To punctuate the 2022 Chef to Chef Conference in Nashville, eight club chefs competed in teams of two in a mystery basket-style culinary competition—but only one team took home the trophy.
Teams were drawn randomly at the opening of the conference just before Edward Lee, chef, author and philanthropist, gave his keynote address about the evolution of the food and beverage industry.
The teams were drawn as follows:
Team 1:
Anthony Capua, Executive Chef, Sycamore Hills Golf Club (Fort Wayne, Ind.)
Wesley Tyler CEC, CCA, WCMC, Executive Chef, The Club at Carlton Woods (The Woodlands, Texas)
Team 2:
Jason Hembree, Executive Chef, Doylestown (Pa.) Country Club
Will Bystrzycki, Executive Chef, Wildcat Cliffs Country Club (Highlands, N.C.)
Team 3:
Steve Boeger, Executive Chef, Hendersonville (N.C.) Country Club
Jen Landy, Executive Chef, Battleground Country Club (Manalapan Township, NJ)
Team 4:
Robert Meitzer, Executive Chef, Forest Lake Country Club (Columbia, S.C.)
James Allen, CEC, Executive Chef, Blackthorn Club at the Ridges (Jonesborough, Tenn.)
During three exciting rounds, chefs had access to an extensive spread of ingredients, equipment and plateware. Each round lasted 25 minutes and concluded with an expert group of judges made up of Jerry Schreck, Executive Chef of Rehoboth Beach (Del.) Country Club; Marshall Violante, Culinary Director, Memphis (Tenn.) Hunt and Polo Club; and J. Kevin Walker, CMC, AAC, Executive Chef, Ansley Golf Club (Atlanta, Ga.), determining the winner.
In the first round, Capua and Tyler competed against Hembree and Bystrzycki.
Capua and Tyler made a Chinese Five Spice Maple Leaf Duck Magret with Gigante Bean and Guanciale Cassoulet and a Pickled Radish Orange Micro-Salad.
Hembree and Bystrzycki prepared a Butter-Poached Lobster Tail with a Poblano Crème Over Bacon, Corn and Crawfish Hash with a Micro-Cilantro and Celery Salad, Pickled Onion and Butter Pan-Glaze.
Hembree and Bystrzycki edged out Capua and Tyler to win round one.
In the second round, Boeger and Landy competed against Meitzer and Allen.
Boeger and Landy prepared a dish of Furikake Beef Tenderloin with Truffled Cauliflower Silk, Mushroom Mélange, Maitake Soy Jus and a Quick Pickled Radish Salad.
Meitzer and Allen prepared a Mojo Pork Ribeye with Cuban Quinoa, Pickled Baby Vegetables and Micro-Green Chimichurra.
Meitzer and Allen won round two.
In the final championship round, Hembree and Bystrzycki competed against Meitzer and Allen.
Hembree and Bystrzycki riffed on Nashville Hot Chicken, preparing a Fried Chicken Thigh with Chive and Black Peppered Potatoes, a Cilantro Chile Lime slaw and Truffled Sriracha Buffalo Sauce.
Meitzer and Allen prepared a Curry Seafood Mélange with Sweet and Spicy Sambal Soba Noodles and loads of fresh vegetables with a Micro-Cilantro Salad.
After deliberation among the judges, Meitzer and Allen were named the winners.
“I’m so honored to have competed with some of our industry’s greats, and I’m absolutely honored to have been named as one of the Club + Resort Chefs of the Year,” says Allen. “A big shoutout to my competition partner, Chef Meitzer. We had never met before this competition, but we were laser-focused while creating our dishes.”
“Time went by so fast—I’m happy to still have all of my fingers,” says Meitzer. “Truly, it was an honor to compete and to work alongside Chef Allen to create two dishes we are very proud of.”
The Club + Resort Chef of the Year Culinary Competition is an annual event that plays a vital role in the annual Chef to Chef Conference, offering an exciting, live cooking experience for attendees and competitors.
Former Club + Resort Chefs of the Year Include:
- 2020: Scott Craig, CEC, CCA, WCMC, Myers Park Country Club; J. Kevin Walker, CMC, AAC Ansley Golf Club
- 2019: Eva Barrios, CEC, Austin Country Club; 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
The 2023 Club + Resort Chef of the Year Culinary Competition will take place during the 2023 Chef to Chef Conference in Miami, Fla., March 5-7, 2023. Any club or resort chefs interested in competing should contact Joanna DeChellis at [email protected].
