By Julliana Bravo
From the pandemic to a total kitchen renovation, Head Chef Kevin Sullivan has seen nearly everything over his 30 years at Innis Arden Golf Club in Old Greenwich, Conn. But Sullivan admits that constantly having to learn and adapt to new situations are what have made him stronger as a chef.
Sullivan’s journey to becoming chef was inspired by his mother, who used to throw dinner parties at their house. As a young boy, he helped in the kitchen by preparing food and being an extra hand. In his senior year of high school, he got a job at a sandwich shop in the Westchester area. These experiences led to an easy decision come college application time, when he applied to one school: the Culinary Institute of America in Dutchess County. His mom was ecstatic. His father, on the other hand, was a bit hesitant to see where this decision would take him.
Sullivan believes the institute provided a great foundation, while the real experience came from working in the field and at restaurants, such as Dudley’s in Ossining, N.Y. When he graduated in 1985, he was promoted to head chef. Sullivan wasn’t intimidated by the title. As he recalls, this was before chefs became celebrities, so the path of career-chef hadn’t quite been established yet.
Sullivan plugged in and made the most of it, doing fusion and farm-to-table before that became fashionable. “I tried to put together different combinations, see what works, what doesn’t,” he recalls. “Buy local, buy fresh, and work with what people were ordering.”
Sullivan was at Dudley’s for 10 years before making the switch to chef de cuisine at the Xaviars at Garrison in Putnam County, N.Y. After three years at Xaviars, he made the daring switch to Innis Arden in a move he calls “the best decision of his life.”
Sullivan believes Innis Arden took a risk hiring him. After all, he was a restaurant chef and not familiar with the club business. In the restaurant industry, you’re there to make money, to survive. The club industry, on the other hand, is more satisfying for Sullivan because he’s giving more value to the customers. At Innis Arden, he has the liberty to listen his customers and work with his team to create the best menu for members.
Thirty years later, both parties have no regrets. “Kevin has played an integral role not only in elevating our culinary program but also in shaping the very heart of our community,” says General Manager Bonnie Bocchino. “Kevin’s passion and dedication continue to set us apart, and we are deeply grateful for all he brings to our team and our members every day.”
It hasn’t been all fairways and greens for Sullivan, however. He’s learned to adapt to any situation that is thrown at him. During the pandemic, production in the kitchen didn’t stop. Instead of customers dining in, they had a myriad of takeout orders that kept Sullivan and his crew working hard.
Then, just two years ago, Innis Arden’s clubhouse and kitchen were completely renovated. The team had to be moved to a temporary kitchen in the pool house just across the street. They also brought a food truck to handle some of the extra volume. For two years they learned how to adapt to their new situation without ever providing an opportunity for members to doubt their abilities. When the new clubhouse opened in 2022, reservations and the number of meals they were serving went through the roof.
Still is. He might not be on the Food Network, but he’s a celebrity chef to the members at Innis Arden.