1:00 – 2:00 PM: Pre-Conference Workshops

Glycol Cooling and Actual Kitchen Applications—Presented by Montague
The Latest Innovations in Flameless Food Warming & Serving—Presented by Sterno Products
Bridging the Communication Gap Between Front and Back of the House; Operations with the Power of Technology—Presented by Northstar Club Software
The Power of Spice—Presented by Spiceology

2:00 – 3:00 PM: Pre-Conference Workshops

Costs going Down so Revenue can climb Up: Pinpointing Commonly Overlooked Details in Culinary Operations—Presented by ClubProcure
Technology and Innovation in the Kitchen—Presented by Electrolux
2nd Annual Triar Seafood Symposium—Presented by Triar
Maximize Value, Minimize Waste: Utilizing the Whole Leg of Prosciutto di Parma—Presented by Prosciutto di Parma

6:00 – 7:00 PM: Opening Reception with Cocktails, Hors d’Ouevres

This opening reception will feature cocktails, hors d’oeuvres and plenty of opportunities for networking between attendees and sponsors.

7:00 – 8:30 PM: Welcome and Dinner with Keynote speaker Michelle Bernstein

“Creative and Effective Approaches to Cooking, Career Growth and Leadership”

Presented by Chef Michelle Bernstein

9:30 – 11:00 PM: Chef to Chef Lounge

7:15 – 8:15 AM: Breakfast

8:20 – 8:30 AM: Welcoming Remarks and Announcements

8:30 – 9:30 AM: Session 1 – Leadership vs. Management/Innovation vs. Creativity

Presented by Ed Leonard, CMC, Director of Culinary Operations and Executive Chef, The Polo Club of Boca Raton (Fla.)

“Long-term success today, even in clubs, is about branding, variety and creating a lasting member experience,” says Leonard. “This session will help chefs learn how to maximize the factors that will help them create a distinguishing culinary brand, both for their clubs and themselves.”

9:30 – 10:30 AM: Session 2 (with cooking demo) – From Club Chef to James Beard Nominee

Presented by Paul Verica, Chef Owner, The Stanley (Charlotte, N.C. restaurant)

In this session, Verica will outline how his club industry experience played a role in helping him to get where he is today, as an entrepreneur and leader in the Charlotte restaurant revolution. His “Farm to Table” approach started way before it became a popular trend, and his very creative and unpretentious style is the hallmark of his success.

10:30 – 11:00 AM: Networking Break

11:00 – 11:45 AM: Session 3 – A Master Chef Inspired Club Dinner

Presented by Olivier Andreini, CMC, Executive Chef, Bentwater Yacht & Country Club

Chef Andreini will walk us through the menu engineering and the execution of the perfect Valentine’s Day Candlelight Five Course Dinner for 150 pl. This planning process and turnout can be applied to any special club plated event. Chef Andreini will show how a perfect dinner of 750 plates can be served without the advantage of a big kitchen facility or large culinary brigade.

11:45 – 12:30 PM: Session 4 (with cooking demo) – An Introduction to CBD and Terpenes from Canada’s Cannabis Chef

Presented by Travis Petersen, The Nomad Cook

Chef Travis Petersen, recognized as Canada’s leading cannabis chef, will introduce the growing popularity of Culinary Cannabis & Infused Dining. Chef Petersen will speak on, and demonstrate, recipes for dishes that include thc, cbd and terpenes, while highlighting the responsibility of the chef for ensuring accurate dosing.

12:30 – 1:30 PM: Lunch

1:30 – 2:00 PM: Networking

2:00 – 5:00 PM: “Inside the House” Local Club Tour: Carmel CC, Quail Hollow Club

5:00 – 6:30 PM: Dine-Around, Myers Park Country Club

6:30 PM: Buses Return to Westin; Evening Free for Dinner in Charlotte

7:30 – 8:15 AM: Breakfast

8:15 – 8:30 AM: Announcements and Presentation of 5- and 10-Year Pins

8:30 – 9:15 AM: Session 5: The Three R’s: Relevance, Recruitment and Retention

Presented by Michael Matarazzo, CEC, Executive Chef, Farmington Country Club, Charlottesville, Va.

