During an evening cocktail reception closing out the 2025 Chef to Chef Conference in Baltimore, Geoffrey Lanez, MBA, CEC, Executive Chef of The Patterson Club and Club + Resort Chef 40 Under 40 alum, was named Club + Resort Chef of the Year. The winning entree was a scallop credo with mango, pickled jalapeño, pickled red onion, and a passion fruit sauce.
Lanez worked alongside apprentice Jack Wagner, also on C+RC’s 40 Under 40 list and the Executive Sous Chef of Brentwood Country Club in Los Angeles. Lanez receives $4,0000, plus the prestigious title, and an upcoming feature in Club + Resort Chef.
“To be named Club + Resort Chef of the Year is something that I’ve been wanting for such a long time,” says Lanez, “and to finally achieve it feels amazing.”
The runner-up was Sous Chef Alejandro Rivero of Blackthorn Club in Jonesborough, Tenn., alongside apprentice Jake Powers, Sous Chef of Great Oaks Country Club. Rivero receives a $1,000 prize. Other competitors included Cynthia Romstadt, Executive Chef of Colonial Country Club (Fort Worth, Texas), alongside apprentice Hans Howland, Chef de Cuisine at Blue Hills Country Club, and Brad Menhorn, Executive Chef of Druid Hills Golf Club (Atlanta), alongside apprentice Susanna Larson, Executive Sous Chef of Yellowstone Country Club.
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.
The competition featured two exciting rounds and a select team of judges determining the winners. Participants had 60 minutes to prepare and plate a small plate appetizer, an entree, and a signature non-alcoholic beverage, utilizing a comprehensive selection of ingredients, equipment and plateware. This challenge not only tests their culinary abilities but also their strategic thinking and adaptability in a competitive environment.
The challenge is not just about speed—judges will evaluate dishes based on taste, presentation, creativity, execution, and timing.
Former Club + Resort Chef of the Year winners include:
2024: Conor Ball, Executive Chef, Martins Camp Club
2023: Sam Brod, CEC, Executive Chef of 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
In addition to the annual Club + Resort Chef of the Year Culinary Competition, Tuesday’s Chef to Chef agenda also featured an incredible lineup of speakers, including The Art and Craft of Sushi, presented by Ocean Reef Club Executive Sushi Chef Eric Andreu, alongside his mentor, Chef Shinji Sakamoto, who received a standing ovation from attendees.
Stay tuned for more photos and coverage of the 2025 Chef to Chef Conference and the Club + Resort Chef of the Year Culinary Competition winners and their dishes.
And mark your calendars: The 2026 Chef to Chef Conference will take place March 8-10, 2026, at The Broadmoor in Colorado Springs.
