Must club food always suck?

[Fat Guy]

Good luck!

[Deacon]

Well I think the answer to this is that someone should start an Urban Goumet Club, begun solely for the purpose of counteracting those negative food vibes that emanate from suburban country clubs. You know like the Tastevin or the other wine clubs are. This one can be for food.

Didn't there used to be a private club of this kind in Chicago called Les Nomades?

I realize that I'm dating myself, but it's a slow Friday night around here.

[Bux]

But the point is that people like Daniel Boulud and Jean-Georges can produce a better quality meal than you can get at their restaurants. And if people are willing to pay astronomical prices for a different level of refinement, that's where a club like that would come in. Robert B. mentioned this recently on one of his threads about people having private chefs come into their home. This is just a variation.

The fact that you already have one variation available makes it less necessary to have another. What could a gourmet club offer a New Yorker except for the chance to serve his own wine? One of the joys of using restaurants is the ability to vary your experiences. I suppose in a way, the James Beard house is already that kind of a club. I've not really got sufficient experience to say much about their ability to provide the best of what's around and to vary the experience. One meal there offered me the chance to have a dish I'd already had in the restaurant whose chefs were cooking. It was far better in the restaurant for several reasons--fuller staff, less restricitions, familiar facilities, staples, etc. I suppose most of these things could be overcome, but you'd pay more for the same meal than at the restaurant, so you're back doing what the Beard House does, bringing in chefs from out of town. Not better food, but novelty.

[Steve Plotnicki]

Well James Beard is the right model but this would be in the chefs own restaurants. The Food & Wine Society of which my friend Gora is the president is a better model. This would just be the nuclear version of it. Actually I attended a dinner given at Ada by the Food and Wine Society which Gora hosted and it was a pretty interesting meal. But the purpose of MY club would be over the top meals. Personally, I would like to eat Boulud or Vongerichten in a 50 person setting giving a peak performence. Wouldn't you? You don't get a chance to do that very much anymore.

[Bux]

No, not anymore.

Yes. I see your point. I had been thinking of a club with a physical club house, the materialist that I am. A roving dining society is another model and one with historical precedent.

[Steve Plotnicki]

"A roving dining society is another model and one with historical precedent. "

Yes we can terrorize restauranteurs and chefs.

I always wanted to own a restaurant called "Guest Chef." It would only serve lunch from Wednesday-Saturday and each week there would be a different visiting chef. I figured it would cut down on the cost of my airfare to places.

[Bux]

I always wanted to own a restaurant called "Guest Chef." It would only serve lunch from Wednesday-Saturday and each week there would be a different visiting chef.  I figured it would cut down on the cost of my airfare to places.

Getting back to an old discussion about the absent chef, my guess is that you'll eat better at the chef's restaurant when he's not there, than you will eat at another restaurant when he's doing a guest shot. When it comes time to put his food on your plate, his trained team is more important than he is. I think the Beard House will only give you a tease and not the full power of a great visiting chef.

[Steve Plotnicki]

"my guess is that you'll eat better at the chef's restaurant when he's not there, than you will eat at another restaurant when he's doing a guest shot."

In my fantasy restaurant the chefs are at the top of their game, or else.

[Bux]

Why would anybody want such a club?

How did I miss this before. Obvoiusly you get get clubs do you? People join clubs because others can't.

[ngatti]

That juice bar at the Paradise Garage used to be good.

Paradise garage?

Nick

[Malawry]

I worked as an editor for three years at a trade association representing private clubs until I quit my job in June to go to culinary school. I'm not a member of a private club, nor is my family, and I have only visited and dined in a few, but I followed the industry quite closely until very recently.

As the dining public demands better food, clubs are learning to adjust. Some clubs, of course, are ahead of that curve. Clubs like the Duquesne Club in Pittsburgh are known for their food, and clubs like the Olympic Club in San Francisco have to be good to compete with the finer restaurants situated near their clubhouses. For better club food, you generally have to hit a city club in a major metropolitan area with sophisticated diners.

