Rich Hoffman, Executive Chef of the Country Club of Maryland, recently earned his World Certified Master Chef certification and believes lifelong learning is an indispensable tool for growth.
Chef’s Thoughts is sponsored by barillafs.com.
Rich Hoffman, CEC, CCA, AAC, WCMC, CDM, CFPP, is the Executive Chef of the Country Club of Maryland (Towson, Md.). His professional journey spans over 25 years, but it began at the Southeast Institute of Culinary Arts and with the Greenbrier Apprenticeship program. These foundational experiences opened employment opportunities at a variety of 5-star and 4-diamond hotels and resorts, top restaurants and country clubs. Hoffman trained directly under two American Certified Master Chefs—Peter Timmins, CMC, and Rudy Speckamp, CMC—and recently achieved his World Certified Master Chef designation. He is active in the American Culinary Federation and committed to learning, training and competition.
- You’d be surprised to learn that I am the father of four amazing children.
- If I could trade places with one chef it would be Bryan Skelding, CEC, Executive Chef of The Greenbrier.
- One of my most memorable meals was by Sonny Sweetman at Abacrombie.
- My go-to drink is iced tea.
- My last meal would be sushi.
- My worst culinary creation was my first attempt at sausage making.
- If I could change one thing about my club it would be the addition of a wood burning oven.
- My favorite junk food is wings.
- If I wasn’t a chef, I’d love to be a writer.
- I knew I wanted to be a chef when I realized how much pleasure you could bring to people through food.
- You’ll never see Ortolan on the menu at my club because we are out of bags.
- The most ridiculous member or guest request I’ve ever had was ketchup for their stir-fried rice.
- I love being a club chef because I get to know the members and families I serve.
- When I’m not in the kitchen, I’m at home with my family.
- My biggest mistake when I first started as a chef was working in restaurants for fun and lifestyle, not knowledge and skills.
- I cook Cup Noodles 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 my father.
- The most valuable piece of career advice I’ve ever received was, “Some people come here to do the apprenticeship and others come here to say they did it.”
- My favorite celebrity chef is Emeril Lagasse because he inspired by father to overcome his fear of cooking. Toward the end of his life, he actually fell in love with it. It was his dream to own a small place and cooking gave him a piece of that dream.
- The most important thing in my kitchen is attitude.
- I want to learn more about everything because there is so much to learn in a short life time.
- My favorite ingredient is salt, bacon is the most overrated ingredient. Celery is the most undervalued ingredient. I detest laziness, and I can’t live without citrus.
- I don’t like to brag, but I work in the best industry in the world with the best people in the world.
- My most embarrassing moment in the kitchen was spilling jus on Master Chef Peter Timmins’s new chef jacket.
- I’d like to see more club chefs do more collaboration dinners where we bring multiple chefs together to do courses and learn from each other.
- My favorite cookbook is Herrings dictionary of Classical and Modern Cookery.
- My favorite kitchen hack is tongs to open bottles.
- I am motivated and inspired by my peers.
- The hardest service of my career was when I was on roast station and served 427 plates in 2 and half hours. It was brutal.
- The most popular item on my menu based on sales is crab cakes.
- I’d lose my job if I took crab cakes off the menu.
- Willingness to learn is the most important quality in a sous chef.