressive growth and a career filled with successes—or perhaps because of it—Braüer is a remarkably humble chef. He uses his skills, experience and knowledge to attract and inspire.

16 C&RB’s CHEF TO CHEF January 2019

January 2019 C&RB’s CHEF TO CHEF 17

THE VINTAGE CLUB

AT A GLANCE Location: Indian Wells, Calif.

Members: 477 Annual F&B Revenue: $4M

A la carte/Banquet Mix: 50/50 Food Cost: 43% Annual Golf Rounds: 26,000 F&B Minimum: none Dining Spaces: • Palm Court • Lakeview Grille • Vintage Market Kitchens and Sizes: • 6,000 Sq. Ft. (Main) • 1,800 Sq. Ft. (Palm Court) No. of F&B Employees: 45 Clubhouse Size: 85,000 Sq. Ft. Banquet Capacity: 500

LakeView Grille offers some of the most stunning and serene views in the area.

“I’ve worked with dozens of chefs over the course of my career,” says Steve Cenicola, General Manager/Chief Executive Officer, who came to The Vintage Club about six months after Bräuer.

“He is more passionate and more dedicated than any chef I’ve ever seen. He cares about the details as much as he cares about the big picture.

“And he is so good to his people,” Cenicola adds. “He has a heart of gold.”

BORN FOR THIS Austrian-born, Bräuer is a highly skilled culinarian. He has trained in kitch-

ens across the globe, including a handful of 3-star Michelin restaurants. He has lived and worked in Vienna, France, Switzerland, Brazil, Madera (Portugal), Japan, Uruguay, Las Vegas, Naples (Fla.) and Hollywood. He is fluent in five languages, which allows him to liaise with nearly anyone who crosses his path.

“I’m from a very small village of only about 800 people, and I was the second youngest of seven children,” says Braüer. “My mother was a great cook and had a garden filled with dozens of different kinds of vegetables. She enlisted my help from an early age.

We know how challenging it can be to serve food safely here...

...or here.

Club and Resort_4-11-17.indd 1

“My childhood was essentially a lesson in what ingredients are supposed to taste like, and how to prepare them correctly,” he adds.

That lesson lives on at Vintage, where Braüer is redefining the club’s quality standards. “Good food starts with fresh, high-quality ingredients grown and produced with integrity,” he says. Not surprisingly, Vintage operates a nearly scratch kitchen, where shortcuts are not accepted.

Variety is also an important part of Vintage’s success. Menus are overhauled seasonally, with specials changing daily.

Small plates, vegan options and healthconscious cuisine are also popular.

“Our members dine all over the world,” says Braüer. “They come to Vintage instead of hopping on their plane and flying to Las Vegas, because we go out of our way to make sure each member is satisfied.

“I don’t say no,” he adds. “It’s hard to manage, and it does get complicated when we’re busy. But our only purpose is to serve our members.”

PAYING ATTENTION Braüer engages directly with members during service, walking the diningroom floor to ask about their meals and dining experience. During this time,

he’ll subtly influence member behavior and encourage their participation in upcoming events.

“I know our members well,” says Braüer. “I notice when they don’t attend events at the club. So when I see them after an event they were unable to attend, I’ll tell them how much I missed them and wished they were there. I’ll then personally invite them to our next event and share some details about it.”

In response, members are doubling down on participation.

REBRANDING PALM COURT Vintage has two main dining spaces, plus a retail outlet.

The LakeView Grille, Vintage’s more formal dining room, offers both indoor and al fresco dining with captivating lake and mountain views (see photo, pg. 18).

Menus are upscale and feature seasonal specials, sushi, steaks and seafood.

The Palm Court restaurant, located near the pool, offers a more relaxed vibe. Its menus center around casual and comfort cuisine—but that hasn’t always been the case.

“About five years ago, Palm Court wasn’t sustaining itself,” says Cenicola, who spent the bulk of his career with the Marriott organization before coming to Vintage.

Braüer’s specials include dishes like the Shanghai sesame seed big eye Ahi Tuna with wakame cucumber noodle salad (above). More casual graband-go and convenience items can be purchased at The Vintage Market (below).

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USING WINE TO CONNECT WITH MEMBERS

Braüer (far right) leads his culinary team by example.

“The same menu from LakeView was being served in Palm Court,” he explains. “But the atmosphere is much different. Palm Court needed its own identity.”

Cenicola and Braüer redefined the style of cuisine served in each outlet. LakeView went upscale while Palm Court, located near most of the club’s recreational amenities, skewed casual.

Now, fresh fish, roasted chicken, salads and other more approachable dishes are finding favor with members.

“Over half of Vintage’s covers come from Palm Court,” says Braüer.

CATERING TO CONVENIENCE Near Palm Court—and sharing the same kitchen—is The Vintage Market, a retail-inspired outlet offering convenience items such as gallons of milk, personal items and paper goods, as well as wine, coffee drinks, fresh-squeezed juices, ice cream, grab-and-go sandwiches and salads. The Vintage Market is also home to the club’s newly added pizza oven.

“Members can stop at the Market and order pizza by the slice,” says Cenicola.

“They can also call the Market and order pizza for delivery.”

