CULINARY CORNER

Preparing great meals at a private club presents new, unique challenges in comparison to working at a restaurant.  Executive chef John Soulia has experienced the responsibilities of cooking and managing meal services in a variety of hospitality formats, including restaurants and hotels, and now brings his expertise to Long Cove Club.  

Trained at the Johnson & Wales College of Culinary Arts in Rhode Island, Chef Soulia first began his career as an intern with the Hilton Head Hyatt Palmetto Dunes, where he rose to the rank of sous chef.  He spent several years in the South Carolina restaurant scene and joined Long Cove in 2021.

He was attracted to the opportunity of working at Long Cove because of how well the organization takes care of its employees.  After being approached about the head chef job, speaking with the GM and club board, and viewing the facilities, he decided the opportunity at Long Cove was too good to pass up.

One challenge of working at a private club kitchen?  “Being everything to everyone,” says Chef Soulia.  “Some guests like steak and potatoes, others want more exotic meals.  Some patrons are conservative, some are challenging.”  His secret is to stick to whatever’s in season to create happy palates even when everyone wants something different.  His favorite meals to prepare are multi-course dinners with wine pairings, as it gives him a great deal of creativity to mix and match great food with great wine.  Since preparing meals for guests at the club is different from a restaurant – Chef Soulia sees the same people over and over rather than a revolving door of fresh faces – it allows him to have creative experiments with more effort, more style, and more love in each meal than he could experience at a restaurant.

Chef Soulia’s efforts to break out of the ordinary don’t end at the clubhouse doors.  “We are always looking for opportunities to spread our wings and keep our guests interested,” he says.  “Recently we surprised members with an impromptu grill-out on the 18th hole, serving fish tacos and margaritas.”  Upon joining the restaurant, he laid out a plan for switching up the staple of golf clubhouses (the hamburger) to ensure the best tasting meat.  “The kitchen crew came up with ten different burger mixes, then we had a blind tasting test with the staff.  We liked a lot of them but picked a meat combination of short ribs, brisket, and chuck.”

In an industry where you can never remain in one place for long, Chef Soulia has many plans to expand his repertoire and give members a new, vibrant experience every time they are on the course.  “One event in the works is an international night.  We pair meals with wine and cocktails that reflect our staff’s ethnic backgrounds, bringing members authentic food from a dozen areas of the world where our staff have heritage, like jerk meats from our Jamaican staff members.”

Every artist gets inspiration from their peers and Chef Soulia is no different.  Thomas Keller, a pioneer in the farm-to-table movement, is a major source of inspiration.  “The best ingredients make the best food,” says Chef Soulia.  “We want to make meals without restricting ourselves based on price or cost of the food.”

What does he do for fun once he hangs up the apron for the night and returns home?  “For starters, my wife cooks at home way more than I do,” Chef Soulia says.  “I’m also a big Boston Red Sox fan, and I love kayaking, traveling, and time at the beach.  It’s great to travel to new parts of the country and eat new foods you can’t get elsewhere.”

The Long Cove Club food & beverage operations are open six days/week, with evening dining offered four nights a week.