—Stephen Valenti, CEC, Executive Chef, Bloomfield Hills Country Club
Meet the Class of 2024: Stephen Valenti, CEC
- Age: 36
- Executive Chef
- Bloomfield Hills Country Club (Bloomfield Hills, Mich.)
In his relatively short tenure at Bloomfield Hills Country Club, Stephen Valenti has transformed the culinary program into a dining destination. When Valenti started at the club, there was a significant amount of turnover in the kitchen. Two years later, he has built a team of dedicated culinarians laser-focused on providing an exceptional culinary experience for members.
Club + Resort Chef (C+RC): How do you feel about being recognized as one of C+RC's 40 Under 40 honorees, and what significance does this achievement hold for you?
Stephen Valenti (SV): Being recognized for this award is a significant point in my career. It culminates many years of hard work and dedication to the craft of cooking and only intensifies my drive to continue to grow and learn.
C+RC: What advice would you offer young chefs aiming to excel in the club and resort culinary industry?
SV: Choose a club or resort with a respected chef and culinary program and work as hard as you can for them, as it will pay dividends for your future.
Working at a club is an excellent way to build your knowledge and skillset by learning different types of cuisines and techniques. No two days are the same, and the requests from members are unique in every situation. Do your research to find a great club and chef to work under, allowing you to learn every possible thing that you can from them.
C+RC: Can you share a personal challenge you've faced in your career and explain how it has shaped you as a chef?
SV: "I will let you struggle, but I will never let you fail." I can remember the moment that Chef Beland told me this during a busy summer day at the Country Club of Detroit. I was the banquet chef at the time, and we had several large events going off simultaneously. I was struggling to get one of the events set up, and Chef Beland brought me back into the kitchen, looked me straight in the eyes, and said, "I will let you struggle, but I will never let you fail." We regrouped, made our adjustments, and everything went off without a hitch. That moment taught me how to step back, evaluate the situation or process and make the best decision for what needed to be done at that moment. It was a great feeling to know that, no matter what, he always had your back, and was always there to lend a hand, and I certainly took it to heart. I never wanted to get into a situation like that again. It made me realize that I needed to learn to delegate more effectively and think ahead and for any possible situations that could arise. Plan the work and work the plan, whether it be a banquet event, wine dinner or an a la carte service.
C+RC: What are your future goals and your plan to achieve them?
SV: I want to continue down the path of some of my mentors and take the CMC exam. I hope to begin that process this year by participating in the AMCO assessment program, participating in ACF competitions, enhancing our monthly chef’s table dinners, and elevating our a la carte and club events at BHCC. I want to show the members at my club how committed I am to progressing my current skills and my ability as their Executive Chef.
C+RC: What inspired your career in the club and resort sector?
SV: Chef Doug Ganhs and Chef Brian Beland are the two people who inspired me the most to remain in the club sector. Chef Doug was one of my instructors in culinary school and is a great mentor and friend to this day. He pushed me to go and work for Chef Beland at CCD, and I cannot thank him for that encouragement. My last year in culinary school, Chef Doug asked me to be an apprentice for the Michigan Culinary team that was competing in the IKA Culinary Olympics. I obviously jumped at the opportunity. It Just so happened that Chef Beland was also a member of this team, and thankfully, he brought me onto his staff at CCD a month after we returned home. Chef Beland is the Chef I look up to the most. I spent 8 years working and learning from him, and I would not have changed a thing about it. He taught me everything that I still use to this day, from the basics of flavor development, organization and menu writing to ordering and being an absolute professional. He is the epitome of a mentor and a great friend; I am where I am today because of him.