Hello CMAA! Where has the summer gone?! It was a very different summer for everyone compared to last year based on where we were within the pandemic. When the world seemed to come to screeching halt in early 2020, the CMAA staff and leadership had just approved a new Strategic Plan. The pandemic did not stop our work to move CMAA forward according to the plan. One of the initiatives in that plan is to continue to serve a broader set of club professionals, including club chefs.
In September of last year, CMAA announced a new organization joining the ranks of our Partner Network – ClubProcure. ClubProcure is partnering with CMAA to bring quality education focused on leadership development, people and culture, governance, and financial acumen for chefs to further their business skills required as a key asset of the club’s leadership team. We will leverage this new partnership with the inaugural CMAA Chef Summit in Louisville, KY, September 21-23, 2021.
Attendees will hear from leading industry experts on challenges that are top of mind, including how to secure, retain, and promote talent; promoting and cultivating a desirable culture; facilitating productive House Committee meetings and pre-shift meetings; and how to be effective in handling difficult conversations. A session on Cost-Volume-Profit analysis will add a layer of finance education to the curriculum as well. The Summit will be rounded out with robust discussions surrounding current trends and challenges private club chefs face and will give chefs the opportunity to hear from their peers on how they are handling shared challenges at their clubs.
Of course, we can’t go to Louisville and not make time to enjoy the local sights, sounds, and tastes! Attendees will have the opportunity to tour two clubs, The Louisville Thoroughbred Society and Big Spring Country Club. They will visit two distilleries – Makers Mark and Buffalo Trace – and will enjoy a demonstration from Chef Tripp Rion, made possible by Smithfield. The Summit will conclude with a visit to Churchill Downs where attendees will have the opportunity to experience their Twilight Thursdays event, with live horse racing and music, food trucks, and more. If that isn’t enough, attendees are encouraged to take a tour of the impressive Churchill Downs museum.
We encourage both club chefs and their general managers, if desired, to attend this inaugural Chef Summit. Space is limited, so please consider this for your club chef and act quickly. Registration is now open and can be found here.
We’re chomping at the bit to see you there!