There will always be critics of the food & beverage business and it's various specialties. For the chefs that work in restaurants, they hate hotels and country clubs. Some will say that, "it's where chefs go to die". I have to say that I disagree. I know several chefs in the hotel and country club side of the industry and they are some of the best cooks that I have known.
The reason for this post is that Lauren and I went to a friends wedding this past weekend in Crested Butte, Colorado and the reception was held at a country club. They had a buffet for their guests and it was well done. Having food that is incredibly ornate and complicated for a larger group of people is feasible, but not necessary. The food at this particular wedding was nice, and simple. Well cooked and seasoned properly. One thing that really stood out is the roast that was being sliced to order, beautifully medium-rare.
My wife and I were married at a golf club that had a restaurant on site. We sat for an initial consult with the executive chef and he presented us with lunch that would be similar to the style of food that would be served at our wedding. Again, very well done. Everything was cooked perfectly and seasoned just right. Same as our friends wedding in Crested Butte, it was simple and fulfilling.
Given that I'm a chef by profession, some people expect that our food is going to be over the top and over their heads, it was quite the opposite. We wanted something that would appeal to everyone that came to our wedding, something that would not make people feel uncomfortable. Both of these examples are why I disagree with chefs that call hotel and country club chefs, "washed-up". It's simply a gross generalization of chefs in that profession. In my opinion, as long as you can make great food, I don't care where you work.
