Marilyn Odesser-Torpey

Cooking outdoors makes any meal a special occasion, and gives clubs and resorts opportunities to showcase their properties and amenities year-round.

Creating the ambiance and experience that members and guests expect for a la carte dining and special occasions calls for a team effort and a deft ability to combine the right variety of tabletop components. 

A buffet pasta bar isn’t the first place anyone would think of for low-carb, gluten-free and Keto (very low-carb) diet-friendly fare. But some clubs are making their buffets destinations for members and guests with special dietary restrictions, or who just want to eat more healthfully. At St. Clair Country Club in Upper St. Clair, Pa.,…

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.