THE LAKES COUNTRY CLUB: COLLABORATING FOR SUCCESS IN THE KITCHEN
Location:
Palm Desert, CA
Scope:
Furniture, Equipment Supply & Installation
It’s not unusual for a country club to schedule remodels and renovations to keep facilities up to date for all the members. But for The Lakes Country Club in Palm Desert, California, the most recent project was much bigger than a standard kitchen remodel. In 2019, the board approved a project that included gutting the entire clubhouse, adding a terrace off the second story, and constructing a new lifestyle and wellness building that includes a banquet facility. The $23 million project included not only constructing new facilities but also bringing in new equipment to the existing snack bar and a la carte kitchen.
Boelter’s Design Advantage
Jim Palm, project manager at Boelter, was initially brought in to source the equipment for the entire project. However, he quickly saw there were ways to improve the original kitchen design. Palm did a redesign of the plans, improving the overall work flow by bringing everything to one level as opposed to having some food prep in the basement as originally designed.
Palm’s process included collaborating with the chef and clubhouse manager to get their input on the new facility’s design. “Taking time to walk through the plans with Chef Kellen was invaluable,” says Ron Phipps, general manager, The Lakes Country Club. “We were able to combine Jim’s knowledge of the features and capabilities of different equipment with our Chef’s input on menus and workflow to create a kitchen that is enjoyable to work in and improves overall efficiency in production.”
Palm’s experience came into play in designing the bar in the main clubhouse as well. The original plan called for a keg system in a back room, which would have involved beer lines running around 250 feet. Palm eliminated the need for lines by creating a design which houses the keg cooler in a center island, and also allows for easier maintenance and cleaning for the staff. “We’re extremely pleased with the main bar, it’s become one of the most popular features as far as the dining and beverage options here at the club,” Phipps says. The u-shaped bar with six beer taps provides a unique experience in the club environment to help The Lakes stand out from the competition.
Equipment that Makes a Difference
In addition to the design features of the banquet hall and bar, Palm brought extensive knowledge of foodservice equipment to the project. New equipment sourced throughout the club’s foodservice operations have helped improve dining options and menu choices for members.
The Mountain View Grill, the clubhouse’s main dining room, didn’t get a complete makeover but it did get some new equipment. One of the highlights is the multi-vat fryer. The separator not only allows multiple items to be cooked at once, it also enables allergen-free cooking in the fryer. This enabled the chef to add gluten-free items to the menu to expand offerings for the guests.
Another highlight of the renovation is the Turbochef Bullet oven in the snack bar. Thanks to the high-speed cooking ability, the club now offers pizzas for golfers on the go.
Palm’s knowledge of equipment goes well beyond features and possible menu creations. He’s also worked in the industry long enough to understand spatial needs and constraints. “If there was 34-inch space, Jim knew just the right refrigerator to get in, and the type of filler needed to fit the space exactly,” Phipps says. “Thanks to his foresight in design, everything in the kitchen fits exactly as it should for an efficient design that also looks nice.”
The Boelter Advantage from Start to Finish
Working through a multi-million-dollar project such as The Lakes includes more than just laying out a design and sourcing the equipment. Palm worked with the local officials and county health department to get the initial approvals, and continued to be involved as the project progressed to answer any questions and solve problems before anything became a major issue.
Clear communication between the general contractor and the equipment suppliers helped keep the entire project running smoothly. “We were doing a lot of work on this project during the pandemic, when supply chain issues were at their worst, but Jim was able to get equipment in on time,” Phipps says.
Palm’s involvement continued through the installation process, making sure the equipment was at peak performance on opening day. The success of the project can be seen in the overall satisfaction of the foodservice team at The Lakes. “It’s been two years since this project was completed, and when I ask Chef Kellen if there’s anything he would change, he always says no,” Phipps says. “That’s an amazing testament to the quality of the design from Jim. We’re planning more renovations in the future, and I know we will go with Boelter from the start after our successful collaboration on this project.”