Pizza isn’t the only delivery option at Vintage. When Braüer saw how eager members were to get the club’s food delivered to their homes, he created a to-go menu that is serviced out of the Palm Court kitchen.

“We have a to-go phone line for members to place their orders,” says Braüer.

“We run two expeditor lines, and one is dedicated to to-go.” The club now does between 30 and 35 to-go orders every night (with a small delivery fee added).

STAFFING FLEXIBILITY As Palm Court’s new identity began to resonate with members, Braüer and Cenicola began cross-training staff.

“Employees are much happier,” reports Cenicola. “Some have even been able to double their wages by working

in both restaurants and picking up banquets. They also get to know our members better, which furthers our mission to provide great service.”

Cross-training feeds into Braüer’s mentoring and coaching mentality. “I have a passion for people,” he says. “I want them to enjoy their work and care about our members. I try to lead by example.”

It’s commonplace at Vintage, in fact, to find Braüer working the line alongside his cooks. “I set the baseline,” he says. And by coaching his team and being a hands-on chef, he feels, he is able to set the club up for long-term success.

“Clubs need leaders who are willing to roll up their sleeves and do the work,” he notes.

Cenicola is just as passionate about helping whenever needed and respecting each team member as a professional.

For example, during their morning meeting as they pass by the dishroom, Braüer and Cenicola will stop and shake hands with the dishwasher, thanking him for his hard work and dedication.

“This industry has a penchant for turning and burning workers,” says Cenicola. “We aren’t like that here. And that’s what has made us a success. Our retention rate is 97%. We take very good care of our employees, so they can take care of our members.”

CELEBRATING GROWTH At Vintage, when everyone is moving forward together, success takes care of itself.

“My greatest pleasure is in watching an employee start here at a minimumwage position and grow within the club, taking on more responsibility and moving up the ranks,” says Cenicola. “That type of growth isn’t just good for our club and our members. It extends beyond these walls. When our staff members move on to other clubs, they become ambassadors for Vintage.

“Chef is especially amazing at mentoring young culinarians,” he continues.

“He knows how to challenge them and

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When Julien Delay, Food & Beverage Manager of The Vintage Club’s LakeView Grille, came to the club, he created a craftcocktail list, thinking it would take off with members.

He was surprised when it didn’t.

“What I learned was that the goal of Vintage is to anticipate our members’ needs before they even realize they need something,” says Delay. “It is more important for us to know what they like to drink than to present them with a menu of trendy choices.”

Delay has since studied the club’s wine culture and learned what members like, lack and desire. In response, he has found a deeper desire for wine-by-theglass variety.

“It’s not unusual for a member to sit down and want a glass of really high-end wine,” he says.

“That same person might not want a $350 bottle, but they are happy with an $85 glass.”

In addition to expanding the club’s by-the-glass selection, Delay has also refined the service style within LakeView.

“We are paying attention to really granular details about our members’ preferences,” he says.

“We know if Mr. Smith doesn’t like white napkins or Mrs. Jones prefers to have salt shakers on the table. That level of personalization is what makes us special and unique.” inspire them.”

Over the past few years, Braüer has developed training programs with detailed manuals to better standardize his process. The program continues to evolve in step with the club’s growth.

“This is not a one-man show; we are a family,” says Braüer. “We have to be world-class at every touch point: from a la carte, banquets and wine dinners to private chef events, culinary classes, and retail.

“There are many moving parts to Vintage,” he continues. “The only way we will continue our success is to evolve our service, our standards and ourselves.”

C H E F S AT W O R K

HOW TO TAKE BETTER FOOD PHOTOS CLUB CHEFS LOOKING TO IMPROVE THEIR PHOTOGRAPHY SKILLS CAN LEARN AND APPLY THESE TIPS FROM TWO PROS.

by Joanna DeChellis, Editor WITH MEMBERS CRUISING SOCIAL-MEDIA PLATFORMS like Instagram and Facebook to see what’s for dinner at the club, it’s become critical for chefs to know more than just how to work the line—they now also need to learn how to work the lens.

A mouth-watering food photo can serve myriad purposes. It can define and elevate the brand of both the chef and the club’s culinary program. It can be used in marketing materials and on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. It can be parked on the club’s website and sent to media outlets, too.

Some of the most beautiful photos might even find their way onto the club’s walls, as permanent, artistic reminders to members that the food at their club looks as good as it tastes.

Here are some top tips from Eric Floyd, Executive Chef of Seattle’s Washington Athletic Club (WAC), for capturing beautiful food photographs.

FINDING THE RIGHT LIGHT Floyd began his career as a landscape photographer while working nights as a line cook. Eventually, these two passions intersected, and the result has led to a stream of stunning food photos.

Floyd, who uses his images primarily for social media, prefers to work with natural light. When good natural light isn’t available—like after a full day’s work—Floyd has a studio in his home where he shoots three to six nights a week.

“Each photo is like a blank canvas that stretches past the edges of the plate,” says Floyd, who has been with the WAC for 19 years and was the Local Conference Coordinator and a presenter on Pacific Northwest cuisine for the 2018 Chef to Chef Conference in Seattle.

“You have to consider the details in every inch of the frame,” Floyd says. “With photography, the devil is in the details.”

22 C&RB’s CHEF TO CHEF January 2019

Floyd says chefs should avoid flashes and never use fluorescent light. “Whenever possible, take your dish to the window, and work from there to get just the right lighting,” he says.