Private clubs are often the only employers out there who will support the Certified Master Chef certification. They'll pay for their executive chef to prepare for the test, and then they'll pay the test fees. A very high percentage of CMCs work in private clubs. Now, the relevance of the CMC designation is debatable, but the fact is that the test takes an incredible amount of technical skill to pass even if creativity, an educated palate, and other factors get overlooked.

These days, many private clubs are adding wine cellars, and there are private clubs known for their extensive wine selections. I'm not a wine enthusiast, but I understand that clubs encourage their wine-aficionado members to get involved in the club's wine program, and many clubs develop strong wine programs based on this member involvement and interest. Many of the new wine cellars being added to clubs are designed as dining spaces, and some are set up for conducting tastings and can host special events. There's an effort to integrate wine and food at private clubs that may not be met by restaurants in some communities. Even in those communities with well-established access to better cellars, a private club with a reputation for wines may attract a cadre of members who want the ability to influence and enjoy a quality wine list.

Finally, the single biggest attraction towards dining in a private club is the attention to service that club membership provides. In a city like Washington where good service is impossible to find, that could be quite a draw. (Well, it would be if Washington clubs served better food, but I digress.)

[Steve Plotnicki]

Paradise Garage was a club on King Street off of Hudson that peaked at the height of the disco era. Larry Levan was the DJ and he was probably the greatest DJ of his era. The club had a large black gay clientele and the music it played was by and large for that audience. But the crowd was mixed. They had no liquor license so they had this huge juice bar which is why I made the reference. Tim Curry recorded a song about the place titled Paradise Garage. I went about a half a dozen times and it was one of the great experiences of that era. It was by far the best club I've ever been to. Here's a link to a tribute site

Paradise Garage

[ngatti]

Something I discussed briefly with Nick over a glass at Zum Schneider: some of the limitations on what a club chef can do seem to me analogous with limitations on what a corporate chef can do - about which i know slightly more.  A very limited clientele, as Steven observed; not necessarily adventurous eaters; perhaps saving their exciting meals for restaurant dining; not looking for any surprises. Is that fair, Nick?

Quite right Wilfred, very fair.

I might add that a plantation mentality (chef as cook, waitstaff as butler/maid) tends to permeate these places. Except in rare instances it is quite evident that staff is hired help serving at the pleasure of the membership. Not necessarily a bad thing. The classism can be quite ananchronistic (by USA standards) but modern labor laws apply. Couple that with what I’ve just said and one can slip into quite an interesting and entertaining role.

Limited clientle? No more than 400 in my case. But despite the perceptions of privilege, this is still quite an egalitarian atmosphere. Of course the egalitarian paradigm must be shifted up to the context of 7, 8, and 9 figure incomes.

Nick

[ngatti]

Paradise Garage was a club on King Street off of Hudson that peaked at the height of the disco era. Larry Levan was the DJ and he was probably the greatest DJ of his era. The club had a large black gay clientele and the music it played was by and large for that audience. But the crowd was mixed. They had no liquor license so they had this huge juice bar which is why I made the reference. Tim Curry recorded a song about the place titled Paradise Garage. I went about a half a dozen times and it was one of the great experiences of that era. It was by far the best club I've ever been to. Here's a link to a tribute site

Paradise Garage

SP, I'm not unfamiar with the milieu. Remember I started in the disco Biz (NYNY on 52nd Street). Paradise was there but my after hours industry joint was Crisco Disco on 17th and 10th (I think). Also no liquor liscense, non liscence of any kind for that matter as this was a quite illegal after hours club. A Much more gay scene (wasn't the entire disco scene such?) as most front of the house club emplyees and management were at that time.

Nick

[ngatti]

"A roving dining society is another model and one with historical precedent. "

Yes we can terrorize restauranteurs and chefs.

I always wanted to own a restaurant called "Guest Chef." It would only serve lunch from Wednesday-Saturday and each week there would be a different visiting chef.  I figured it would cut down on the cost of my airfare to places.

Not such a crazy idea. I bet it would work in NYC. Though i would do it for dinner.

