I didn't get the health inspection, fire Marshall inspection, and certificate of occupancy until 2:00 or 3:00pm on the 2nd of July. This was a bit of a set back for the small factor that I had to prepare a private dinner for the single most powerful man in golf at 8:00pm along with a few other golf figureheads, the owners, and the entire executive team for Red Ledges. None the less I, along with the help of my staff, accomplished it with an "out of the park" experience for those to whom it mattered. Around 5:30pm that night the owner was showing off the facility to Jack Nicklaus and all of the sudden they popped through the door of the kitchen. I was working on the grill, my hand were greasy, and lets just say that we had christened the kitchen just so, and I froze like an Arctic blizzard when I saw Jack. I couldn't speak, I couldn't shake his hand, all I could do is pretend that I wasn't about to crumble into a million shards of ice. That wasn't the way that I had imagined the first meeting of the greatest to play out. Upon the arrival of Jack into the cottage where the dinner was held I made sure to give myself the proper greeting and disclosure of who I was with a bit more composure. The menu was as follows:
Utah Elk Sausage Crostini
whole grain mustard cream cheese
Southwest Chopped Salad
romaine, black beans, chickpeas, teardrop tomatoes,
red onions, sharp white cheddar, cilantro balsamic dressing
Grilled Halibut
basil mashed potatoes, tomato-pine nut white truffle sauce
Coffee Rubbed Bison Tenderloin
ancho chili jus
oven roasted honey and green onion glazed sweet potato fries
Strawberry Muffin Tops
vanilla bean ice cream
Blackberry Tartlets
Just to name some of the others that were in attendance....Johny Miller, Jim McLean
That was a 19.5 hour day but the wink that Jack gave me as he departed for his car was worth every aching bone in my body!
This only begins yet another tremendous day of labor. The 3rd of July was the only day that I had to develop my menu for the club. The 4th was our first official day of business with well over 100 rounds of golf on the tee sheet which forced yet another crunched time schedule.
The owner and his family ate every day that they were in town. They require every attention to detail that we posses. Tony's favorite thing to eat is a steak and french fries...even when he goes to the finest chop houses around the nation. He mostly ate hamburgers and for some reason I think that he is hooked on my fresh chips instead of fries now. Upon leaving to return to his home in Miami he pulled me aside and progressed to say "Daniel, your food is not good" at this point I couldn't predict what was coming next. My heart sunk as if I was about to hear the word that I was certain I didn't want to. He then followed with..."it is fabulous"! and I could then breath again.
Not knowing the ones that are responsible for all of what is to be at Red Ledges it comes down to the purest moment of truth in order to create an experience for them to remember and to ensure that I have captured the all of the little details and not just put color to canvas will ensure that when the owners come back they will have the expectation of quality and flavour that begins the great experience. (if you expect it to be great, average automatically becomes good and great becomes fabulous) it also enables me to keep my job for another week.
