Sycamore Hills Golf Club recently posted about the promotion of three women to its leadership team, all of whom have made history as the first women at Sycamore Hills in their respective roles: Jessica Severin as Sous Chef, Maria Santel as Clubhouse Manager, and Sabrina Bonanno as Lead Assistant Golf professional.
“I am very proud of these young ladies,” says Christopher Hampton, General Manager of Sycamore Hills GC. “Helping to make CMAA more diverse has always been one of my career goals.”
Hampton, who is a fourth-generation club manager, recalls attending a CMAA conference opening business session as a student at Kent State University.
“At age 19,” Hampton says, “I vividly remember looking around the room, leaning over to my father, and saying, ‘Dad, this room is full of old dudes.’ My father replied with something like, ‘Yes, you are correct, but our industry is changing.'”
From that point on, Hampton says, it became his goal to help diversify the club industry.
“Does it still have a ways to go? Absolutely,” says Hampton. “But I am very proud to play a small part in helping spur along that change in our industry.”
“Jessica, Maria, and Sabrina are incredible young professionals who have truly made their mark here at Sycamore Hills,” he adds. “Although I plan to keep these three here in the Hills for as long as possible, I know deep down there is going to be a time when they head off to do incredible things at the highest levels of club management.”
Jessica Severin, Sous Chef, Sycamore Hills GC
Club + Resort Chef (C+RC): What does being a sous chef and a leader at Sycamore Hills mean to you?
Jessica Severin (JS): Being a sous chef/leadership team member at Sycamore Hills means everything to me. It has been both the hardest and most rewarding thing I’ve done in my career. It is also a testament to the culture we have at Sycamore Hills, where we lift individuals up and give opportunities to those who want to advance their careers in our industry.
C+RC: What have been your biggest wins so far as sous chef?
JS: My biggest wins so far have been all the wine dinners. I love finding new ways to challenge myself and these offer me plenty of opportunities to do just that. I also love all of the feedback, both positive and negative as it grants me more opportunities to learn and grow. I also love having more creative control and the ability to continue evolving as a chef, leader, and person.
C+RC: And what do you consider your biggest challenges?
JS: My biggest challenge would have to be chasing the work/life balance, but working at Sycamore Hills and having a great support system in place at home has been helping me get closer to achieving that. I also struggle with asking for help and leaning on my team. Before I arrived at Sycamore Hills, I endured a couple of very toxic work cultures and environments where asking for help and or guidance would lead to being told or made to feel like I wasn’t good enough. Lastly, plating on the a la carte line is challenging as my focus is primarily on banquets and events. My counterpart in the kitchen, Sous Chef Daniel Lewis, who runs our a la carte program, does an incredible job. But I still like to try to jump on the line at least once a week to help out and work on my plating.
My biggest win overall—and also the biggest challenge—is setting an example and being a role model for my daughters. I want to show them that times are changing and that working hard at something you’re passionate about can be rewarding if you’re with the right people in the right environment. I am proud to call Sycamore Hills home and can’t wait to see what happens next!