COMPOSITION TECHNIQUES In addition to lighting, Floyd says it’s really important to shoot plates from different angles.

“Don’t be afraid to experiment with colors and textures, both on the plate and off it,” he says.

“No one wants to see a beautiful dish on a dirty line. Look at what’s around you. Incorporate elements that make sense.”

Floyd prefers backdrops that are textured and organic—like wood, bamboo and tinted cement. These neutral elements allow the food to be the star. Ditto for the china he plates on and the garnishes he incorporates.

“Your goal is to tell the story of the dish: what it is, where it comes from, who made it and who it’s for,” says Floyd.

To that point, Floyd refuses to shoot contrived or “fake” food with artificial elements. “I don’t want to mislead anyone and show a dish you can’t actually eat,” he says.

At the same time, he notes, there are dozens of ethical tricks to help make food look better in photos—like sinking a potato into crab bisque to use as a pedestal so that the crab “floats;” or using whipped butter in place of ice cream.

“Play with your ingredients and shoot on different surfaces and plates around the club, to see what works best for you,” he says. “And be patient.”

HOLDING STEADY Floyd shoots with both a Canon 7d2 and his new iPhone X. In both cases, he relies on a tripod, to help reduce the blur that comes from accidentally moving the camera while shooting.

“Smartphones have come a long way,” he says. “Chefs should take advantage of all their capabilities.”

When using a smartphone to capture food photos, it’s best to keep the shot close and tight and to never use zoom, which can greatly affect the quality of the image.

“There are also tons of apps that allow you to edit and adjust color and brightness,” notes

TIPS FROM A PRO Leigh Loftus, a Professional Food Photographer for her company, We Are Loftus (Chicago, Ill.), offers the following tips and tricks for chefs interested in improving their own photography skills.

“Focus on plating with lots of colors and textures, and remember that the setting beyond the plate is just as valuable as the elements on the plate,” she says.

“You’ve picked and prepared these ingredients and carefully chosen the plate.

Don’t put all that effort on a silver prep table under fluorescent lights and assume that’s going to create a beautiful image.”

Like Floyd, Loftus suggests that chefs experiment with camera angles, natural light and consider framing and composition. “Remember the ‘rule of thirds’,” she says. “It will help you create well-balanced and interesting shots.”

(The “rule” is a guideline that suggests imagining the image divided into nine equal parts, separated by two equally spaced horizontal lines and two equally spaced vertical lines. The most important

elements of the photo should be balanced along the lines and their intersections.)

While it’s useful for chefs to understand how to take better food photos, it’s equally important for clubs to recognize when it’s appropriate to bring in a professional.

“Clubs don’t need a professional photographer for images they might only use for social media,” says Loftus. “But for anything printed or for images that might live on your website, it’s important to find a photographer who understands how to shoot and edit food.”

Even with a photographically skilled chef like Floyd, WAC still brings in a pro every month to capture images for the WAC member magazine.

“To just style the food, it takes about five hours,” says Floyd. “Running a $7 million F&B operation doesn’t lend itself to having enough free time to take and edit the kind of images we need.”

Floyd works side-by-side with Professional Food Photographer Olivia Brent, and together they create stunning photos that have been meticulously styled and edited to further the club’s culinary message.

Brent comes to the WAC monthly, but

PHOTO COURTESY OF ERIC FLOYD, EXECUTIVE CHEF, WAC

Floyd, who likes to edit on his phone with the Adobe Photoshop Mobile App, as well as Instagram.

WAC’s Eric Floyd shoots his food using natural light, and neutral backgrounds. He experiments with different angles, and meticulously styles the food.

Loftus suggests clubs might only need a pro quarterly, depending on their menu strategy.

“If you’ve never brought in a professional, the initial investment can be big: between $5,000 and $8,000,” she adds.

“But once you have a catalog of images, the subsequent investments aren’t nearly as big: somewhere between $1,000 and $2,500.”

Worcester Club, Worcester MA

ARCHITECTURE & INTERIOR DESIGN FOR PRIVATE CLUBS & HOSPITALITY STUDIO JBD

JEFFERSON GROUP ARCHITECTURE

Peter Cafaro: pcafaro@jbdandjga.com / www.jbdandjga.com / 401.721.0977

MASTER PLANNING, ARCHITECURE, INTERIOR DESIGN, PROCUREMENT January 2019 C&RB’s CHEF TO CHEF 23

BANQUETS

STEAL THESE ACTION STATION IDEAS CLUB CHEFS ARE COMING OUT OF THE KITCHEN TO BE THE STAR OF THE PARTY WITH EYE-CATCHING ACTION STATIONS THAT NOT ONLY FEED, BUT ALSO ENTERTAIN.

by Joanna DeChellis, Editor OSTERIA-STYLE ASSORTED PIZZA BY THE METER (BELOW)

BY THE POLO CLUB OF BOCA RATON (FLA.)

IMAGES (RIGHT, BELOW) COURTESY OF BONNIE BRIAR CC

During this “Night in Venice” themed event, there were a number of action stations, including a meter-long, stone-fired pizza station at which pizza was hand-cut to order by a chef with pizza scissors to the size member wanted.

