Chef’s Thoughts: Tim Drown

Tim Drown
Executive Chef, University Center Club
Regional Executive Chef, ClubCorp
Tallahassee, Fla.

As Executive Chef of the University Center Club (Tallahassee, Fla.) and Regional Executive Chef for ClubCorp’s Business and Sports Club Division in the management firm’s Southeast Region, Tim Drown is experienced in identifying challenges, resolving them effectively and leading teams to success.

Drown, a graduate of Johnson & Wales University, has worked in a number of prestigious kitchens over the course of his 40-year career, including the Ocean Reef Club (Key Largo, Fla.), the Bars Inn in Chatham (Mass.), the Belleview-Biltmore Resort and Spa (Clearwater, Fla.), as well as ClubCorp’s Centre Club in Tampa.

Drown came to the University Center Club, which has annual food-and-beverage revenues of $5 million, in 2007.

1. You’d be surprised to learn that I am a type 1 diabetic and an alligator hunter.
2. If I could trade places with one chef I wouldn’t. I’ve been in this industry for over 40 years and I’m deeply grateful for all the kitchens I’ve worked in, all the awards I’ve won and all the people I’ve met, taught and learned from.
3. My go-to drink is Diet Mountain Dew or beer.
4. One of my most memorable meals was at The French Laundry, when I met Thomas Keller.
5. If I wasn’t a chef, I’d love to be a NASCAR driver.
6. My worst culinary creation was my first demi-glace.
7. If I could change one thing about my property, it would be to add more storage and walk-ins. I’d also raise the wages of my staff if I could.
8. My favorite junk food is ice cream.
9. I knew I wanted to be a chef when I first started working in the kitchen and experienced the hustle and ever-changing environment.
10. You’ll never see truffles on the menu at my club, because my members would not find value in them.
11. I love being a club chef because it’s my passion.
12. When I’m not in the kitchen, I’m outside at the beach, golfing or biking.
13. My biggest mistake when I first started as a chef was trusting people too much.
14. If I were stranded on a desert island, I’d want these five foods with me: pig, bread, cheese, coffee, and beer.
15. I prepare Chef Boyardee ravioli at home, but I’d never prepare it at the club.
16. If I could have dinner with one person, dead or alive, it would be Sigmund Freud or my dad.
17. The most valuable piece of advice I’ve ever received was: “If you want something, work hard and earn it.”
18. My favorite celebrity chef is Anthony Bourdain because he says it like it is.
19. Pig is my favorite ingredient. Truffle is the most overrated ingredient. I can’t live without cheese. And bacon is the most undervalued ingredient.
20. In my kitchen, cooks must be on time and work hard.
21. My most embarrassing moment in the kitchen was when we had a banquet for about 700 older women and one of the cooks used cayenne pepper on the chicken instead of paprika.
22. In clubs, I’d like to see more personalized food and personalized service.
23. In clubs, I’d like to see less rushing to get the food out and more time taken with each dish to make it as good as it can be, adding more finesse.
24. The strangest member request I’ve ever had was when someone ordered a filet mignon “burnt.” We thought they meant “Pittsburgh rare,” so we charred the outside and served it rare in the middle. They sent it back and asked again for it to be burnt. So we burned it black on the outside and served it well, well done in the middle. They loved it.