September 22-24, 2026

Chef Summit

Chef Summit Logo

Registration for the Chef Summit is closed. To be added to the waitlist, please complete the short form below.

Chef Summit 2026

Elevate your business acumen and leadership skills at the CMAA Chef Summit and connect with fellow club culinarians from around the country. Engage with insightful roundtables, panel discussions, and presentations led by industry experts.

As a city steeped in culture, celebrations, and culinary traditions, New Orleans provides the ideal backdrop for the Summit. Events will take place at the distinguished New Orleans Country Club, a full-service, private country club offering the full complement of activities and food and beverage to its members and guests.

Club Procure

Presented in partnership with ClubProcure

Event Sponsor: Hexclad

Menu

Register

Registration for the Chef Summit is closed. To be added to the waitlist, please complete the short form above.

CMAA Member/Chefs Community Subscriber* Registration: $1,150
Non-Member Registration**: $1,500

*The CMAA Club Chefs Community is a hub for club culinary professionals to connect, share, and engage with one another.

**Includes a free year of CMAA Club Chefs Community subscription

Earn Credits: Attendance at all sessions qualifies for 11 Club Management Institute (CMI) credits.
Learn more about CMAA certification and understanding your credits.

Agenda Overview

All times are CT.

All programming is subject to change.

Tuesday, September 22

Arrivals & Welcome Reception

Time	Event
Arrivals	Airport transfers are individual attendees’ responsibility
7:45-8:00 a.m.	Buses Depart from JW Marriott New Orleans
8:30-9:30 a.m.	Registration & Breakfast
9:30-10:30 a.m.	Club Governance and Best Practices: Strengthening the Partnership between Management, Membership, and the Board Carmen Mauceri, GM/COO, The Club at Mediterra Effective Club governance depends on a strong partnership between management, the membership, and the Board. This presentation will explore the roles, responsibilities, and relationships that support successful governance, while highlighting how transparent communication and shared accountability build trust, create alignment, and contribute to the long-term success of the Club.
10:30-10:45 a.m.	Break
10:45-11:45 a.m.	Beyond the Résumé: Why Some Candidates Get Hired, and Others Don’t Lawrence McFadden, CMC, Search & Consulting Executive, KK&W Private club interviews are among the most complex in the hospitality industry. With multiple stakeholders involved in panel interviews, preparation is key to success. Join us as we explore what top candidates bring to the interview process and how their approach helps employers make successful hiring decisions.
11:45 a.m.-12:45 p.m.	Lunch
12:45-1:45 p.m.	Building Capital: The Art of Selling Your Vision Andrew Haapala. Executive Chef, The Country Club of Virginia Successfully planning and executing a kitchen renovation requires more than selecting new equipment. This session explores a practical framework for aligning the member experience, operations, infrastructure, and financial planning to build a compelling capital case and deliver a successful project. Attendees will leave with practical strategies and real-world tools they can immediately apply at their own clubs.
1:45-2:00 p.m.	Break
2:00-3:00 p.m.	Managing Communication & Conflict in the Kitchen Melissa Doman, M.A., Organizational Psychologist, Former Mental Health Therapist, Author, and Founder, The Workplace Mental Health Method Professional kitchens move fast and run on pressure, which often pushes communication and conflict to the side. In this fireside chat, Organizational Psychologist and Author Melissa Doman will discuss why these conversations are skipped in high-stress kitchens, how personal background shapes how people communicate and handle conflict at work, and why poor communication harms mental health at work and pulls teams apart. Attendees will leave with simple tools they can use right away to communicate better under pressure, plus ways to help their teams get on the same page about conflict. Following the fireside chat, there will be a live Q&A, giving participants the opportunity to engage directly with Melissa.
3:00-4:15 p.m.	Club Tour
4:15-5:30 p.m.	Welcome Reception
5:30 p.m.	Buses Depart to JW Marriott New Orleans