Members of Bonnie Briar CC had the opportunity to create their own ramen bowl featuring an array of different options and ingredients. There were two pots of broth—one was vegetarian and the other was a traditional Tonkatsu broth made from beef bones and pork shanks.

Housemade noodles could be topped with slowly braised pork belly, soft-boiled eggs, braised beef short ribs, bamboo shoots, bean sprouts, bok choy leaves, scallions, radishes, enoki mushrooms, hot sauce and a homemade sesame-black garlic oil. The Chef working the station would ladle the broth into a small pot and build each ramen bowl to order.

24 C&RB’s CHEF TO CHEF January 2019

IMAGE (LEFT) COURTESY OF THE POLO CLUB OF BOCA RATON

ROCKIN’ RAMEN (ABOVE)

BY BONNIE BRIAR COUNTRY CLUB (LARCHMONT, N.Y.)

IMAGES COURTESY OF THE METROPOLITAN CLUB OF THE CITY OF WASHINGTON

CLAMBAKE STATION ALONG WITH A BEER-CAN CHICKEN STATION (ABOVE)

BY THE METROPOLITAN CLUB OF THE CITY OF WASHINGTON (D.C.)

Because The Metropolitan Club of the City of Washington (D.C.) rarely serves its members buffet style, when they do, Executive Chef Vincent Horville and his team go all out. Horville will enlist the help of the club’s engineers and wait staff to create displays that feature unique details, complex setups and delicious displays of food.

“By pushing the limits of what’s possible, you learn more about what you’re capable of than by playing it safe,” says Horville. “Take a chance.”

The Metropolitan Club’s beer-can chicken station (above, right) was actually inspired by a presentation at the 2018 Chef to Chef Conference. At the station, Executive Sous Chef Brandon Gross and his team broke down chickens for the members as needed.

Meanwhile, just beside that station, a clambake station (above, left) featured freshly steamed topnecks, steamers, cherry stone clams, mussels, shrimp, sausage, potatoes, corn on the cob and lobster rolls. There were also “birds” flying above the station and a clam shack behind it, cleverly named after Horville.

LUAU STATION WITH WHOLE ROASTED PIGS (LEFT)

BY THE METROPOLITAN CLUB OF THE CITY OF WASHINGTON (D.C.)

During its luau party this summer, The Metropolitan Club of the City of Washington (D.C.) served up whole roasted pigs, carved to order (bottom, left). The station was such a hit that members were ‘hanging out’ by the pigs, reports Horville.

“Don‘t look at everything as a for-profit item,” he adds. “That might limit your idea.

It’s okay to go above and beyond to please the membership. You can find a way to balance your costs. At the same time, not all ideas are good or executable, so learn from your mistakes.”

January 2019 C&RB’s CHEF TO CHEF 25

FRONT OF HOUSE

THE POWER OF THE PRE-SHIFT

PROPERLY MANAGED PRE-SHIFT MEETINGS CAN MAKE STEADY CONTRIBUTIONS TO F&B SUCCESS.

PRE-SHIFT MEETINGS—otherwise known as lineups—are a common and necessary practice for successful dining programs. They allow the front of the house to connect with the back, and set the tone for the upcoming service.

These fifteen-minute team huddles typically take place just before the start of a service period, usually dinner.

They’re attended by the executive chef, sous chef(s), frontof-the-house manager(s) and the service staff.

Together, the team reviews everything from reservations for the evening and special member requests to goals and upcoming events.

“During our pre-shift, we typically go over daily specials, wine and beer education, food education, and any new policies or service standards,” says Dominic Menna, Executive Chef of The Club at Rolling Hills in Golden, Colo.

When he introduces new menus, Menna has also been known to invite members to pre-shift meetings, to gain valuable and direct feedback.

At Red Rocks Country Club in Morrison, Colo., Executive Chef Orlando Edwards uses the pre-shift meeting to remind staff of the club’s core values and service standards.

“It’s important to be consistent and offer constant reminders about our mission: to satisfy member needs and wants,” Edwards says.

KNOWLEDGE IS POWER Lineups also provide a platform for chefs to pass along menu knowledge, by explaining dishes and ingredients and offering tastings of specials.

“The service staff is an extension of what we do in the kitchen,” says Edwards. “We put a lot of effort into creating each dish, so it’s critical that we arm our servers with as much knowledge as possible, as well as talking points.”

Edwards implements daily quizzes for the service staff to ensure that the information, and not only the tasting, is being digested. “Cohesiveness is important,” he says.

“The back of house and front of house have to be on the same page.”

26 C&RB’s CHEF TO CHEF January 2019

PHOTO COURTESY OF BONNIE BRIAR CC

by Penelope L. Wong, CEC

Executive Chef Matthew O’Connor uses the nightly pre-shift to educate service staff about menu changes, which happen monthly at Bonnie Briar CC. He also uses the time to review service from the previous night.

For Bay Colony Golf Club in Naples, Fla., the daily preshift is a two-part series.

First, Executive Chef Tim Recher (previously Executive Chef of the Army Navy Country Club in Arlington, Va.), reviews the daily specials with the front-of-house team. He then uses the balance of time to provide culinary education that helps to build the “food IQ” of the entire team.

