Food is not supposed to make money in clubs; it’s supposed to make members happy. However, the balancing act between premium ingredients and realistic pricing is becoming increasingly complex with each passing season.
“We raised prices because we had to,” says Charles Myers, Executive Chef of Summit Hills Country Club (Crestview Hills, Ky.), “but we also had to raise our food cost budget.” At Summit Hills CC, menus shift twice a year to match the seasonal influx of members. The product stays high-end—Ora King salmon, Wagyu burgers, hand-cut halibut—but the math behind it is far less elegant.
The traditional rule of thirds—33 percent food, 33 percent labor, 33 percent profit—“does not math anymore,” as Myers bluntly puts it. Especially when premium vendors set fixed pricing and member dues can’t cover the difference.
William Rogers, CEC, CCA, Executive Chef at the Cosmos Club in Washington, D.C., faces similar constraints. “It is easy to sell lobster, steak, and shrimp,” he says. “But we had to find ways to make value visible without cutting corners.” That meant trading expensive cuts for less obvious ones. Chuck flap instead of short rib. Lamb shoulder instead of rack. It is about creating depth through technique, not through price.
Both chefs are responding to economic forces that go far beyond inflation. Tariffs, freight costs, weather disruptions, and ingredient shortages all contribute. And unlike other types of operations, club kitchens are often expected to absorb these pressures quietly.
Strategy Over Simplicity
For most club culinary operations, the target food cost percentage falls in the low to mid forties. That number shifts depending on volume, product availability, and how robust the banquet calendar is. Unlike à la carte dining, which often operates at a loss, banquets and events tend to generate stronger margins. That revenue helps subsidize daily dining and allows chefs to preserve quality where it matters most. As some clubs have shown, controlling cost is less about cutting and more about adjusting systems and expectations.
That makes execution even more important. At Summit Hills, Myers and his team cut whole fish in-house. The scraps become salmon dip. Trimmings from primal cuts get used in bar snacks or lunch specials. Buffets have been scaled back and now carry transparent pricing. “If there’s a carving station, there’s a fee. And if that station needs setup or breakdown, there’s a labor charge for that too,” Myers says. “We have to account for everything now.”
Even produce prep has shifted. With hourly wages climbing, in-house prep is no longer the obvious money saver it once was. “We actually saved money buying pre-fab vegetables,” Myers says. “At twenty dollars an hour, you cannot afford not to.” For situations where speed, uniformity, and volume matter more than made-from-scratch, it is a trade-off that makes financial sense.
At the Cosmos Club, Rogers leans on control. His team grows microgreens and edible flowers on site. They dry-age beef and scallops in-house. They source from regional farms and coastal suppliers who deliver twice each week. “We stopped buying really expensive oils. We use grapeseed. We stopped buying micros. We grow them,” he says. “It gives good value to the members by keeping the cost down.”
Managing Expectations
Food cost is not just a number. It is a reflection of values, habits, and tradeoffs. Boards may still expect certain benchmarks, and members may notice when a favorite dish rises by a few dollars. But smart chefs have moved away from fixed goals. They build systems that adapt to supply, seasonality, and member behavior.
Rogers and his team at the Cosmos Club track changes closely. Twice a week, they review spec sheets and supplier updates before building specials. “If it is in season and local, it is going to be cheaper,” he says. “And it is going to taste better.”
Inflation may have started the conversation, but it is only part of the story. Tariffs, contract changes, climate impacts, and rising freight costs are shaping what club kitchens can offer and how they offer it. Every shift requires a response. Every solution has a ripple.
And while ingredient prices are climbing, the bigger cost challenge may be standing just outside the kitchen door.
Curious how the story unfolds? Part 2, The Real Cost of the Plate, Part 2: How Rising Labor Costs Are Reshaping Club Kitchens, will be available to newsletter subscribers first.
"*" indicates required fields
