At the 2023 Chef to Chef Conference, set for March 5-7 in Miami, Executive Chef Andrew Haapala will share techniques and tricks he uses to provide the membership of The Country Club of Virginia (Richmond, Va.) with upscale banquet experiences.
“I hope to impart some quick and easy ways to improve attendees’ special events by sharing many of the tricks that we have picked up over the years through trial and error,” says Haapala. “From prep to execution, I will discuss in detail our method for producing beautiful and unique events and parties.”
Haapala’s presentation and demo will cover menu creation and presentation for events ranging from wine tastings to board dinners. He will also delve into station set-up, equipment choices and safe food storage to ensure events are beautiful and run smoothly.
“Member events are one of the few ways I get to interact with the membership and play with new ideas with a large audience. Whether it is a popup in one if the restaurants or wild action station on course for a member-guest tournament, it is extremely rewarding to provide an experience they have not seen before and did not expect. What can I say? I like to party!”
The annual Chef to Chef Conference is devoted exclusively to the specific needs of club and resort food-and-beverage operations. The Conference agenda is designed by practicing club chefs to ensure that it will be of practical use for attendees from the food-and-beverage management teams of private, semi-private and daily-fee clubs, resorts, golf courses and city, dining and yacht clubs, including Executive Chefs, Chefs de Cuisine and Sous Chefs, General Managers, F&B Directors/Managers and Clubhouse Directors/Managers.
“It is extremely easy to get so caught up in the day-to-day we forget about the friends and colleagues that we cooked with years ago,” says Haapala. “It is a joy to see everyone prosper and what new concepts and techniques they are using. Having an event where we can all share ideas and talk about our successes is really wonderful.”
In 2023, the Chef to Chef Conference heads to Miami, from March 5-7. The 2023 agenda includes eight culinary demonstrations and seven education sessions by many of the industry’s best and brightest chefs and managers, plus a keynote address presented by Patrick O’Connell, Chef and Proprietor of The Inn at Little Washington.
Register at www.cheftochefconference.com by Friday, Feb. 17.
