The Golf Life Golfers We LikeGolf and cookingare full of opportunitiesto fix mistakes.hole, the sun comes out, and I put on my cap.
It has the clothespin logo of The French
Laundry. The swing coach immediately runs
over and says, “Who do you know at The
French Laundry? Charley and I have been try-
ing to get in there for years.” I said I might be
able to help. Since, Charley and I have become
friends. He’s dined with us many times, often
at Bouchon in Las Vegas, where he lives.
●● ●
if the slice is the most common afflic-
tion of amateur golfers, what plagues
amateur chefs? Probably patience. People
feel like they always need to be fiddling with
food as they cook it, but often what’s best is to
let it temper. The other thing that distinguishes
quality chefs is the ability to season, which can
mean spices and sauces and whatnot, but let’s
keep it simple and just consider flavor enhanc-
ers. Salt and acid are two ingredients that do a
lot to enhance flavor. Always buy good salt, and
get used to the granulation so that your pinches
are consistent. Lemon, lime and vinegar are the
most common acids, which work well for mari-
nades and adding to liquids. If a soup is bland,
a splash of vinegar can be magic.
●● ●
do you take golf lessons? I can’t say no
to people who want to help me, so I have three
swing instructors. Years ago on vacation I took
a lesson from Jerry King, and he remains my
main instructor. Tara Fox, a Johnny Miller pro-
tege, is at Silverado Country Club, where I’m a
member. Tara and Jerry have similar demean-
ors. Both are very careful with their words so as
to never implant a negative thought. A bunker is
never a trap. I connected them so that they can
collaborate. Andrew Getson was a friend and
frequent diner before he became Phil Mickel-
son’s swing coach, and he helps me. He gave me
a training aid, a ball that hangs from my neck,
which Tara was initially very against, but she’s
come around. I wake up every morning and take
10 to 12 swings with it.
●● ●
has it helped? I broke 90 three times last sum-
mer, which I’m very proud of. But then in the fall
I started to become more involved on a daily ba-
sis getting ready for the opening of TAK Room,
and my golf sort of tailed off.
●● ●
you’re the president of team usa in the
bocuse d’or. in golf terms, is that like
being the ryder cup captain? I suppose.
Or the Presidents Cup, as it’s 24 countries. The
main difference is, there are no repeat players.
We have a new roster every two years, and it’s
a long road to prepare these talented young
chefs for competition. They’re taking time off
from their jobs and training in our team kitch-en in Napa Valley, making the
same thing every day. Through
repetition we can perfect our
garnishes, vegetables, presen-
tation, but the protein isn’t
announced until four months
before the event. It’s not well-
known in the U.S., but in other
countries it’s a big deal. We
won the competition in 2017,
our best finish ever.
●● ●
why does it say “sense of
urgency” under your clock?
That phrase is in all our kitch-
ens. It helped me tremendously
as a young chef. It means, finish
what you’re expected to do be-
fore you’re required to finish it.
That adds up to extra minutes
every day to learn something
else. When the opportunity
arises to move up, say from fish
to meat, you’re ready.
●● ●
despite not having to cover
rent and often having
patrons required to spend
an annual minimum, some
golf-club dining programs
struggle. what can they do
to improve? Clubs are hard.
Let’s understand there’s a rela-
tionship between what a chef
can do and what a club member
can expect. A chef will spend
a lot of time sourcing ingredi-
ents to prepare a certain menu,
but when a member feels they
deserve what they want when
they want it, the chef is obliged
to try. Still, clubs might look
at what’s going on today at
airports and sports stadiums.
That’s where some of the best
innovations in elevated dining
experiences are happening.
●● ●
favorite halfway-house
snack? I usually don’t eat
when I’m playing, but the
Olympic Club burger dog is
brilliant. The hamburger has
been around since the late
19th century, and somebody
thought practically about
how to make it better.
Which in this case, meant
easier to eat as you’re walking
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