Not far off from what prudhomme used to do with the K-Paul staff during vacation time (travel them around to different select cities).

Nick

[Steve Plotnicki]

I used to love it when K-Paul's came to town. Those meals were fun.

[ngatti]

Why would anybody want such a club?

How did I miss this before. Obvoiusly you get get clubs do you? People join clubs because others can't.

Oh sometimes they join for great Golf, Golf course designers, Pros. tennis programs. Once in a very rare while someone will join for the quality of the dining room.

Haveing said that, Bux. I agree that what you said is bound up with the above to a greater or lesser extent, but it is there.

Nick

[ngatti]

Thank you malawry. May I assume the CMAA. I have been to the Olympic, both the city and the country club. Posh. the St. Francis Yacht Club? Even posher (is that a word?).

Back to the food: ss, the lunch menus in clubs suffer the most. They must attempt to be all things to all people. Even my own. The best that one can do is to cobble together a diner/deli/salad bar/breakfast type of menu. It is here that sourcing becomes important. For a large pedestrian menu can be mitigated by using exceptional ingredients. Use the best deli meats that you can buy. Take your cooks to Katz's and 2nd Ave. Deli, so they can eat and learn how to 'ish kibibble' a sandwich properly. Find the best smoked fish that you can (we use Moveable Feast). We have to serve eggs. Well let's pretend that we're making them at the Regency. Find great chopped meat or grind your own fresh daily. Use a dry aged steak, even for the steak sandwiches. You get the picture. Look at every detail within the constraints you must operate within and constantly ask yourself if this is the best that you can do.

An example: The ubiquitous Turkey club. Find great white bread (not Fink). Use fresh Iceberg lettuce (ANDY BOY). Use fresh Turkey that has been carefully cooked to retain moisture (not louis rich). Use a good bacon slab or a nueskes or apple smoked. There is absolutely NO excuse for bland, flavorless hothouse tomatoes in a High End private club, even in the dead of winter. They're out there...find 'em!! Use Fresh potato Frite or fresh fries. Find good kosher pickles and learn how to make cole slaw that rivals the best of the 'closed on shabbat' delis. It's still prosaic, but dammit it's gonna taste like God intended a turkey club to taste like!

Take a Trotteresque approach to this menu that you're forced to contend with. Just because it's behind the curve dull, doesn't mean it has to be bad to eat.

Nick

[Fat Guy]

You're making me hungry.

[lizziee]

Nick,

Do you have a monthy minimum ie a member is assessed a dollar amount for the month in food whether he actually spends it or not? If so, do you find the dining room exceptionally busy at the end of the month? Also, if this is the case, does it help with food costs etc.?

[ngatti]

Nick,

Do you have a monthy minimum ie a member is assessed a dollar amount for the month in food whether he actually spends it or not? If so, do you find the dining room exceptionally busy at the end of the month? Also, if this is the case, does it help with food costs etc.?

Yes we do have a minimum. end of the month can be 'Hell Week'

especially at each end and the begining of the season. This means that members accumulate three months of minimum that must be spent by the end of april and by mid january. They are indeed assessed for the unpent portion. I do find that this helps to mitigate food cost during these usually slow times.

Joke:

What's the definition of a Country Club dinner reservation?

ANS:

From your cell phone as you pull up to the valet parking.

Nick

[mynamejoe]

Joke:

What's the definition of a Country Club dinner reservation?

ANS:

From your cell phone as you pull up to the valet parking.

Nick

For the more organized and polite ones, yes. The others make them by cell while standing in front of the host podium.

[Rachel Perlow]

I know about that end of the month thing. There's no way members at my parents' club could get away with calling last minute or just showing up without a reservation at the end of the month. The last weekend is always full. Interesting that your club allows them to bank three months of minimums, they don't do that there. You have to spend or just pay your minimum every month, and they don't get credit towards the minimum from what is spent in the lunch dining room.

[Malawry]

Some clubs have an annual minimum. Minimums at some clubs may exclude lunch business if they're city clubs. Many minimums exclude alcohol. The ones that don't scare me.