We have developed a culture of pride in what we prepare.Image left to right: Kevin LaFemina, Chef de Cuisine; Derin Moore, CMC; Mehmet Korkmaz, Lead Line Cook; Olcay Gul Koc, Lead Line Cook and Dogukan Duru, Outlet Supervisor. Executive Chef Derin Moore’s Journey & How He Pays it Forward at Grey OaksBecoming a Certified Master Chef (CMC) is a prestigious achievement requiring hard work, dedication, and talent. Mentors can make the journey much smoother, providing a way for aspiring chefs to learn from experienced professionals and gain valuable industry insights. Mentors share their experiences, knowledge, and skills, helping their mentees develop a culinary style and refine their techniques. Additionally, mentoring provides accountability, making the mentee more likely to stay on track and follow through on commitments. The key to achieving the CMC designation is selecting the right chefs. Recently, Golf Kitchen’s founder, Diana DeLucia, sat down with Derin Moore, CMC, at Grey Oaks Country Club in Naples, Florida, to learn about his journey from mentee to mentor. GK: Where did your interest in becoming a Certified Master Chef originate? My grandfather significantly influenced me in my choice of a culinary career. I spent most of my summers with him in Buffalo, New York. He knew Joseph Amendola, the patriarch, instructor, and ambassador of the Culinary Institute of America (CIA) in Hyde Park, New York. In 1982, when I was in the 10th grade, my grandfather took me on a CIA campus tour. I met many chefs of this era, including Tim Ryan and Mark Erickson, who were department heads under Ferdinand Metz, President of the CIA for 21 years. I was accepted to the CIA after graduating from high school. Most people there were older and working towards a second career, while I was just 18 years old. Moving from Detroit to New York State was a big change for me. I was timid and buried myself in my studies. Since most of my classmates were older and more exper- enced, I looked to my instructors for guidance. This is when I first learned about Master Chefs and the Culinary Olympics. While at the CIA, I completed an 18-month study, including a five-month externship at The Bijou restaurant, ultimately graduating in 1986. Following graduation, I worked in a few kitchens that were not at the level I had grown accustomed to at the CIA and found that I needed more guidance and experience. A colleague introduced me to Brian Polcyn, an accomplished chef who had written several books on charcuterie, coauthored by Michael Ruhlman. Brian, who is an incredible chef took me under his wing and mentored me through the ranks of his kitchen, eventually to become Chef de Cuisine running day-to-day operations while he opened two other restaurants. At a young age, I oversaw one of the best fine-dining restaurants in Michigan under his leadership. I stayed with Brian for eight years, where I built a strong foundation based on the fundamentals of solid cooking. It was Brian who encouraged me to compete in regional culinary competitions, which I did in Cleveland, Chicago, and Detroit. Several Master Chefs from my home state of Michigan participated on regional and national Culinary Olympic teams, including Mike Russell, Dan Hugelier, and Jeff Gabriel. World-renowned Master Chef Milos Cihelka mentored many of the successful Michigan chefs. I looked up to all of them, knowing that this was the challenge I wanted. Their mentoring would later spark my interest in representing the United States in international competitions. Being part of U.S. Culinary Olympic Team, training and getting ready to take the Master Chef exam at the CIA, opened up an entirely new level of relationships with chefs interested in seeing me succeed. GK: What are the key lessons you have learned during your career? I will never improve if I surround myself with people who just accept what I do without challenging me to be better. One of the first menus I wrote when I became Chef de Cuisine under Brian was very aggressive and creative. However, the crew could not execute it, service needed to be faster, and they needed help to get the food out of the kitchen. Brian allowed me to make that mistake. It was a valuable lesson: Don’t be overly creative if the team that surrounds you is not trained first to execute it. GK: What did you learn from competing? Love of competition is more than simply winning a medal. It’s striving to be perfect. And that philosophy has spilled over into my work ethic. During the competition, you spend all this time making a beautiful piece. Then you slice it the wrong way, and suddenly, you’ve slipped to a silver or bronze medal. That constant reinforcement and emphasis on perfection is what competition is all about. GK: How did you prepare for the ten-day CMC exam? One misconception of preparing for the exam is that you suddenly start to study and cram. But it’s the choices you make along the way that prepare you, who trains you, constant refinement of your skills, competing, researching, and strengthening weaknesses in preparation or style. Fritz Gitschner, CMC, was Executive Chef at Houston Country Club and a stern judge at the CMC exam. He was notorious for low scores and a stickler for details, flavor, and sanitation. I needed to know the nuances of the exam to pass. To take the mystery out of it, I decided to call him. He told fellow chef Dan Scannell and me to come to Houston and he would put us through every segment of the Master Chef exam. After each morning and afternoon session, he critiqued our work, how we moved in the kitchen, organized our stations, and sanitation. He pointed out our bad and good habits. He had vested interest in our success, but we also made a considerable commitment for a solid week. GK: What was the most challenging part of the exam? Day ten of the exam is critical. While the first nine days of the exam are worth 60% of the total score, day ten is a mystery basket weighted at 40%. We drew a list of 15 different ingredients and had 20 minutes to create a menu, 10 minutes to requisition the food, four hours to cook, and 20 minutes to serve twelve portions. At the end of the ninth day, Peter Timmons, CMC, who was the Executive Chef at The Greenbrier in White Sulphur Springs, WV, pulled me aside and said, “You know you have a good shot at passing. How are you organizing yourself for the mystery basket portion?” He explained the importance of organizing your thoughts for quick decision-making and ultimate success. Again, this proved to be valuable advice from a trusted mentor. GK: Tell us how Lawrence McFadden became a mentor and friend? I was on the U.S. Culinary Olympic Team with Lawrence from 1993 to 1996, and we developed a professional relationship. He went on to serve as Executive Chef and Corporate Chef with the Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company. n 2007, while I was at Medinah Country Club, Lawrence called and asked if I would be interested in becoming the Executive Chef for the Ritz-Carlton in Naples. We had a discussion about the inner workings of the resort and he told me, “You can manage 25 outlets, and your vision of food is what we need to take the property to the next level.” I got the job, which was my first post at a five-star, five-diamond luxury resort. Lawrence gave me a stellar opportunity and for the next several years, over daily cups of coffee, we challenged each other to be better than the day before. He’s been a great friend and a significant influence. GK: Many younger chefs only have some of this experience, and some have just worked their way up in one country club. How do they gain access to this level of mentorship and opportunities? When somebody tells me they want to be a Master Chef or asks me what it takes to be one, I must be honest with them. It was not just about taking the exam; it was a compilation of every experience I had along the culinary journey with my mentors. It’s all the travels, hard work, successes, and failures. GK: How has social media changed culinary communications and promotion? Social media brings exposure and gives chefs a platform to share information. Chefs striving for perfection have an outlet to solicit feedback. GK: Your team at Grey Oaks is a very diverse group of cooks from around the world. What effect has your mentoring program had on them? They appreciate the opportunity to learn, while challenging themselves and growing their craft. The positive impact of our mentoring program also transcends the culinary realm, including creating a workplace culture that values diversity and celebrating the unique contributions of each person. In turn, team members eagerly recommend Grey Oaks to their vast network of colleagues in the industry and the Club is then able to hire similar driven culinarians who want to learn and succeed. Image courtesy Grey Oaks Country Club, Naples, Florida, USA
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