Chef Matarazzo will address the unique challenges that we face recruiting new team members and offer creative ways to overcome those challenges. He will also cover strategies for retaining your staff by staying relevant and providing a quality of life and balance that is often overlooked. While addressing life quality and balance, Chef Matarazzo will share some personal experiences and relate them to the importance of self-awareness and mental health as they relate to overall performance.

9:15 – 10:15 AM: Session 6 (with cooking demo): Inspiring and Retaining a Culinary Team at the End of the ‘Yes, Chef’ Era and demo of Multi-Use Condiments and Plate Finishes

Presented by J. Kevin Walker, CMC, AMC, Executive Chef, Ansley Golf Club, Atlanta, Ga.

The next generation of culinarians react to explicit direction and information. The requirements to be successful are collaborative work environments, professional development opportunities and a career purpose that matches their values. Chef Walker will provide tips for how to keep everyone focused on the same mutual goals in a productive and rewarding, team-first environment.

As part of his presentation, Chef Walker will also present a cooking demonstration on multi-use condiments and plate finishes.

10:15 – 10:45 AM: Networking Break

10:45 – 11:30 AM: Session 7: Women in Hospitality: Promoting Their Success and Impact

Presented by Rhy Waddington, Executive Chef, Winged Foot Golf Club, Rye, N.Y.

During this panel discussion, Winged Foot’s Rhy Waddington will moderate a panel made up of Winged Foot Sous Chef Chrissie Bennett, Colby Newman, Executive Chef of Grosse Pointe (Mich.) Yacht Club and Dana Iannelli, Pastry Chef of Addison Reserve CC. Waddington will focus the discussion on each of these chefs’ career experiences while not shying away from the real issues that women face in the industry today.

“It is my hope that we can better educate some of the attendees on ways to create a better working environment and culture that is inclusive and promotes growth for woman,” says Waddington.

11:30 – 12:00 PM: Session 8: The ‘APPY’ Kitchen: A Paperless Approach to Managing Workflow

Presented by James Hudock, Executive Chef, Gibson Island (Md.) Club

Many, if not all, professional kitchens are operating with the same manual systems (notebooks, checklists, post-it notes) used since the beginning of time. The pain points from these inefficiencies and the resulting confusion or even chaos they can cause have not changed over the years: poor food quality and service and unsatisfied members and guests, and on the personal side, challenges with relationships, health stress, substance abuse, and overall missed moments with friends and family.

During the 2020 Chef to Chef Conference, James Hudock, Executive Chef of Gibson Island Club, will demonstrate a proven technique for streamlining kitchen operations—and reducing stress and miscommunication for all members of the culinary team, while also improving delivery and performance for F&B programs—through a digitally based system for managing workflow.

12:00 – 12:30 PM: Lunch

12:30 – 1:00 PM: Networking

1:00 – 1:45 PM: Session 9 (with cooking demo): Play with Your Food: A Fun Approach to Casual and Fine Dining

Presented by James Allen, CEC, Executive Chef, Blackthorn Club, Jonesborough, Tenn.

“As chefs, we know how to make everything from a club sandwich to poke to seared foie gras with a blueberry-rosemary gastrique,” says Chef Allen. “But do we know how to engage our membership to keep them coming back to our place, when there are so many choices around our towns? Or to keep them coming back to our club when they have multiple memberships across the country, too?”

“During my presentation, I plan to offer ideas and dishes that chefs can take back home to add new appeal to their menus and new fun to their events, too.”

1:45 – 3:15 PM: Session 10: Chef to Chef Live

Breakout discussion sessions with Jerry Schreck, Executive Chef, Merion Golf Club, Ardmore, Pa. and other moderators; free-flowing interchanges on a variety of topics that are always of interest and concern to all club chefs.

3:15 – 4:15 PM: Iron Chef Cook-Off & Closing Reception

3 Two-Person Teams, 2 Staggered 20-Minute Semis and a 20-Minute Final. Audience voting included as part of judging.

4:15 PM: Closing Remarks

Optional Culinary School Tour – Johnson + Wales