During an evening cocktail reception on Tuesday, March 5th, at the 2024 Chef to Chef Conference in Austin, four club chef competitors will face off in the eighth annual Club + Resort Chef of the Year mystery basket-style culinary competition.
Each chef competitor will have 60 minutes to prepare and plate two dishes: an entrée and a small plate. Each chef will also be paired with an apprentice and have access to an extensive spread of ingredients, equipment and plateware. The competition will conclude with a group of club chef judges determining the winner. Points will be awarded for taste, plating and originality.
The first-place winner will be awarded a $4,000 cash prize and a Club + Resort Chef feature. The second-place winner will be awarded a $1,000 cash prize.
“Participating in the Club + Resort Chef of the Year Competition is about showcasing your culinary skill, embracing new challenges, and seizing an opportunity for growth and recognition,” says Scott Craig, WCMC, Executive Chef of Cullasaja Club, one of the Chef to Chef Conference Coordinators and one of the 2020 Club + Resort Chefs of the Year.
Club + Resort Chef Editors and Chef to Chef Conference Coordinators are accepting applications for chefs interested in participating in this competition.
Interested chefs must be registered for the 2024 Chef to Chef Conference and apply here: Club + Resort Chef of the Year Application
The Club + Resort Chef of the Year Culinary Competition is vital in the Chef to Chef Conference, offering an exciting, live cooking experience for attendees and competitors.
Former Club + Resort Chef of the Year winners include:
2023: Sam Brod, CEC, The Landings Golf & Athletic Club
2022: Robert Meitzer, CEC, AAC, Forest Lake Country Club
2022: James Allen, CEC, Blackthorn Club at the Ridges
2020: Scott Craig, CEC, CCA, WCMC, Myers Park Country Club
2020: J. Kevin Walker, CMC, AAC, Ansley Golf Club
2019: Eva Barrios, CEC, Austin Country Club
2019: Nelson Millán, San Antonio Country Club
2018: Brandon Gross, The Metropolitan Club of the City of Washington D.C
2017: Todd Walline, CEC, CCA, Blue Hills Country Club
2016: Thayer Johnson, Castlewood Country Club