March 6, 2023

Every day is a do-over and every morning is an opportunity to start with renewed positivity and perspective. During this session, Chef and Transformational Life Coach Mike Matarazzo will share his strategies for incorporating mindset calibration and self-awareness into a morning routine. Attendees will experience firsthand its beneficial impact on performance and health.

Certified Sommelier and Club Manager Elisha Cicerone, CCM, and Executive Chef Scott Craig, WCMC, will challenge chefs to look at pairings from a fresh perspective. They’ll dive into the secrets and science behind what makes a perfect pairing and share strategies for crafting deliberate and memorable menus that allow the food and drink to enhance the flavor of the other.

Member demand for house-made breads, desserts and other baked goods is soaring, but most culinary teams are limited in time and ability. Executive Pastry Chef Mellisa Root will make a case for clubs to consider hiring a skilled pastry chef who can develop a dynamic and expansive pastry program catered to an operation’s unique needs. She will reveal the cost and financial gains when clubs invest in pastry and explain how this investment will enhance the member and guest experience while contributing to the bottom line.

Executive Sous Chef Andrew Haapala will share techniques and tricks he uses to provide the membership of The Country Club of Virginia with upscale banquet experiences. This session will cover menu creation and presentation for events ranging from wine tastings to board dinners. Chef Haapala will also delve into station set-up, equipment choices, and safe food storage to ensure events are beautiful and run smoothly.

When club chefs are part of the executive team and the house and food-and-beverage committees, it can significantly impact and benefit a club’s culinary operation. In this session, Keith Armstrong and J. Kevin Walker, CMC, will discuss the importance of having the Executive Club Chef involved in club governance. They will share applicable techniques, tools, and skills to help chefs elevate their operations from an executive level.

It’s the prelude to the meal, an introduction to the chef, and a taste of what’s to come. Starters, snacks and small plates play an essential role in creating the kind of dining experience that keeps members coming back. Executive Chef Scott Ryan will demo several of his standout dishes, showcasing how they are creative yet approachable, whimsical yet sophisticated and inspiring and distinct.