Food & Beverage

Geoffrey Lanez, CEC, Executive Chef of The Patterson Club in Fairfield, Conn., began building a name for himself while in college at Johnson & Wales University by competing on the student level and studying under prominent chefs. At age 29, he now manages and oversees a team of about 40 staff and three kitchens to produce…

While the pandemic is keeping Americans from enjoying many of the things they love, club members can still take comfort in special sweet treats, whether dining outside, inside or at home.   

The Executive Chef of Kenwood Country Club in Cincinnati, Ohio joined the club in 2018 and quickly instituted a number of enhancements, including utilizing mobile pizza and smoker equipment, and starting a new sushi program.

The pandemic has made club members crave comfort foods more than ever, and chefs are responding by providing feel-good favorites for indoor, outdoor and takeout dining.

Executive Chef Blair Cannon, CEC, oversees an extensive program at the Winston-Salem, N.C. club that has met all of this year’s challenges—including a kitchen renovation and shoulder surgery for Cannon, in addition to what the pandemic brought—with a measured and unified approach.

The Bluffton, S.C. club offers its members a monthly culinary event centered around a destination or unique geographic attraction. The popularity of the reservation-only evenings has resulted in consistent sellouts over the past year. Also, the sale of club-logoed cups with unlimited refills at Champions Run in Omaha, Neb. has significantly reduced plastic use at its pool.

The Bay Head (N.J.) Yacht Club created its own “Periodic Table of Ice Cream, Toppings and Sauces” to give its action station a “science-y” twist. Also, The Country Club of Virginia purchased a large tower infuser and invited its lead bartender to create custom recipes for drinks the new equipment would be used to prepare.

The Charlotte, N.C. club teams with Myers Park High School’s culinary department to source some of its produce. The school has now become the club’s primary source for bibb lettuce, green leaf, red leaf and frisee. Also, Congressional Country Club in Bethesda, Md. hosted “Thanksgiving Tips and Tricks” classes in mid-November to offer interactive cooking and cocktailing…

Prior to the world coming to a screeching halt, country clubs across America were either in the planning stages or the midst of retooling their kitchen operations and, in some cases, adding and/or upgrading equipment. But then the coronavirus outbreak required on-the-fly adjustments, to keep members safe and well-fed with innovative takeout programs.  

Tom Birmingham, CEC, Director of the Club + Resort Chef Association, walks through Butterfield Country Club’s Marketplace Pickup with Executive Chef James Terry.

Held in the first days of March before the coronavirus pandemic took hold, the 12th Annual Chef to Chef Conference in Charlotte, N.C. provided attendees with insights and contacts that proved especially valuable after they returned home.

Strategically curated collections of spirited and non-alcoholic beverages, selected to span the entire day and accommodate the full scope of members’ and guests’ preferences, are helping the “B” in F&B take off.   

Reports of formal dining’s demise at club and resort properties have been greatly exaggerated. Many chefs report that the tradition is still alive and well, with proper nods to today’s eating preferences. 

C+RB’s inaugural Awards for Food and Beverage recognize Columbine Country Club for developing a Blue Apron-style ingredient-and-recipe home-meal offer, Columbine Fresh, that has turned into a very popular grab-and-go service; and Champions Run for introducing a Pop-Up Poolside Pineapple and Coconut Bar—serving both alcoholic and non-alcoholic tropical drinks.

Inspired by regional and national food trends, seasonal ingredients and members’ cravings, club chefs are leading efforts by their F&B teams to draft a series of menus that can hit the sweet—and savory—spots year-round.