Free Evening

Wednesday, September 23

Full Day of Education and Experiences

Time	Event
8:00-8:15 a.m.	Buses Depart from JW Marriott New Orleans at 8:15 am
8:45-9:45 a.m.	Breakfast
9:45-10:45 a.m.	Beyond the Plate: F&B Trends Redefining the Member Experience Brett Morris, CMAA Fellow, General Manager/COO, The Club at Admirals Cove Private club dining is evolving at an unprecedented pace, driven by changing member expectations, emerging technologies, wellness initiatives, and innovative food and beverage experiences. In this engaging session, we'll explore the trends shaping the future of club dining—from experiential concepts and premium beverage programs to AI, sustainability, global influences, and operational innovation. Through real-world examples and industry best practices, attendees will gain practical insights and actionable ideas to enhance the member experience, inspire their teams, and position their clubs at the forefront of hospitality excellence.
10:45-11:00 a.m.	Break
11:00 a.m.-12:00 noon	Father & Son Chefs: Building a Culinary Legacy Across Generations Ashwin Vilkhu, Executive Chef, The Kingsway; Co-Executive Chef, Saffron Arvinder Vilkhu, President and Co-Executive Chef, Saffron. Chef Arvinder “Dickey” Vilkhu and Chef Ashwin Vilkhu discuss the journey of building a family restaurant legacy in New Orleans through food, culture, and hospitality. Together, they reflect on tradition, evolution, and the experience of cooking across two generations.
12:00-1:00 p.m.	Lunch
1:00-2:00 p.m.	Beyond the Chef Coat: What It Takes to Lead Culinary in Today’s Private Club Annette Whittley, CCM, Search & Consulting Executive, KKW; Andrew Haapala, Executive Chef, The Country Club of Virginia; Chris Young, Executive Chef, Royal Oaks Country Club; Oscar Monroy, Executive Chef, Superstition Mountain Golf & Country Club; Anthony Marazita, Executive Chef, The Ocean Club of Florida While culinary expertise is non-negotiable, what makes you successful once you step into the Executive Chef role? Let’s explore the transition from chef to leader, including leading and developing teams, leading the next generation, leading beyond the kitchen, and leading into the future.
2:00-2:15 p.m.	Break
2:15-3:15 p.m.	Beyond the Recipe: How Club Chefs Can Use AI to Better Understand and Manage Their Business Nick Gerstner, CCM, CFE, CFO, The Desert Highlands Association Artificial intelligence can be a powerful tool for helping club chefs better understand and manage their business. This session explores practical applications of AI for menu engineering, labor management, forecasting, inventory control, and financial analysis. Attendees will leave with actionable tools and strategies they can immediately apply to improve decision-making and operational performance.
3:15-3:30 p.m.	Break
3:30-4:45 p.m.	Culinary Connections: A Collaborative Roundtable Format for Club Chefs to Build Connections, Share Perspectives, and Inspire Excellence Chris Kehe, Vice President of Account Management, ClubProcure; Mickie Evans, Senior Account Manager, ClubProcure; and Sam Sacquitne, Senior Account Manager, ClubProcure Join your peers for an interactive roundtable designed to spark meaningful conversation and connection among club culinary leaders. Exchange ideas, share real-world experiences and challenges, and explore strategies and trends shaping today’s club culinary operations. Attendees will leave with fresh perspectives, practical takeaways, and new connections from across the industry.
4:45-5:00 p.m.	Break
5:00-7:00 p.m.	Dinner
7:00 p.m.	Buses Depart to JW Marriott New Orleans

Thursday, September 24

Morning Education and Departures

Time	Event
7:45-8:00 a.m.	Buses Depart from JW Marriott New Orleans at 8:00 a.m.
8:30-9:30 a.m.	Breakfast
9:30-10:30 a.m.	Culture as a Currency: How to Take Care of Your Employees Who Take Care of Others Steve Palmer, Managing Partner & Chief Vision Officer, Indigo Road Hospitality Group; Co-Founder, Ben's Friends Building a brand that not only attracts top talent but also retains its employees is essential, especially in hospitality, where substance use and mental health challenges are prevalent. In this talk, Steve Palmer, Founder and Chief Vision Officer of the Indigo Road Hospitality Group and co-founder of Ben's Friends, shares how creating a recovery-friendly workplace and fostering a culture of care strengthens both people and business. Drawing from his own journey in recovery, Steve makes the case for value-first leadership, demonstrating that prioritizing employee well-being, supporting those navigating addiction and recovery, and leading with empathy are foundational to building resilient teams and lasting success.
10:30-10:45 a.m.	Break
10:45-11:45 a.m.	Driving Excellence: Lessons from Augusta National Golf Club and The Masters Tournament Kevin Bozada, CCM, Senior Director of Club and Hospitality, Augusta National Golf Club Excellence is rarely the result of talent alone. It is the product of culture, leadership, discipline, and relentless attention to detail. Through the lens of Augusta National Golf Club and The Masters Tournament, this presentation explores how people, place, and process work together to build high-performing teams, protect cherished traditions, foster innovation, and create unforgettable experiences for members and guests.
11:45 a.m.	Buses Depart to JW Marriott New Orleans
Departures	Airport transfers are individual attendees’ responsibility

Important Information

The 2026 Chef Summit host hotel is the J.W. Marriott in New Orleans.

Address: 614 Canal Street, New Orleans, LA 70130

Rate: $189 King; $209 Queen/Queen

Registrations: Book online

Deadline: The last day to book within the group block is August 30.

CMAA makes every effort to keep attendee expenses at the Summit including registration fees and accommodation rates for the event as economical as possible. We work diligently to negotiate the best hotel rates and to make the best use of your registration dollars to keep the event affordable and accessible.

CMAA encourages all participants to reserve a room at the host hotel; this supports not only this event, but also future meetings. While in some instances, less expensive accommodations may be available from third party online consolidators, booking within CMAA’s established block helps to underwrite the cost of meeting space and other hotel concessions. When commitments to our host property are not met, CMAA must pay penalties which will ultimately increase the cost of events.

The Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport (MSY) is located approximately 15 miles from New Orleans city center and is serviced by most major airlines.
The New Orleans, Louisiana Amtrak Union Passenger Terminal is located conveniently near the city center.

Business casual attire is required throughout the property. Collarless shirts, denim, cargo shorts, tennis wear, athletic wear, and hats are not permitted.

All registration cancellations and refund requests must be made in writing by the individual whose name appears on the registration. To be valid, submit all requests to CMAA Registration. No refunds will be made after August 20, 2026. CMAA will not issue refunds for no-shows. Substitutions are gladly accepted; substitutions of registrations are permitted prior to the event. Only one substitution is permitted per original registrant. The individual submitting the substitution request is responsible for all financial obligations (any balance due) associated with the substitution. Badge sharing, splitting, and reprints are strictly prohibited.

CMAA is dedicated to providing a safe, hospitable, inclusive, and productive environment for all participants at CMAA Events. CMAA has established minimum expectations of behavior for participants at all CMAA events. Please review the CMAA Events Code of Conduct Policy. It is intended to supplement any other applicable CMAA policies, including the CMAA Code of Conduct and Ethics.