For Augusta CC’s Executive Chef Marvin Herrera, a dish’s success, no matter if it’s sweet or savory, hinges on balanced flavors and proper technique.
Well before Marvin Herrera became Executive Chef of Augusta (Ga.) Country Club, he was the Executive Chef of Sanderling Resort in Duck, N.C.
It was his first role as Executive Chef, and the uniqueness of the island reinforced the importance of building relationships with locals.
“There was a produce guy who used to show up in his pickup truck three times a week with his daily harvest,” says Herrera. “He had some of the most beautiful products I had ever seen.”
The week he brought corn, Herrera had also purchased some fresh shrimp. That’s when the idea for a Shrimp & Grilled Corn Soup came to him.
Twenty years later, Herrera has moved on from Duck Island, but the soup continues to be a signature item for the resort.
Years later, when Herrera was hired to his current post, he wanted to prepare something special for the general manager who hired him—Henry Marburger—who loves scallops.
“I wanted to create a scallop dish that was elegant and fresh,” says Herrera. “The final product wow’d both [Marburger] and the members.”
This past summer, Herrera and Augusta CC’s Pastry Chef, Richard Lasher, teamed up to create a light and refreshing item for the pastry menu.
“We wanted to do a twist on a key lime pie,” says Herrera. “The strawberries that were coming in were too tempting to pass up. So [Lasher] began working on this recipe, and the final result is the perfect balance of sweet and juicy.”
Recipes:
- Flaxseed Fennel-Crusted Sea Scallop with sautéed spinach, chervil-lemon sauce, crispy bacon
- Shrimp & Grilled Corn Soup
- Strawberry Key Lime Pie