“Maybe a dish we’re featuring has chanterelle mushrooms,” says Recher. “During pre-shift, we’ll offer a twominute presentation on what a chanterelle is, why we used it, what it tastes like, where it grows, and why it’s so amazing.”

Pre-shift meetings also offer valuable opportunities to keep the service staff up to date with menu changes, notes Matthew O’Connor, Executive Chef of Bonnie Briar Country Club in Larchmont, N.Y.

LESS IS MORE While pre-shift meetings can be effective tools for successful service, they can also be challenging for chefs and managers if not managed productively. Any material that is covered must be brief, and too much information can easily be forgotten.

To maximize the benefits of pre-shift meetings, thoroughness, ingenuity, and follow-through are key.

“We use pre-shift to go over any special requests and dietary restrictions, so the servers are armed with knowledge ahead of time,” says O’Connor. “We also discuss challenges from the night before, and praise staff for a job well done.”

To create excitement at Bay Colony GC, Recher follows the adage: “Show. Don’t tell.”

“We don’t just talk about how amazing the heirloom carrots are,” he says. “We bring them in, show them to the team and let them taste them. We give them that firsthand experience and connect with all their senses. It’s far more impactful.”

PHOTO COURTESY OF BAY COLONY GOLF CLUB

“We change our dinner menu monthly, so at the beginning of every month we hold a full menu tasting to walk the service staff through the new menu, dish by dish,” he says. “Each month, I’ll also prepare each dish with the cook who’s responsible for it, so that both the front and back of the house understand the expectations.”

During pre-shift, Bay Colony GC’s Lead Line Cook, Bailey Cisek (second from right), educates front-of-house staff about two new specials she created.

LOOPING IN THE GM Andy Reetz, General Manager of Champions Run in Omaha, Neb., attends daily lineups along with the shift leader and department manager. “For us, it’s important to share with our team any needed and necessary information about the shift ahead, while also highlighting victories and offering ideas for how we can further improve,” Reetz explains.

As GM, Reetz sets goals for every shift and motivates the staff with “best dressed” contests and letters of thanks, which he distributes during his pre-shift meetings. He also provides his servers with business cards, to help Champions Run’s members better relate to, and know, the staff.

Promoting follow-through, Reetz also conducts postshift lineups the following day, to revisit material covered the previous day.

“Consistency and follow-through will make the lesson and education sink in,” says Bay Colony’s Recher. “Those repeated experiences are what create habits.

“Pre-shift is part of creating a winning service culture,” he adds. “It helps us each get a little bit better every single day.”

January 2019 C&RB’s CHEF TO CHEF 27

MANAGER TO CHEF

John Corey (left) with GVC’s Executive Chef, Michael Macri.

GROWING UP GVC WHEN YOU’VE SPENT YOUR ENTIRE PROFESSIONAL CAREER with the same club, to say you know the operation inside and out is an understatement. Such tenure gives you profound perspective into the club’s identity, while allowing you the trust of the membership to move forward.

This is John Corey, General Manager and COO of Genesee Valley Club (Rochester, N.Y.). Twenty-nine years ago, Corey started at GVC as a busboy.

Over the subsequent three decades, he climbed the ranks, and didn’t miss a step along the way: busboy, food runner, server, bartender, short-order cook, snack-bar cook, supervisor, dining room manager, receiving clerk and service manager (a position similar to assistant general manager).

In January of 2017, Corey (a recipient of the “Rising Star” Award in 2009, through the Excellence in Club Management Awards co-sponsored by C&RB), was promoted to his current post, where he and Executive Chef Michael Macri, CEC, have been hard at work shaping the future of GVC’s food-and-beverage program.

C2C: HAVING WORKED IN NEARLY EVERY CLUBHOUSE POSITION AVAILABLE AT GVC, YOU BRING A UNIQUE PERSPECTIVE TO YOUR ROLE. HOW DOES THAT EXPERIENCE ADD VALUE? JC: I’ve walked the walk, so when I ask something of the team, they know it comes from a person with first-hand experience and knowledge about all the inner workings of this club. I’ve also had the opportunity to work alongside many of our tenured staff members. Some have been here even longer than me. We have mutual respect. This team has been a huge part of my personal growth, and collectively we are all responsible for the club’s future.

28 C&RB’s CHEF TO CHEF January 2019

PHOTO COURTESY OF GENESEE VALLEY CLUB

C2C: YOU’VE WORKED WITH SEVEN DIFFERENT CHEFS AT GVC, INCLUDING CHEF MACRI, WHO STARTED HIS CAREER THERE IN ’97.

HOW WELL DO YOU KNOW HIM? JC: I was a dining room supervisor when [Macri] began here as a line cook. We worked side-by-side for years and got to be very good friends.

He eventually left GVC because he wanted to take on the role of Executive Chef in a traditional country-club setting. First he went to Brook-Lea Country Club (Rochester, N.Y.), then to Cobblestone Creek Country Club (Victor, N.Y.). During that time, I was promoted to GM, and we were in the market for a new Chef.

I ran into [Macri] and was fortunate to discover that he was eager to return to GVC. And we were just as eager to have him back.

