Club + Resort Chef Association Formed to Support Unique Needs of Industry Culinary Teams
Tom Birmingham, CEC, has been named Director of the Association, which will provide networking, educational, and professional development opportunities to club and resort chefs and culinary teams.
Cleveland, OH (January 21, 2020)—WTWH Media LLC, publishers of Club + Resort Business and Club + Resort Chef, and the host sponsor of the annual Chef to Chef Conference, has announced the formation of the Club + Resort Chef Association (CRCA) and the appointment of Tom Birmingham, CEC, as the association’s Director.
“The Club + Resort Chef Association will provide the chefs and culinary teams of clubs and resorts with even more opportunities to benefit, on a year-round basis, from the targeted content, educational resources and networking value that our magazines, websites and events provide,” says Tom McIntyre, Vice President-Group Publisher. “And with Tom Birmingham as Director, we know the association will continue to speak directly to the specific and unique needs of the club culinary community.
“Being a club or resort chef is entirely different than being a restaurant or hotel chef,” McIntyre adds. “Tom can draw on the expertise he gained from working in the same kind of environments as those who will belong to the CRCA, to make sure that their membership will yield practical benefits and value.”
Birmingham’s resume includes 16 years as an Executive Chef and Food and Beverage Manager for the culinary operations of several respected public and private properties, including Seven Bridges Golf Club in Woodridge, Ill., Flossmoor (Ill.) Country Club, and Ruth Lake Country Club in Hinsdale, Ill. He earned his Certified Executive Chef designation from the American Culinary Federation in October 2015, and also holds an Associate of Arts degree in Culinary Arts from Joliet (Ill.) Junior College.
“With food-and-beverage revenues now accounting for nearly a third of private clubs’ gross revenues—and an even higher percentage at yacht, city and athletic clubs—individual club chefs now routinely manage operations of several million dollars annually,” says Birmingham. “With this kind of growth, the time has come for an association dedicated to providing club chefs with all of the resources they need to run their operations efficiently and cost-effectively, while still maximizing member and guest satisfaction.”
ClubProcure (formerly VGM Club) will serve as the association’s founding sponsor.
““The possibilities are really endless for what CRCA will be able to provide,” says Cam Schultz, VP of Marketing at ClubProcure. “Together, we will hit the ground running with many ways to immediately help CRCA members gain practical benefits in every area connected to their responsibilities.”
For more information about the Club + Resort Chef Association, including membership benefits and applications, please visit https://association.clubandresortchef.com.
Contacts:
Tom McIntyre: tmcintyre@wtwhmedia.com, 216-533-9186
Tom Birmingham: tbirmingham@wtwhmedia.com, 708-526-1825
