A club with a strong internship program provides students with the opportunity to get hands-on work experience in a fast-paced kitchen environment.
Clubs with culinary internship programs provide students the unique opportunity to apply the skills learned in the classroom in a real-world kitchen environment. During an internship, students work alongside other professionals and mentors that provide supervised support and feedback. For a student, this is valuable work experience that provides opportunities to perfect their culinary techniques, expand their knowledge base, and make valuable industry contacts. There are many clubs that welcome interns with programs in place to help students with the transition into a successful culinary career.
Farmington Country Club (Charlottesville, Va.)
Farmington Country Club is a full-service, family-oriented, private club that provides first-class facilities, exceptional service, and innovative programs to its members, families, and guests. FCC is a member-owned club founded in 1927 with a proud history, rich traditions, and a commitment to the customs of southern hospitality. FCC is dedicated to serving the dining tastes of the full spectrum of its members, with casual dining, fine dining, a poolside grill, and a food truck. The club has two restaurants, a formal dining room and a grill restaurant, seating a total of 300; each has its own kitchen. In addition, there are private dining rooms seating 100, 50, 40 and 12, a ballroom seating 250 and two seasonal snack bars.
Farmington Country Club’s internship programs offer exceptionally rewarding opportunities for culinary arts students as well as hospitality management students interested in pursuing careers in club management. Culinary arts interns learn to prepare food for fine dining, casual dining and seasonal dining outlets, and they also receive an introduction to pastry. Interns rotate through the Club’s two kitchens and the bakery, progressing through the various kitchen positions. Advanced training in pastry may be arranged. At the conclusion of the internship, interns participate in a performance review process to discuss performance and to identify areas to focus on for continued professional improvement. The club also provides fully furnished apartments to interns with a weekly payroll deduction.
The Desert Mountain Club (Scottsdale, Ariz.)
The Desert Mountain Club is home to ten distinctive restaurants and grills. The club offers an internship program that is a hands-on learning experience dedicated to building next-generation industry club leaders with access to what it takes to successfully operate a top 15 private club in the U.S. To participate, students must be currently enrolled in an accredited culinary program and the internship must be recognized by the intern’s collegiate institution as academic credit. The Desert Mountain Club has established partnerships with Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts and Culinary Institute of America. Internships are paid and full-time, which entails 32-40 hours per week for a minimum of 12 weeks with housing available on a first-serve basis.
Baltimore Country Club (Baltimore, Md.)
Founded in 1898, Baltimore Country Club has over 3,200 members and is one of only twelve clubs nationwide to operate two separate campuses. Recognized as a top Platinum Club of America, BCC is one of the top 50 clubs in the nation and top 100 in the world. BCC has five kitchens, 11 food and beverage outlets, and has an annual food and beverage revenue that exceeds $6 million.
BCC is committed to enhancing students’ knowledge, skills, and abilities with real-world experience. Internships include formal and informal on-the-job training, consistent feedback, and offer networking opportunities. Interns will experience multiple culinary facilities and will participate in culinary operations working the line, banquets, pastry, quick service outlets, and as a garde manger. Interns will work in an environment where others are passionate about providing exceptional service and experiences, work and network with top leaders in the club and hospitality industry, and enhance interpersonal skills by interacting with members, guests, club leaders, and peers. Internships have flexible start and end dates, lasting at least 10-12 weeks and longer if desired. Students will receive college credit, competitive pay, complimentary staff meals, as well as fully-furnished, subsidized housing.
Lehigh Country Club (Allentown, Pa.)
Lehigh Country Club was founded in 1910 and is a private, full-service country club with a long proud tradition of excellence in golf, racquets, and social activities. LCC has been awarded the Distinguished Club Award since 2017, an award received by less than 3% of all private clubs. LCC has almost 700 total members and is supported by approximately 200 team members in season.
The elegant clubhouse offers a setting for both formal and informal a la carte dining. The club has a kitchen that serves four a la carte dining rooms and six banquet rooms along with a Halfway House on the golf course and a seasonal snack bar pool restaurant operation. LCC has various culinary internship positions available year-round and offers hands-on exposure to a la carte, banquets, food prep, and execution.
Cherokee Town & Country Club (Atlanta, Ga.)
Cherokee Town and Country Club, a dual clubhouse facility, is a 65-year-old member-owned club with 2,500 members and is recognized as one of America’s premier private clubs. The Town Club is located in the exclusive Buckhead area with its formal fine dining room, casual members dining room, and family-friendly dining room has banquet facilities including a ballroom seating 350, plus 8 private dining rooms.
Cherokee Town and Country Club values its employees and interns for their hard work and dedication. While not required, prior restaurant experience is preferred and applicants should be completing a college education in the culinary field. Daily responsibilities for interns include set-up, prep work, cooking, inventory, breaking down stations, and cleaning. Interns earn a competitive wage based on experience along with free shift meals.
The duties performed by students during their internships will differ widely among clubs, such as prep work, cooking on the line, or finishing dishes. However, no matter the tasks, being in a real kitchen environment and receiving daily feedback is crucial for a student’s long-term career goals in a professional club kitchen.