Each year, Club + Resort Chef releases a list of Top Ranked Culinary Experiences, which showcase a list of club and resort properties in order and as judged independently by a panel of club chefs from several of the industry’s most well-respected properties.
The rankings reflect the judges’ scoring of submitted entries that includes data on annual food-and-beverage revenue, membership size, weekly cover counts, banquet capacity, a la carte and banquet menus, food costs, certifications, front- and back-of-house photos and more. The judges score each entry independently, assigning points to the various aspects of the data and information submitted.
The purpose of the Top Ranked Culinary Experience list is to highlight the aspects of the club industry that drive membership and retention, while providing an industry benchmarking tool that supports capital expenditures to deliver exceptional member experiences and captures best practices from club to club.
Through C+RC‘s Top Ranked Culinary Experiences, clubs can not only showcase their Top Ranked food and beverage programs but also collectively measure the data behind industry culinary programs, to help foster a baseline for a better understanding of how to improve and grow more valuable to members.
Many of 2022’s Top Ranked clubs will resubmit in 2023, as this prestigious distinction provides private clubs and resorts with valuable marketing benefits for attracting and retaining new members and talent in a highly competitive marketplace.
As part of the Top Ranked Culinary Experience, clubs will receive national recognition by Club + Resort Business and Club + Resort Chef, coverage online and in the print magazines, and an opportunity to use the exclusive “Top Ranked” badge in marketing and member materials.
Access the 2023 submission form here.
In order to enter, the following information is needed:
- Club name
- Club website
- Club address
- Executive Chef name
- Executive Chef email address
- Club logo
- Total membership size
- Annual food & beverage revenue
- Certification status
- Sommelier status
- Total number of outlets
- Average weekly a la carte covers
- Number of a la carte kitchens
- Number of banquet kitchens
- Total banquet capacity
- Number of BOH employees
- Number of FOH employees
- Food cost percentage
- At least one a la carte menu
- At least one banquet menu
- At least one photo of the main dining room
- At least one photo of the main kitchen
- A summary of your club’s culinary experience
- A brief explanation why a club’s overall culinary experience should be Top Ranked
Interested clubs can access the submission form here. The entry fee is $279.00.
The deadline for 2023 submissions is January 22nd, 2023.
FAQs
Q: What does the $279 entry fee cover?
A: The entry fee helps to cover the administrative costs we incur for building and maintaining the website platform for submitting entries and preparing them for judging. It also helps to discourage frivolous entries and fund the recognition awards that we will issue to those that earn rankings.
Those who enter and earn rankings will also be entitled to receive special research reports and data that we will prepare based on the information submitted from all entries.
Q: What issue will the winners be featured in?
A: The rankings for the entries will be published in the March 2023 issue of Club + Resort Chef, on the C+RB and C+RC websites and in C+RC‘s e-newsletter and C+RB‘s special-focus e-newsletter. Additional coverage will be showcased at the 2023 Chef to Chef Conference in March. Learn more about Chef to Chef here: CheftoChefConference.com
Q: Once we enter, are we guaranteed to be featured in an upcoming publication?
A: All entries will be recognized, but the final rankings will be determined by the judging.
Q: What if I want to purchase plaques and other items to showcase this distinction to our membership?
A: Club + Resort Business will host a Top Ranked Storefront where clubs can decide what other products they might like to purchase once the rankings are published.
Q: Which clubs were Top Ranked in 2022?
A: Click here for the 2022 Top Ranked Culinary Experiences.