C2C: BEFORE YOU DISCOVERED CHEF MACRI WAS INTERESTED IN RETURNING, WHAT WERE YOU LOOKING FOR IN A NEW CHEF? JC: We wanted someone who understands the unique needs of a city club. We needed a chef who not only follows trends, but knows how to apply those trends to an operation in smart and effective ways. We needed someone who is passionate about food, hospitality and mentoring.

C2C: HOW HAS GVC SUSTAINED ITS CULINARY PROGRAM THROUGH ALL OF ITS CHEF TRANSITIONS? JC: Many of our staff members have incredible tenure. For example, our Maître D’, Genaro Felix, has been here for 47 years. Our foundation is deeply rooted in certain characteristics sustained by these individuals that have made us successful, like focusing on taking care of our members above all else, and mentoring and challenging our staff to constantly improve and grow.

C2C: HOW DO YOU THINK CHEF MACRI HAS IMPROVED THE OPERATION SINCE HIS RETURN? JC: Every month there’s a new menu, with trendy daily specials. He created a health and wellness menu last summer. He is focused on elevating the quality and perfecting the cooking techniques that our culinary team uses.

C2C: WHAT DO YOU RESPECT MOST ABOUT CHEF? JC: He loves what he does, and it shows. He has a can-do attitude and drive in him that pushes him to grow as a chef and leader. He’s passionate about cooking and he goes out of his way to enrich the member experience in the smallest details. He’s very caring, too. That’s evident in how he mentors his culinary team.

Much like myself, he’s a believer in hard work paying off. We’ve both been given great opportunities over the course of our careers. And we want to pass those opportunities on to the people who deserve them most.

list, by listening more closely to what our members want and offering them the opportunity to try something new, while keeping club favorites intact.

C2C: WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE DISH OF MACRI’S? JC: His chicken française—a Rochester classic—is amazing. His mama’s meatballs are also really good. Actually, everything he makes is really good, but his chicken française is my favorite.

C2C: WHAT ROLE DOES F&B PLAY IN THE SUCCESS OF GVC? JC: It’s the cornerstone of what we do here. Our food and beverage revenue is up year-over-year. This tells me that we’re satisfying our members and making sound decisions that are moving us forward.

C2C: YOUR BEVERAGE PROGRAM AT GVC HAS EVOLVED QUITE A BIT OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS. CAN YOU TELL US MORE? JC: We’ve revamped our cocktail program and now we use fresh ingredients and mixers. We’ve also standardized our recipes, so we’re more consistent within our beverage program. We rotate our draft beers more frequently and offer beer tastings to encourage members to try these new beers. We have expanded and improved our wines-by-the-glass

C2C: SO WHAT’S NEXT FOR GVC? JC: I’d love to grow our private dining business. We have eight beautiful private dining rooms that are perfect for business meetings or gatherings.

We’re also looking to offer more boutique member events, such as scotch and bourbon dinners. We’ve found that we get a lot of traction when we offer more events but keep them smaller and more intimate. We also are able to drive demand by “selling out” of these smaller events.

© 2019 Hatco Corporation. All rights reserved.

C2C: HOW DO YOU SUPPORT HIM? JC: A day doesn’t go by that we don’t connect and talk about how things are going. I think our friendship and professional respect for one another goes a long way toward supporting each other. I know when to let him take charge. Likewise, he is comfortable

asking for help or advice when needed.

I also encourage [Macri] and other staff members to take risks. I try to empower this team to make good decisions.

OK, maybe that’s a slight exaggeration.

The point is, Hatco foodservice equipment is so dependable, you’ll likely forget it’s even there. As part of our 360-degree customer experience, we design innovative, high-performance cooking, warming, holding and cooling equipment that’s so reliable, there’s little to no downtime. Don’t you wish all of your equipment was this forgettable?

Visit www.hatcocorp.com or call 888.814.0054

People who serve, products that solve.®

January 2019 C&RB’s CHEF TO CHEF 29

PRODUCT SHOWCASE PRODUCT: BUFFALO STAMPEDE SNACK MIX FEATURES: • Bold and layered flavor combination of spicy, smoky and a touch of sweet • Ideal for club and resort bars • Ingredients include buffalo-flavored peanuts known as Buffalo Nuts, smoked almonds, guacamole bites, “everything” sticks, and butter-toasted peanuts • Available in 20-lb. bulk CONTACT: Truly Good Foods www.trulygoodfoods.com

PRODUCT: INFINIUM® PREMIUM PLASTIC SERVEWARE FEATURES: • An upscale, carefree option for casual environments, ideal for the patio, rooftop and other outdoor settings • Glass-Like Clarity – Creates a refined aesthetic while offering incredible durability • Tough – Made of 100% BPA-free Tritan™ copolyester, which is virtually unbreakable and highly resistant to impacts, cracking, crazing and shattering – more durable than acrylic, SAN or polycarbonate • Convenience – Lighter-weight platters are easier for your staff to carry • Part of a Complete Collection – Matching Infinium premium plastic drinkware options are also available • Dishwasher Durable – Maintains a “like new” appearance even after hundreds of cycles • Industry-Leading Resistance – Stands up to virtually all stains, odors and tainting of beverage flavors • Temperature Resilience – Able to withstand extreme temperatures, up to boiling or freezing points (212°F/100°C to 32°F/0°C) CONTACT: Libbey Foodservice foodservice.libbey.com PRODUCT: KMEDGE DESIGN ICEMAKERS FEATURES: • The KM-115BAJ model produces up to 116 lbs. of ice daily while using 15% less electricity and 11% less water, making it ENERGY STAR®-qualified • The KM-230BAJ model produces up to 230 lbs. of ice daily • The KM-300BAJ model produces up to 295 lbs. of ice daily • The KM-300BWJ model produces up to 265 lbs. of ice daily while using 15% less electricity and 11% less water • At a height of 39 inches with six-inch legs, these self-contained icemakers are front-breathing and perfect for tight spaces CONTACT: Hoshizaki America, Inc. www.hoshizakiamerica.com PRODUCT: CHILI STARTER FEATURES: • Enhance winter menus with this simple preparation and the delicious taste of classic, hearty chili • With rich pinto beans masterfully simmered with chili powder, cumin, garlic, onion and oregano, simply add diced tomatoes, meat and vegetables to create limitless chili possibilities CONTACT: Bush’s Best® Foodservice www.bushbeansfoodservice.com

