CLubs
& Members: What’s Cooking
Maître d’lightful
... Tag teaming chefs ... Radio days ... Culinary masters.
Dining
Room Fixture
After suffering a heart attack a year ago, Woody Pettus had some “long
thoughts” about retiring as maître d’ at The
Homestead in Hot Springs, Virginia.
But not for very long. “My friends are at the hotel,” says Pettus, who
started his career at the resort 41 years ago at age 16. After a few months as a
baker’s assistant, he moved to the post in the dining room — and became a
Homestead institution. The secret to success in the hospitality business, Pettus
says, is liking people. “I enjoy seeing people have a good time,” he adds.
His goal: Making guests feel at home. After all, he knows unhappy customers
“let their feet do the talking.” Being a people person runs in the Pettus
family. His father, Walter, also spent his working years at The Homestead,
starting as a carriage driver and retiring as a cook some years ago at the age
of 70. Pettus’ son, Houston, currently is assistant restaurant manager at a
sister resort, Daufuskie Island Club & Resort
near Hilton Head Island, South Carolina. As for
retirement, Pettus insists he’s already in “semi-retirement,” although
he’s still greeting breakfast and dinner guests as many as five days a week.
But Pettus claims he’s slowing down. To wit: When Pettus recently was
assisting a young guest cut his food, the child’s father reminded Pettus that
he used to do the same for him. Pettus says he smiled and told the boy not to
count on him to cut up his child’s food.
That might just be one generation too many. Then again, considering the Pettus
family stock, maybe not. — Patricia Baldwin
Wined
and Dined
Having so many talented and innovative chefs planning menus and whipping up
tasty delicacies at the Associate Clubs sure has its perks. Especially when
these chef’s are coaxed out of their home club’s kitchen to share their
dishes with hungry diners across the country. Events such as the Chef’s
Invitational Dinner at La Cima Club
near Dallas, Texas,
are popping up more and more at Associate Clubs. These events promise a
food-lover’s dream as a select group of culinarians prepare hors d’oeuvres,
main dishes, and desserts for those in attendance. Choice wines are carefully
matched with each dish to provide the perfect liquid complement. This was the
second consecutive year for La Cima’s event, and if the response was any
indication, it will not be the last. La Cima executive chef Douglas George was
at the helm of this year’s event, which featured the cooking magic of
Kraig Thome, University Club of Houston;
Douglas George; Jim Phillips, University
Club Atop Symphony Towers in San
Diego, California; Ed Mitchell,
Crow Canyon Country Club in Danville,
California; Gary Shexnayder, One
Ninety One Club in Atlanta,
Georgia; Gerald Schmidt, Citrus
Club in Orlando,
Florida; and Bruno Massuger, Center
Club in Costa
Mesa, California. The 70 attendees
were treated to such delights as Shexnayder’s Carmelized Vidalia Onion
Strudel, Phillips’ Madiera Braised Veal Cheek, and Schmidt’s Roasted Rack of
Fallow Venison.
The
Atlanta Society
presented a similar event at the One Ninety One Club, in fact the club’s
inaugural culinary event. This time, Schexnayder, executive chef of the club,
was at the helm; and Jamie Parks, First City
Club in Savannah,
Georgia; Frank Chiasera, Harbour
Club in Charleston,
South Carolina; and Daro Chan, Ravinia
Club in Atlanta;
also participated in the event. Each chef prepared a course reflecting food
trends explored during their experiences at the Culinary Institute of America at
Greystone in Napa Valley. Each course was paired with Napa wines selected by the
Atlanta Society’s social committee.
Hearing
Voices
After tracking down voice recordings of ex-slaves while doing research at the
Library of Congress, Kathie Farnell was so moved by their stories of unbearable
pain and ultimate triumph that she sold her 20-year-old law practice, and began
a whole new career. Farnell, a member of the Capital
City Club in Montgomery,
Alabama, now develops media projects for
non-profit organizations. “I went from a job that was based on logic to one
that is more emotional,” Farnell says. The recordings, which were the result
of a Works Projects Administration endeavor under Franklin D. Roosevelt’s New
Deal, are now the basis for two one-hour radio documentaries that Farnell is
co-producing. “Remembering Slavery,” which is scheduled to be broadcast
nationwide on Public Radio International affiliates in October, examines the
stories of former slaves as told in the actual voices of Fountain Hughes, Laura
Smalley, Harriet Smith, and others. Farnell also worked with more than 3,000
written interviews of other ex-slaves while compiling the program. Many of these
interviews have been intertwined into the program, brought to dramatic life by
actors including James Earl Jones, Louis Gossett Jr., Debbie Allen, Esther Rolle,
Clifton Davis, and Melba Moore. Actress Tonea Stewart (above
right with Farnell), who was featured as
Samuel L. Jackson’s wife in the movie A
Time To Kill, narrates the
documentaries. A companion book is scheduled to be released simultaneously with
the scheduled broadcast, and a TV version is in the discussion stage. “The
fact that we can hear the actual voice of someone born in the 1800’s is
somewhat of a miracle,” Farnell says. “It’s like the person is standing
right next to you. It’s a window on history.” —
Louis Marroquin
Baker’s
Ten
They say that too many cooks spoil the broth. Well, whoever they
are certainly have never come across the Culinary Team that sets the food
specifications and culinary standards of operation for Associate Clubs — down
to such details as selecting brands. Members of the team rotate and the 1998
team is composed of both club managers and executive chefs: Daniel Drumlake of Braemar
Country Club in Tarzana,
California; Peter Gems of City
Club of Washington,
D.C.; Doug George of La
Cima Club near Dallas;
Keith Logar of Summit Club
in Birmingham, Alabama;
Bruno Massuger of Center Club
in Costa Mesa, California;
Ed Mitchell of Crow Canyon Country Club
in Danville, California;
Joe O’Donnell of Chicago Mercantile Exchange
Club in Illinois;
Seth Simmerman of Club Le Conte
in Knoxville, Tennessee;
Kraig Thome of University Club
of Houston;
and Jeff Zimmerman of Gleneagles Country Club
in Plano, Texas.
