Post 5 of 7 – Sugarbush Kitchen Series
Every kitchen has its rhythm.
But every now and then, it needs a spark — something unexpected that reminds you why you love to cook.
That spark came on a rainy day.
The Moment That Started It
Business was slow, so I walked back to the kitchen to check on things.
To my surprise, Nolan was testing out a cheesesteak flatbread.
It looked great — and it tasted even better.
When I turned around, Luke had a prime rib shaving quesadilla sizzling on the flat-top.
Crisp edges, melted cheese, perfect balance.
Both dishes were creative, well-executed, and completely their own.
Right then, I knew we needed to do something to inspire that energy even more.
That’s how the Sugarbush Kitchen Cook-Off was born.
The Setup
📅 Date: Monday, October 20
👨🍳 Start: Prep begins at noon, tasting starts at 3:10 PM
👥 Judges: Eight total — four staff, four customers randomly drawn
Each cook entered one original dish.
The rules were simple:
Creativity, flavor, and plating matter.
Keep it realistic for our kitchen.
Cross-utilization and food cost help your odds of landing on the menu.
Up to $50 in ingredients could be expensed.
Every dish was plated into eight tasting portions.
Presentation order? Drawn randomly — just to keep things fun.
The Spirit Behind It
We didn’t build this for competition.
We built it to keep the fire alive — to give our team a reason to experiment, to test, to taste, and to care.
Kitchens can get repetitive.
Tickets, rushes, and the same motions can dull creativity.
But a spark of inspiration changes everything.
This cook-off is about reminding our crew that creativity has a place — as long as it’s paired with good execution.
The Prize
🏆 Winner: $100 gift card
🎁 Customer judges: Two rounds of golf for next season
💡 Bonus: The winning dish will be reviewed for next year’s menu — based on flavor, cost, and cross-utilization
Every cook had the chance to leave a mark on the Sugarbush menu.
That alone makes it worth entering.
What I Learned Watching
As I stood there tasting and observing, I realized something:
Leadership in the kitchen looks a lot like coaching golf.
You don’t teach creativity directly.
You create the environment where it grows.
Some dishes needed polish.
Some were ready for the menu.
But every cook walked away prouder — more aware of what makes a dish work.
That’s the real win.
The Reflection
The Sugarbush Kitchen Cook-Off isn’t just about food.
It’s about culture.
When people feel trusted to create, they start thinking deeper about what they make and how they serve.
This wasn’t about showing off — it was about learning, experimenting, and rediscovering why we cook.
We’ll keep doing this every season.
Because the best kitchens are built on teamwork, pride, and awareness.
Your Turn
If you lead a team — in a kitchen, a golf shop, or anywhere — try a challenge like this.
Let people create. Then raise the bar together.
That’s how growth happens, one plate at a time.