Addressing healthy eating and special dietary needs and requests should be viewed as a culinary opportunity, not a nuisance.
In the old days, my desktop was something you could put your feet up on, and also pound on for emphasis if necessary. And it would be stacked with newspapers and magazines I’d want to read to keep up on news and trends.
That’s still the case (because there’s still no substitute for the printed words and photos you can hold in your hands, of course)—but I’ve also given a nod to the digital world to expand my desktop so it now also includes stacks of “articles” I’ve come across while browsing online or scanning news briefings.
If you’ll indulge me during a little spring-cleaning of that part of my desktop, here are some things I recently added to my electronic desktop stack, because they relate to topics we’ve all become very interested in through our focus on the club business:
Federal Realty’s Bethesda Row Ready for Spring—This was a story about a 7,000-sq. ft. rooftop garden atop the Federal Realty Investment Trust building in Bethesda, Md., where the office’s sustainability manager said 10,000 lbs. of produce (salad greens, carrots, herbs and other items) are expected to be grown this year and then served in high-end local restaurants. This of course brought to mind the amazing things that Jason McClain is doing with his rooftop garden atop the Jonathan Club in Los Angeles (see “Bright Ideas”). And if these gardens are being made to work so well in smog-choked spots like L.A. and the Washington, D.C. area, imagine how great they can be on club properties where fresh air really abounds.
A New Way to Navigate Healthy—This explored how restaurant patrons who want healthier menu items aren’t only looking for salads or other bland fare. It pointed out how healthy preparations can add flavor, and that terms like “charred,” “slow-braised,” “flame-grilled,” and “slow-smoked” have joined “grilled” and “roasted” as key words that can attract more orders. This brought to mind another Chef to Chef Conference presentation also highlighted in the “Bright Ideas” article—this one by Michael Matarazzo, CEC, of Farmington Country Club in Charlottesville, Va., who laid out a compelling case for the need to address healthy eating and special dietary needs and requests as a culinary opportunity, not a nuisance.
Ryan Wilson Opens $3M Private Club, The Gathering Spot—This was an interview with a young man, fresh out of Georgetown University, who “witnessed the lack of workspaces for millennials during [his] undergraduate years.” Through a variety of fundraising efforts, they raised $3 million to open The Gathering Spot in midtown Atlanta, described as “a cutting-edge, private, members-only business, and social club, geared toward young professionals, entrepreneurs and creatives who desire a work environment comparable to traditional co-working spaces and country clubs, but with a modern twist.” That “twist” includes “24/7 access to innovative events, concierge services, state-of-the-art technology and a full-service restaurant and bar.” Sounds pretty much like what a lot of “traditional” clubs are doing—or should be doing—as well.
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