Winning
Traditions
• Michael and Donna Reagan, members of Gainey
Ranch Country Club in Scottsdale,
Arizona, were named 1997 Franchisee of the
Year by the International Franchise Association. The Reagans opened their
business in 1991 and now operate the fourth fastest growing FastSigns franchise
worldwide.
• The Junior Advisory Committee of the Bankers
Club in Cincinnati,
Ohio, was recently selected “Best of the
Best” Outstanding Committee for the NorthStar region, which encompasses 31
clubs. The committee, which sponsors the club’s Distinguished Lecture Series,
consists of Ken Thompson, Dawn Hornback, Edgar Smith, Bob Dorsey, Denny
Fox, Otis Williams Jr., Bill Reichert, Tom Neyer Jr., Tim Miller, Tracie
Hoffman, and Bill Kelleher.
Good
Luck Gold
The day before the Czech Republic Olympic hockey team faced the Russians
for the gold medal in Japan early this year, Jennifer Lang and her
hockey-playing husband, Robert, a Czech native and center for the Pittsburgh
Penguins, visited a famous Nagano temple for luck. As tradition dictates, the
couple (above right) — members of Golden
Bear Club at Indigo Run in Hilton Head
Island, South Carolina — waved the smoke of burning incense over their
faces and bodies. They then shuffled in their stocking feet single file through
a pitch-dark tunnel feeling along the wall for the “key to enlightenment.”
“See any Russians?” Robert asked Jennifer as they emerged. Nary a competitor
was sighted and wishes do come true. Lang logged four assists, and the Czech
team, which included several other players from Robert’s hometown of Teplice,
defeated the Russians to win the gold. “It was great to watch the whole team
sticking together,” says Robert, 27, who came to the States in 1992. After a
strong NHL season, which included a trip to the first round of the Stanley Cup
playoffs where Pittsburgh lost to Montreal, the Langs were anxious to return to
Hilton Head. “At first, it didn’t feel like home because we were in and
out,” says Jennifer, who hails from San Francisco. “But after the Olympics
so many people from the golf club called, left messages, and sent us notes. That
was the first time it felt like home.” — Helen
Bond
Getting
the Point
It was Don Amirault’s on-target business sense 20 years ago that gave
him and his brother their start: “He walked into a local pub and saw some
Brits playing darts, thought it looked like fun, and started selling darts from
a briefcase,” says Mark Amirault, who lives on the grounds at Ipswich
Country Club near Boston, where he
and Don are members. In July 1977 Don opened a retail store for darts, and in
1988 he and Mark bought out their supplier. Mark points out that about 22
million people play darts recreationally, compared to about 26 million
recreational golfers. “Dart World is a $5 million plus business,” Mark says,
“and we’re having a lot of fun.”
High
Tee
While chefs are used to feeding hungry patrons at their restaurants and
clubs across the country, at Braemar Country Club
in Tarzana, California, recently they were
able to help feed some mouths that really needed it. Seventy-five chefs and more
than a dozen top national food service sponsors raised more than $4,500 at the
third annual charity golf tournament presented by the Chefs de Cuisine
Association of California. Proceeds went to benefit needy children via the
Salvation Army and Covenant House in the Los Angeles produce district, and via
the Children of the Night hunger project in Hollywood. The CCAC also provided
free tuition for four members of their Junior Chefs program to attend the
American Culinary Federation’s National Convention in Anaheim. Among the
junior winners was Carolyn Mace, an apprentice chef at Braemar, who attends Los
Angeles Culinary College. Pictured here (from left)
are Don Turnage of Pacific Pride Bakery; executive chef Luis Vega of
Oakmont Country Club in Corinth, Texas;
executive chef Daniel Drumlake of Braemar, and Joe Salazar of Southern
California Gas Company.
Renaissance
Man
Bob Watt cringes at the thought of masterful composers’ work being
wasted as background music. To truly appreciate the art form, he says, the focus
must be only on the music. Watt (above), who
plays the French horn for the Los Angeles Philharmonic, has brought his
experienced enthusiasm for classical music to his fellow City
Club on Bunker Hill members in Los Angeles.
