Andrew Haapala is the Executive Chef of The Country Club of Virginia (Richmond, Va.), where he oversees all culinary operations across the club’s two campuses. In this role, Haapala leads a large, multi-layered brigade responsible for à la carte dining, banquets, and high-touch member programming across six kitchens, with a particular focus on elevated events and experiential dining.
Haapala brings more than two decades of experience in professional kitchens throughout the Mid-Atlantic, building his career deliberately through some of the region’s most respected private clubs. His path includes time at Baltimore Country Club, Chevy Chase Club, and Myers Park Country Club, where he progressed through the brigade before stepping into his first Executive Chef role at Peninsula Yacht Club.
Before being named Executive Chef at The Country Club of Virginia, Haapala spent nearly a decade as Executive Sous Chef at the club, gaining deep operational knowledge of its scale and complexity. Founded in 1908, the club serves a large and diverse membership across two historic properties, requiring precision, planning, and consistency at every level of execution. Haapala’s experience managing both daily dining and large-scale events has shaped his leadership style: structured, calm under pressure, and deeply team-oriented.
His culinary background spans the full spectrum of the industry, from small independent kitchens to platinum-level private clubs. That range informs his practical approach to menu development, capital planning, cost control, and staffing. Haapala is known for building systems that support creativity without sacrificing discipline, and for developing teams capable of executing at a high level during the club’s busiest moments.
In recent years, Haapala has become particularly focused on member-facing culinary experiences that bring guests closer to the kitchen. His Chef’s Table dinners at The Country Club of Virginia have grown into signature events, inviting members directly into the culinary process through intimate, carefully choreographed services that highlight technique, teamwork, and hospitality at its most personal.
At his core, Haapala is a chef who values the progression of food, systems, and people. He remains committed to leading from within the kitchen, mentoring his team, and delivering dining experiences that reflect both craft and care.
