John Clements, Executive Chef of Plum Hollow Country Club, is inspired by his collection of these.
Chef’s Thoughts is sponsored by barillafs.com.
John Clements is the Executive Chef of Plum Hollow Country Club in Southfield, Mich., a position he’s held for more than two years. He’s worked in a number of other prominent clubs over the course of his career, serving as Executive Chef of The Village Club (Bloomfield Hills, Mich.), Birchwood Farms Golf & Country Club (Harbor Springs, Mich.) and Lakewood Country Club (Westlake, Ohio).
- You’d be surprised to learn that I run five miles every morning.
- If I could trade places with one chef it would be Brian Walsh, CCM, CEC, Executive Chef of Lost Tree Club (North Palm Beach, Fla.).
- One of my most memorable meals was at Fruition in Denver after the 2013 Chef to Chef Conference with friends.
- My go-to drink is Razz-Cranberry LaCroix.
- My last meal would be a bologna sandwich with mayo.
- My worst culinary creation was a Mont Blanc on a hot summer day.
- If I could change one thing about my club I’d change the upper dining room into a casual bar.
- My favorite junk food is peanut M&Ms.
- If I wasn’t a chef, I’d love to be a wine maker.
- I knew I wanted to be a chef when I was watching my grandmother and she would just “whip things up.”
- You’ll never see a slider trio on the menu at my club because it may be beautiful, but when members start to mix and match it gets ugly.
- The most ridiculous member or guest request I’ve ever had was breakfast during a busy dinner service. I told the server “not at this time” but she proceeded to order a pub burger add two eggs, no tomato, no bun, no lettuce, no burger, regular fries. I said “Yahtzee“ and sent it out.
- I love being a club chef because of the range and diversity you can have on the menu.
- When I’m not in the kitchen, I’m at home with my wife, usually doing yard work.
- My biggest mistake when I first started as a chef was being too aggressive and not understanding the need to cater to each individual’s skills and abilities.
- I cook stuffed cabbage at home, but I’d never cook it at the club.
- If I could have dinner with one person, dead or alive, it would be Daniel Boulud. I think his stories would be great.
- The most valuable piece of career advice I’ve ever received was, “Don’t argue with an idiot. People watching may not be able to tell the difference.”
- My favorite celebrity chef is Eric Ripert because his knowledge and technical skills are top-notch.
- The most important things in my kitchen are the tasting spoons.
- I want to learn more about wine because of the diversity.
- My favorite ingredient is the scallop. Truffle oil is the most overrated ingredient. Potatoes are the most undervalued ingredient. I detest herbes de Provence, and I can’t live without butter.
- I don’t like to brag, but I make a mean quiche.
- My most embarrassing moment in the kitchen was pushing a rack of cupcakes through the kitchen for a wedding and almost losing them all when I hit a floor drain.
- I’d like to see more club chefs featured in articles in consumer magazines.
- My favorite cookbook is Chanterelle by David Waltuck.
- My favorite kitchen hack is making hollandaise in the fryer.
- I am motivated and inspired by my collection of cookbooks and the great chefs out there.
- The hardest service of my career was a fish fry at a club up north. All the orders were entered at once with four different options like beer-battered, blackened, sauteed, and grilled. The members mixed and matched, it was brutal.
- The most popular item on my menu based on sales is the sauteed walleye with roasted fennel and fregola, and grape sauce vierge.
- I’d lose my job if I took the Hollow Salad off the menu.
- Confidence is the most important quality in a sous chef.