With the help of various music colleagues, Watt regularly hosts intimate
gatherings of music and food, which he dubs “Renaissance Evenings.” In a
modern twist of chamber music performances once relished by European kings, City
Club members listen and learn about the magic of Mozart, the beauty of French
composition, or the joy of jazz. Courses of music and food alternate throughout
the evening. The musicians also work the room, sitting at different tables to
meet the audience and answer questions. “It gives people a chance to be
relaxed, have a good time, and get a taste of classical music without being
intimidated,” Watt says. —
Helen Bond
Back
on Course
There’s an old saying that golf may be played on Sunday, not because
it’s a game within the view of the law, but because it’s a form of moral
effort. Bob Kari brings meaning to the phrase. He’s a former wrestling
champion, ski instructor, and devoted sports fan who has known victory and loss
in the game of life. He loved nothing more than playing golf at his home club, Braemar
Country Club in Tarzana, California.
Then, in 1996, while on the golf course, Kari suffered a stroke, which paralyzed
his left side. Doctors told him he wouldn’t walk again or be able to use his
left hand. But six months later, he was snow-skiing. Kari is an odds-beater, a
Lombardian competitor who has refused to be sidelined despite a checkered
medical history and the confines of a wheelchair. He says his strength comes
from prayer, laughter, and family support. “There are no do-overs in life,”
he says, “so I have to make the best of the opportunity I’ve been given.”
His love for sports abounds. He has season tickets for UCLA basketball and has a
stash of game films and a Bruins flag in his office at Robert Kari Insurance.
Pastimes include traveling America with his wife, Cheryl, chipping a few shots
on weekends, and vying for NCAA Final Four tickets. “I don’t want to be
known for the things I have, but for who I am,” he says. —
Michelle Medley
Dream
Weavers
Most people have enough trouble taking care of their own children, let
alone trying to make their own dreams come true. But Beatrice Vogel and Joann
Witherspoon of Club Le Conte in Knoxville,
Tennessee, through their ongoing efforts with The Dream Connection are
juggling their own lives and the hopes of sickly children in their community.
The Dream Connection is a non-profit organization in Knoxville dedicated to
fulfilling the dreams of children ages 4 to 17 who are faced with
life-threatening illnesses. One-hundred percent of all contributions to The
Dream Connection go directly toward fulfilling the children’s dreams. Most
recently, Club Le Conte served as host for a casino night and Dream Connection
charity auction for the third year. And there at the helm were Vogel, with two
daughters of her own, and Witherspoon, with five young grandchildren, taking
time out of their busy lives to donate their time, labor, and money, to see that
some of the dreams of these children come to fruition. —
Louis Marroquin
Manner
of Speaking
In a mannerly world, the difference between right and wrong is as slender
as a toothpick. Kimberly Goddard knows the tiniest details that separate social
grace from blunder. After graduating from the Protocol School in Washington,
D.C., she founded Proper Protocol Inc. to instruct adults and children in
etiquette for the 21st century. Technology and women in the workplace have added
new dimensions to correctness, says Goddard, a member of the Tampa
Club in Florida, which features her
classes. A faux pas not only can cost you respect, it may even cost you
business. Think you’re as polished as a silver spoon? Goddard covers social
kissing in the office, elevator manners, and answering pagers. Children learn
the number one rule — good eye contact — before moving on to table settings,
handshakes, and applause. “People
don’t realize when they’re doing things wrong, but they recognize it in
other people. They need to think about what they’re doing, and make the steps
they take worth taking,” Goddard says. Some advice: Always let the limo driver
handle the door. At a formal dinner, begin with the outside fork and move in.
And, in a lesson she learned while growing up in Chicago, tip the maître d’
and he’ll take care of you. Says Goddard, “My dad always taught me that the
difference between a good time and a great time is an extra 10 percent.” —
Michelle Medley
Good
Neighbor
All Ron Wilson asked for when he donated $7,500 to resurface all four
tennis courts at the Spring Valley Lake Country Club
in Victorville, California, last year, was that
two simple wind screens with his company’s logo be placed on two courtside
fences. As a thank-you to Wilson, chairman and CEO of Desert Community Bank, the
club offered to host a private poolside barbecue for him and his staff. Though
pleased with the unexpected offer, Wilson turned the opportunity into a chance
to give to his community. He requested instead that the club host some local
underprivileged kids who, Wilson says, “could use a fine day and experience a
country club lifestyle” much more than his staff. But Wilson’s unconditional
kindness was not just a one-shot. This year, thanks to a generous $55,000
donation from Wilson and the Desert Community Bank, the Spring Valley Lake
Country Club will begin construction on a 5,000-square-foot athletic and fitness
facility. The donation will pay for half of the construction costs. All Wilson
asked on this occasion was for some corporate memberships and a space to install
an ATM kiosk on the outside of the building. It’s only a matter of time before
he invites those kids to try out the new facility. —
Louis Marroquin