Virginia Golfer Jul / Aug 2019 | Page 28

Cuisine in the Kingdom Food and beverages are major drivers of revenue, especially for resorts and country clubs. Not to be outdone, daily fee courses like Independence in Midlothian are pulling out all the stops to compete for appetites beyond those of players completing the latest 18. Independence Golf Club, Midlothian Five years into golf course upgrades and clubhouse expansion, the long-promised food and beverage initiatives set forth by Pros Inc. CEO Giff Breed are gaining serious traction. The club already does a booming catering and special event business, so much so that director of dining and events Megan Kidd says that Tavern 19 is “a restaurant that has a golf course. It is very important that we make everything the best and food number one.” To do that, Tavern 19 maintains operating hours 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. seven days a week. In his first year as chef, York, England product Mike Davis has revamped the entire menu. “We are fashion-forward on the culinary side,” Kidd says. Many ingredients are grown on site, including various herbs, tomatoes, assorted fruits and vegetables. Davis has hosted chef dinners under the stars where he explains the nuance of preparation and instituted a Hawaiian luau among other special events. Food pairings with local beer, wine and spirits are a regular occurrence. Woodstone pizza, garnished with homemade marinara and fresh toppings, remains a Tavern 19 staple. Woodstone pizza with homemade marinara and fresh toppings is a staple at Tavern 19. 26 V I R G I N I A G O L F E R | J U LY / A U G U ST 2 0 1 9 display of fresh vegetables that I have ever seen. “Coach Matarazzo and his staff are driven to enhance the dining experience,” she says. Farmington also employs a food truck for special events that serves items such as fresh shrimp tacos. The Golden Horseshoe offers gourmet breakfast from 8:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. THE GOLDEN HORSESHOE, WILLIAMSBURG Years ago, John D. Rockefeller set the table for Colonial Williamsburg with his massive endowments. These days it is executive chef Travis Brust and his staff delivering the comestibles to the five-star, five-diamond Williams- burg Inn and Golden Horseshoe guests. To do so, Brust, once a category winner in the World Chef Challenge at the World Food Championships, doesn’t have to travel far. Many of his ingredients, such as colonial-accurate vegetables including lettuces, root vegetables, carrots, parsnips and herbs (horseradish, borage) reside in resort gardens. Also, at his beck and call are hydro- ponically grown African Blue Basil, pea tendrils and sunflower shoots. From his kitchen come some time-honored dishes. “The Chicken Niblick has gone through several itera- tions and always found a spot on our menu,” Brust says. “Currently we showcase a natural grilled chicken breast. It is served with vine-ripened tomatoes, leaf lettuce on a butter grilled brioche bun and finished with our very own “Par-Fect” dressing, a lightly smoked, whole grain mus- tard and horseradish sauce finished with a touch of honey. “Every item on our menu is prepared a la minute and to order resulting in dishes ranging from extremely fresh seasonal salads to a piping hot Round Robin Reu- ben to succulent house-ground prime beef burgers,” Brust says. “We offer a gourmet breakfast from 8:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. and serve a restaurant lunch from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Our bar is open from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.” For discerning palates, Brust also provides insightful programming at the resort’s Taste Studio just a short walk from the clubhouse. There, depending on the day, diners can enjoy events that include chef demonstra- tions, wine tastings and spirit and food pairings. vsga.org FOOD AT DAILY FEE COURSES