Golden Fork Awards 2023: Best Food Programming

There is something for everyone at each of winning venues.

BallenIsles Country Club in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, added the small plate concept with shareable cuisine in response to younger membership demand. It received first place for Best Food Programming.

“It’s what drives our culinarians to keep reaching new heights, meal after meal, as it’s ingrained in our culture,” said Ryan Walls, general manager and CEO of BallenIsles.

Entries were judged on concept and planning, aesthetics and appearance and financial impact. Judges were John Buser, general manager of TPC Colorado and a Golden Fork winner in 2021; Bob Yager, director of architecture at Marsh & Associates; Bill Langley, general manager and COO at Quail Ridge Country Club; and Mark Melzer, principal at MDR Architects.

Here are the honorees for Best Food Programming.

Click here to see the New F&B Facility winners and the Most Improved Facility winners.

Best Food Programming

FIRST PLACE
BallenIsles Country Club
Palm Beach Gardens, Florida
Private

Since completion of a $35 million renovation to the Grand Clubhouse in 2018, BallenIsles Country Club members have been enjoying a variety of expanded dining venues on the property.

General Manager Ryan Walls said younger members were seeking an intimate dining experience that had a casual, relaxed vibe and featured shareable cuisine. The club transformed its dining venue, Evolution, and incorporating the small plates concept.

The menus offered shareable cuisine featuring culinary flavors by club chefs, and soon they became a permanent addition to the F&B operations.

Today Evolution is open five nights a week with small plates two nights a week. It also has special Chef’s Table nights and monthly Wine Cellar Dinners, which feature flights of wine paired with a five-course menu.

In addition to Wine Cellar Dinners, Evolution introduced a BYOB Cellar Dinner Series, in which members are invited to bring their own bottle of wine to share while enjoying a chef-inspired, five-course dinner menu.

Evolution’s additional dining offerings resulted in the second highest sales year recorded.

“In any given week at our club, we will have upwards of 16 different menus on offer from Evolution upscale dining to Skinny Palms Happy Hours at the pool,” Walls said.

What the judges said:
“Stunning food presentation of small plates concept.” – John Buser

SECOND PLACE
Martis Camp
Truckee, California
Private

During the pandemic, Martis Camp realized…