After a full day of educational sessions at the Marriott Marquis San Diego Marina, four competitors faced off in the culinary competition, with Thayer Johnson, Executive Chef of Castlewood Country Club in Pleasanton, Calif., taking home the title and a Vitamix Vita Prep 3 blender.
On February 29, attendees of the 2016 Chef to Chef Conference gathered for a reception on the Coronado Terrace at the Marriott Marquis San Diego Marina, and watched four chefs battle it out in the Mystery Basket competition (Ben Guaman, Governors Club, Chapel Hill, N.C.; Mike Lannon, Naperville (Ill.) Country Club; James Allen, Blackthorn Club at The Ridges, Jonesboro, Tenn.; and Thayer Johnson, Castlewood Country Club, Pleasanton, Calif.) Johnson was named the winner and earned a Vitamix Vita Prep 3 blender.
Congrats Thayer Johnson, winner of tonight’s Mystery Basket competition and a @Vitamix blender! #cheftochef2016 pic.twitter.com/auz2r86bDh
— Club&ResortBusiness (@Club_and_Resort) March 1, 2016
March 1 marked the final day of sessions for the Conference, beginning with Scott Craig, Chevy Chase (Md.) Club, presenting “Formal Dining Doesn’t Have to Go the Way of the Dinosaur,” followed by Craig Peterson, Cherry Hills Country Club in Cherry Hills Village, Colo., presenting his demo, “Buffet Enhancements and Creative Catering Tips to Raise the Bar and Wow Members and Guests.”
After a short break, James Haberstroh, former Executive Chef of Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster, N.J., presented “Taking the Mystery Out of Molecular Gastronomy; Using Its Magic for Profit and Practical Success.” To finish off the morning, Vincent Tracy, CCM, CCE, General Manager/COO, and John Kain, Executive Chef, Town & Country Club, St. Paul, Minn., presented on “Making Club Restaurants Green.”
After lunch, Michael Matarazzo, CEC, Executive Chef, Farmington Country Club, Charlottesville, Va., presented “Going Beyond the Usual Go-to Proteins to Create Exciting Cuisine That Can Address Special Dietary Needs and Requests,” followed by Clive Smith, General Manager, Waynesborough Country Club, Paoli, Pa., and Master Sommelier Rob Bigelow’s presentation on “Wine Pairings: The Do’s and Don’ts.”
To wrap up the day’s events, Quentin Collignon, Pastry Chef of The Jonathan Club in Los Angeles, presented “Desserts/Pastry: Setting a More Tempting Table with Smaller Portions and a Larger Variety of Sweets.”
For the full Conference agenda click here, and don’t forget to keep up as the event unfolds by following C&RB on Facebook and Twitter, using hashtag #cheftochef2016.
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