July 2022 FC LIFE

David Kent interview continued

DK When I was a boy, my father owned a local tavern in Benton Harbor, Michigan, where I was born and raised. My first job was working for my father helping him run the business. Later, I moved to Chicago, where my career broadened into the hotel and restaurant industry. Rich Melman, a local restauranteur and owner of the “Lettuce Entertain You,” restaurant chain, formed a partnership with Miami based restaurant, Joe’s Stone Crab and opened up a restaurant in Chicago based on an ele- vated version of Joe’s Stone Crab model, calling it Joe’s Seafood and Prime Steak House, offering fine dining with white glove service. And so I went from working in a tavern to white glove segment of the food and beverage industry.

BW What drew you to the position at Frenchman’s Creek ?

DK Mr. Tucker contacted me and explained the various challenges facing Frenchman’s in connec- tion with the Clubhouse construction project, but said the reward would be an unique opportunity to help run a world class facility offering world class services.

BW What do you believe are the main ramifications for the food and beverage operation of operat- ing out of temporary facilities for the next 2-3 years while the new clubhouse is being built ?

DK First and foremost, I want to encourage remembers to stay mindful that the facilities we will be operating out of are TEMPORARY and that a beautiful new permanent facility awaits us at the end of the construction period. In the mean time, the logistics will be a challenge, but I want to reassure members that the food and beverage team and I are up to the challenge! We are going from a 75,000 square foot facility to what is essentially a tent and several trailers. From a food and beverage standpoint, the primary constraint is the limited refrigeration and sanitation capacity. However, we are committed to delivering as much value to members as possible during this time.

BW In the short term, what can we expect with respect to our food and beverage operation?

DK One of the steps we are taking to ensure the success of the Club’s Food and Beverage operation during the transition and beyond, is the development and implementation of a comprehensive training program for new arrivals and those returning for the season from jobs up north. I believe that there is currently an opportunity to make significant improvements to service standards and consistency. Additionally, Chef Ernesto, in collaboration with the entire Culinary Team, is hard at work on a major upgrade for all of our menus. The goal is to streamline our

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