The 2026 Chef of the Year Culinary Competition introduces a streamlined format that gives chefs clearer expectations, greater control over preparation, and a more focused test of execution.
About The Author
Joanna DeChellis, Editorial Director, Club + Resort Chef
As Editorial Director of Club + Resort Chef, Joanna DeChellis takes an audience-first approach that combines sound journalistic and story-telling principles with an appreciation for and deep knowledge of the intricacies of the club and resort chef market. She oversees the content strategy and programming for Club + Resort Chef and its various platforms including the Chef to Chef Conference. She has penned award-winning pieces about the many intricacies within club and resort food and beverage operations as well as culinary trends, profiles and breaking news. She is co-host of the award-winning podcast Club + Resort Talks, and has served in various content-development roles over the course of her career, including digital, marketing, print, and in-person events. She oversees the Club + Resort Chef Association, the Chef to Chef Conference and PlateCraft. Prior to these roles, she was the Managing Editor of Club + Resort Business, Associate Editor of Food Management Magazine and a contributing writer for Restaurant Hospitality, Supermarket News, Gayot, Cleveland Scene Magazine, and Duetto. Contact her at [email protected].
Call for Nominations: Club + Resort Chef’s 2027 40 Under 40
C+RC invites nominations by February 3rd to honor outstanding culinary professionals under 40 in the club and resort industry.
Gulf Grouper with Stone Crab–Sweet Corn Bisque Reduction: Master Class with Tim Recher
This season of Master Class is sponsored by RATIONAL and features cooking demonstrations from leading executive club chefs.
Wagyu Flat Iron Pastrami with French Onion Semolina Dumplings and “Peas and Carrots”: Master Class with Kevin Silk
This season of Master Class is sponsored by RATIONAL and features cooking demonstrations from leading executive club chefs.
Mario Trujillo on His First Year as Blowing Rock Country Club’s Executive Chef
Blowing Rock CC Executive Chef Mario Trujillo shares what his first year in the role taught him about trust, mentorship and leadership.
Chef to Chef Announces 2027 Dates and Location
The annual Chef to Chef Conference will take place February 28–March 2, 2027, at JW Marriott Tucson Starr Pass Resort & Spa, bringing club and resort chefs to the Sonoran Desert for three days of education, competition, networking, and culinary inspiration.
May 2026: The Hard Work of Raising the Bar
The May 2026 issue of Club + Resort Business features a cover profile on The Country Club at Castle Pines and the hard work behind its operational transformation following a $20 million renovation, along with stories on pro shop design, grab-and-go dining, tee time management, racquet programming, social media strategy, employee retention, and the leadership philosophies shaping today’s clubs and resorts.
Peter Timmins, CMC, HoF
Through decades of rigorous training, classical discipline, and uncompromising expectations, Peter Timmins established a standard of professionalism that continues to guide the chefs who trained under him.
Jerry Schreck, HGT, AAC, HoF
By helping create the platforms where club chefs share ideas openly, Jerry Schreck strengthened the profession’s collective voice and built a culture rooted in collaboration, mentorship, and peer-driven progress.
Tim Recher, WCMC, CEC, AAC, HoF
Tim Recher has translated competitive discipline and technical rigor into kitchen cultures where mentorship is structured, expectations are clear, and careers are built with intention.
Lawrence McFadden, CMC, HoF
Lawrence McFadden has demonstrated how deep technical credibility can evolve into enterprise-level influence across hospitality, education, and private club leadership.
Michael Matarazzo, CEC, CTACC, HoF
A competitor, mentor, and advocate for more thoughtful kitchen cultures, Michael Matarazzo has influenced a generation of club chefs to pair technical discipline with independent thinking about leadership and responsibility.
Joseph Leonardi, CMC, AAC, HoF
Joseph Leonardi’s career traces a progression from leading high-performance kitchens to shaping club operations more broadly, carrying the same discipline, mentorship mindset, and expectation of preparation into leadership.
Scott Craig, WCMC, CCCD, HoF
A gold-medal competitor, mentor, and architect of industry dialogue, Scott Craig’s career continues to shape how club chefs define leadership, professionalism, and long-term impact.
Charles Carroll, CEC, AAC, HoF
Through global leadership roles, long-term club stewardship, and service-driven initiatives, Charles Carroll has broadened the scope of how chefs can contribute to the profession and the people it serves.