32 C&RB’s CHEF TO CHEF January 2019

PRODUCT: COOK-N-HOLD LOW-TEMPERATURE SMOKER OVEN FEATURES: • 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 onehour timer for mild to heavy smoke flavor • Standard solid-state electronic control with large, clean, easy-to-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 • Photo shown with optional stand CONTACT: CRES COR www.crescor.com PRODUCT: GLO-ICE FEATURES: • Banquet serving set includes clear tray, light box, mirrored skirt and sneezeguard • Light box is UL-approved for safety • Place an order online at www.gloice.com CONTACT: Glo-Ice by Engineered Plastics www.gloice.com PRODUCT: DROP-IN ROUND INSULATED HEATED WELLS FEATURES: • Designed for both wet and dry operation, the HWBI-QT has fully insulated construction to ensure better heat retention for product quality and more consistent holding times, to conserve energy and to provide cooler surrounding surfaces for customer safety • Self-adjusting thermostats read the actual temperature of the well and add heat only when needed • Available in 4-, 7- and 11-quart (4-, 7- and 10-liter) round wells, with a drain and/or auto-fill and in high watt.

CONTACT: Hatco® Corporation www.hatcocorp.com/en

AD INDEX PRODUCT: SELFCOOKINGCENTER® FEATURES: • On a footprint of less than 11 ft² (1 m²), chefs can fry, roast, grill, steam, poach, bake, and much more regardless of whether they want to prepare meat, fish, poultry, vegetables, egg dishes, baked goods, or desserts for a service of thirty or several thousand • Provides the food quality chefs specify, and even saves money, time, and energy • Does all of the monitoring and checking. Sets the temperature, humidity, and cooking time by itself CONTACT: RATIONAL www.rational-online.com

Chambers 11 410-727-4535 / www.chambersusa.com

C&RB’s 2019 Chef to Chef Conference

30-31

440-250-1583 / www.cheftochefconference.com Cres Cor

18-19

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

36

www.electroluxusa.com/professional Engineered Plastics

27

800-711-1740 / www.gloice.com Eustis Chair

15

978-827-3103 / www.eustischair.com Hatco 29

PRODUCT: CLAREMONT CHAIRS FEATURES: • No other chair offers this level of elegance and comfort in a full-function stacking hardwood chair • No other company offers a 20-year warranty against joint failure on a stacking hardwood chair CONTACT: EUSTIS CHAIR www.eustischair.com

888-814-0054 / www.hatcocorp.com

PRODUCT: TABLESIDE POS FEATURES: • Displays a member’s complete ordering history, including modifiers to enable efficient personalized member service • Compact POS system is designed specifically for a handheld 7” tablet that is not only inexpensive but can also fit in any adult’s hand, pocket or apron • Serves as a two-way link between the kitchen and the server, ensuring that both are always in the know thereby elevating the dining experience CONTACT: NORTHSTAR TECHNOLOGIES www.globalnorthstar.com

Montague Company

Hoshizaki 21 www.hoshizakiamerica.com/energystar/ Libbey 9 www.foodservice.libbey.com Minor’s 35 800-243-8822 / www.flavormeansbusiness.com 2

800-345-1830 / www.montaguecompany.com Studio JBD/Jefferson Group Architecture

23

401-721-0977 / www.JBDandJGA.com Truly Good Foods

13

www.TrulyGoodFoods.com VGM Club

7

800-363-5480 / www.vgmclub.com

CLUB INDEX Bay Colony Golf Club Naples, Fla. 26 Bonnie Briar Country Club Larchmont, N.Y.

24, 26

Champions Run Omaha, Neb. 26 Cherokee Town & Country Club Atlanta, Ga. 8 The Club at Carlton Woods The Woodlands, Texas 6 The Club at Rolling Hills Golden, Colo. 26 The Country Club at Castle Pines Castle Rock, Colo. 10 Fiddlesticks Country Club Fort Myers, Fla. 10

PRODUCT: B3 BUFFET BUILDING BLOCKS FEATURES: • Collections are innovatively designed to have the versatility to go from morning to night, and pair with any decor • Create powerful presentations in six easy steps: Identify your overall concept, style and color scheme; structure your buffet with foundation elements; maximize your buffet with impactful serving pieces, organize your buffet with functional essentials, finalize your food presentation and serving style, pack and protect your investment.

