Marilyn Odesser-Torpey

Excellent food is a given at club and resort properties. But today’s members and guests are also craving convenient carryout options that they can “taketh away” as well.

Rows of chafers don’t cut it anymore—not with members, and certainly not with chefs—when it comes to buffet service. Even a weekly buffet can become an anticipated event when fresh ideas are brought to the table.

Offered as an appetizer on the dinner menu, a complement to wine at the bar, or as the centerpiece of a buffet, the charcuterie board has become an integral part of club cuisine. Chefs are producing some components in-house and sourcing others from carefully vetted suppliers, to assure that members and guests always get the most…

The fall and winter holidays give clubs ample opportunity to celebrate their members as well as the seasons, with special events featuring traditional and creative foods. From festive themed family brunches and dinners to adults-only cocktail parties, spirit tastings and candlelight feasts, chefs are coming up with menus to persuade members to make their clubs…

After seeing how members of St. Clair Country Club in Upper St. Clair, Pa., liked to grab trail-mix bars to get a boost of energy on the golf course, Executive Chef Shawn Culp felt that he could make a more nutritious and better-tasting bar to help curb their hunger pangs. Since its introduction in June,…

In addition to bringing a breath of fresh air to meal and event menus, outdoor cookouts give clubs a chance to show off the beauty and versatility of various spaces throughout the property—even those that aren’t used very often.

Whether it’s with unique serving platters, “poufs” of cloth to simulate clouds, or gravity-defying displays, club and resort properties are expanding their array of tabletop tools and techniques to create signature atmospheres in their restaurant and event venues. Floor-to-ceiling windows make golf course views a stunning backdrop for creative tabletop designs at Fairway One, which…

Whether it’s to celebrate a season, a culture, an ingredient, a spirited pairing, or simply a family night out, theme dinners give culinary staffs a chance to exercise their creativity and members to delight in something different.

For some diners, “comfort food” can be homestyle meatloaf or chicken pot pie, while others may get especially warm feelings from an upscaled pot roast or fried okra Caesar salad. Club and resort chefs around the country are expanding how they define, and serve, the dishes that can make a deep-down connection with members and guests.

Just because they’re not eating in the dining room doesn’t mean that members and guests expect less than outstanding food. For takeout and grab-and-go fare, club and resort chefs’ satellite menus are displaying creativity and attention to delicious details.

Today’s couples want wedding venues that can create a one-of-a-kind experience. At clubs and resorts across the country, catering professionals are working with brides and grooms to customize every aspect of their special day, from cocktails to dessert.

Whether the menu features burgers and steaks, luxe lobsters or a succulent suckling pig, just about anything cooked on a barbecue grill or in a smoker is sure to fire up members’ appetites. And for chefs, open-air cooking also opens the way to exercising new creativity with deeply flavorful combinations of woods, seasonings and sauces.

A spirited sip or fragrant smoke can give members and guests a big finish to a great dinner—and good reasons to linger a little longer.

With their distinctive combinations of specialty ingredients, French-inspired cooking techniques and sassy seasonings, Cajun and Creole cuisine have earned their place on dining-room menus far beyond their original bayou boundaries.

Beverages sometimes take a backseat to food at clubs and resorts. But thoughtfully curated and promoted offerings of both spirited and spirit-free libations can reap high profit margins, while enhancing member and guest interest and loyalty.