We all strive to be our best. Many of us devote our lives to making sure every dish that goes through the pass meets our exacting standards. But is that enough to earn a top spot on Club + Resort’s list of Top Ranked Culinary Experiences?
As one of the chef judges for this program, I have learned firsthand that it takes much more than that to top this prestigious list.
Being a Top Ranked Culinary Experience club is a lot like being a pro football team with a good marketing department. Culinary is not unlike team sports—to be the best it takes more than just having a good defense. All chefs know that great food with poor service is a loss and vice-versa. It takes all parts of the F&B team firing on all cylinders to achieve Top Rank—from the host to the dishwasher, from the chef to the designer, from the gm to the marketing department.
In tough times, it can be especially challenging to take a team-based approach. It feels like we must keep punting. All the more reason why I think those who devote time to building up their team, working collaboratively toward the same goals, are more likely to top the list.
So what are the requirements for Club + Resort’s Top Ranked Culinary Experience program? First, the time and effort you put into your application matter greatly. The program is built on a points system directly tied to the content clubs submit with their entry. We look at everything from menus and revenues to photos of kitchens and dining rooms.
In the judging phase, we can only award points based on what has been submitted.
Some of the clubs that entered have stunning kitchens I’ve seen first hand. But they forgot to attach pictures in their entry, which means they get zero points. It is challenging and frustrating because judges do not visit the properties we score. We rely on the content you submit. (So next year please, make sure you submit the best pictures and provide ALL the information we ask for.)
I was honored when Joanna DeChellis, Editor of Club + Resort Business, asked me to judge again this year. Last year, was our first year with Top-Ranked and the process wasn’t as refined. We learned and we evolved. This year was different. Most of the clubs who participated have been in this industry for a number of years. They run very successful culinary programs and I’m friends with many of them. The submissions were much more complete, which made judging much simpler. The list will be released in the coming weeks, but I can say with pride that every club on the list is deserving of being listed for having a Top Ranked Culinary Experience.
I’ve learned through this process that this industry is unique. Club chefs are eager to help each other become better managers, culinarians and people. We are all running in the same direction, trying to make our members happy. It’s why I’m honored to be a part of these different programs. We don’t compete with one another for customers or market share. Instead, we share knowledge and ideas and as we do so, we collectively raise the bar for all.
Scott Ryan, CEC, AAC, Executive Chef of The Country Club (Pepper Pike, Ohio) once posted a picture of a dish on Facebook. I asked if I could steal the dish. His response was simple: “Never stolen. Always shared.”
That’s the kind of industry I want to be a part of.
To the clubs who participated in the 2022 Club + Resort Top Ranked Culinary Experience, congratulations on joining this prestigious list.
If there is a club that ranked higher than yours, reach out to learn more about what they are doing so that you can improve what you’re doing.
And remember, if you’re the smartest one in the room, you’re probably in the wrong room.