CONTACT: FRONT OF THE HOUSE frontofthehouse.com

Genesee Valley Club Rochester, N.Y. 28 Hamilton Harbor Yacht Club Naples, Fla. 14 Lehigh Country Club Allentown, Pa. 8 The Metropolitan Club of the City of Washington (D.C.)

24

The Polo Club of Boca Raton Boca Raton, Fla. 24 Red Rocks Country Club Morrison, Colo 26 Salem Golf Club North Salem, N.Y. 10 The Vintage Club Indian Wells, Calif. 16 Washington Athletic Club Seattle, Wash. 22

January 2019 C&RB’s CHEF TO CHEF 33

Chef to Chef A CLUB & RESORT BUSINESS C O N F E R E N C E

March 10-12, 2019 Hilton New Orleans Riverside

New Orleans

WHY YOU CAN’T MISS THE 2019 CHEF TO CHEF CONFERENCE With presentations by four Certified Master Chefs—including Russell Scott, CMC, Culinary Director of The Club at Carlton Woods; J. Kevin Walker, CMC, Executive Chef of Ansley Golf Club; Joseph Leonardi, CMC, Executive Chef of The Country Club, and Lawrence McFadden, CMC, General Manager/COO of The Union Club—the agenda for New Orleans is easily the best one yet.

THE LINEUP OF PRESENTERS AT the 2019 Chef to Chef Conference in New Orleans, to be held March 10-12, 2019, features renowned chefs, including several Certified Master Chefs, from many of the industry’s leading clubs, who will present sessions focused on career advancement and professional development.

Chef presenters will also provide practical insights and creative ideas for specific culinary areas, including modern twists on classic dishes, pastry enhancements, snack bar ideas, guest chef programs, wellness menus, and going chaferless.

The Conference will begin on Sunday evening with a keynote address by the legendary and accomplished John Folse, CEC, AAC, who is as much an icon in the Louisiana culinary scene as gumbo and crawfish.

The morning after Folse gives his keynote presentation, Russell Scott, CMC, Culinary Director of The Club at Carlton Woods (The Woodlands, Texas) will kick off the day with a presentation on Staying Focused

on the Key Culinary Details Amid Fast-Changing Trends and Technology.

Other noteworthy presentations at the 2019 Chef to Chef Conference will include: • Integrating Classic Dishes into Everyday Club Menus Presented by Kevin Walker, CMC, Executive Chef, Ansley Golf Club, Atlanta, Ga. • The Chef as Entrepreneur Presented by Charles Carroll, CEC, AAC, HGT, Executive Chef, River Oaks Country Club, Houston, Texas • On-Stage Interviews with Leading Chefs Moderated by Charles Carroll, CEC, AAC, HGT, Executive Chef, River Oaks Country Club, Houston, Texas • Putting a Contemporary Spin on Classic Desserts Presented by Jennifer Kopp, CEPC, Executive Pastry Chef, The Metropolitan Club of The City of Washington (D.C.) • Reinventing Your Snack Bars Presented by K. Scott Craig,

34 C&RB’s CHEF TO CHEF January 2019

CEC, CCA, WCMC, Director of Culinary Operations/Executive Chef, Myers Park Country Club, Charlotte, N.C. • Guest-Chef Events Presented by Richard Jallet, Executive Chef, Baltimore Country Club, Baltimore, Md., and Nelson Millán, Executive Chef, San Antonio Country Club, San Antonio, Texas • Motiving and Challenging Your Kitchen Team Presented by Joseph Leonardi, CMC, Executive Chef, The Country Club, Brookline, Mass.

• Food & Beverage for Today’s Luxury Customer Presented by Lawrence McFadden, CMC, General Manager/COO, The Union Club, Cleveland, Ohio • Combining Culinary School Education and Professional Kitchen Training Presented by Daniel Pliska, CEC, AAC, Chef Instructor, Ozarks Technical Community College, Springfield, Mo. • Changing Member Culture Through Health and Wellness Presented by Michael Ponzio, Executive Chef, Medinah Country Club, Medinah, Ill. • Out-of-the-Box Outdoor Events and Going Chaferless Presented by David Daddezio, Executive Chef, Vicmead Hunt Club/Bidermann Golf Course, Wilmington, Del., and Jerry Schreck, Executive Chef, Merion Golf Club, Ardmore, Pa. Registration is open and filling fast. Register before the 2019 Conference sells out at www.

CheftoChefConference.com.

perfection requires

A L I T T L E C O N C E N T R AT I O N

Filled with the savory tastes of roasted vegetables, sautéed onions and select herbs, Minor’s® Flavor Concentrates add rich, distinct flavor to your soups, sauces and sandwiches. Choose from a variety of Classic or Latin blends, then stir into your hot or cold recipes to easily elevate flavor without the added step of cooking.

Flavor Integrity | Versatility | Ease & Consistency

To learn more about Minor’s Flavor Concentrates, visit flavormeansbusiness.com or call a Minor’s Chef at 800.243.8822.

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

air-o-system the complete Cook&Chill solution Integrated technologies to improve workflow efficiency and simplify cooking operations.

FINAL Plate Ad Club and Resort Business December 2018.indd 1

12/14/18 3:35 PM