One year after General Manager Salil S. Bokil, CCM, joined Hollywood Golf Club, Executive Chef Martin Bradley came on board. Seventeen seasons later, the two are still working together to continuously better the Deal, N.J.-based, golf-driven club’s culinary program for its 450 members.
“Often, I see something or come up with an idea, then [Bradley] takes it to the next level,” says Bokil. “Our successes have been a fantastic team effort.”
Club + Resort Chef (C+RC): What keeps you and Chef Bradley at Hollywood GC?
Salil S. Bokil (SB): The overall experience here at the club, from the team to the membership, and the ability to reinvent every year, to keep things fresh.
We’re lucky to have the team we have. Many of our core staff members have been here for a long time, and much of the club’s success over the years is a direct result of that. When a member comes in, not only does the staff know who they are, but also their preferences. This makes it easier for us to go above and beyond.
C+RC: You have a food and beverage background. That must be helpful in working and communicating with Bradley.
SB: One-hundred percent. When I joined Hollywood, I started as Clubhouse Manager/Food & Beverage Director.
[Bradley and I] started around the same time, and it was the first club job for both of us. I came from hotels, and he owned a few restaurants prior to coming to Hollywood. We had members who were regular patrons at his restaurant and loved the food.
We both came into the club world blindly. We made mistakes together, and we learned together. … Hollywood was always known for good food, but our goal over the years has been to step it up to the next level.
C+RC: Tell us about Chef Bradley. How would you characterize him as a leader?
SB: He is one of the calmest and easiest chefs that I have ever worked with. I have worked with individuals in the kitchen who have a short fuse, and all it does is disturb the dynamic. But [Bradley] is a fantastic individual. And we understand each other well.
He’s a natural artist. In his free time, he paints. He also helps with decor for events. And this shows up in his culinary presentations. He has the ability to look at colors and combinations in an unexpected way.
C+RC: Can you share more about his culinary style and the cuisine at Hollywood GC?
SB: His style [leans] contemporary, and it’s clean. He’s not someone who overcomplicates the plate. But his plates certainly stand out.
The food in general is upscale but casual. We do a lot of outdoor dining; we have a beautiful patio that overlooks the golf course. But the team’s capable of doing pretty much anything, from curated, gourmet wine dinners to simple bites.
The core menu stays the same for about two weeks, then we sprinkle in new additions. One of Chef’s signatures that has been on the menu since day one is his Cajun chicken sandwich, which the members love. Our sushi program is also very popular.
We have themed events on Sundays. We just did an event called ‘A World of Flavor’ that we tied in with the diversity of the staff. I’m from India. Chef is from Ireland. We have staff from South Africa, Romania, Turkey, Spain, Mexico, and more. Our staff is very diverse, which is a major asset to us and to the members.
C+RC: How else do you and other club leadership support Chef Bradley and his culinary team?
SB: One thing we do at Hollywood is provide Chef with an ‘educational travel’ budget to use at his discretion, which allows him to travel to different countries every year and bring back menu and flavor ideas. Over the years, he’s been to Lebanon, France, Spain, Portugal, Italy, Dubai. And he tries to enroll in a cooking program to learn from the locals. In Lebanon, he worked at a restaurant to gain that authentic experience of the local flavors and the way things are made.
It’s something he personally aspired to do, and it has transformed our food and beverage operation. The members truly appreciate it. They look forward to learning where Chef is traveling and what he brings back.
