Chef Kelley McCann of Galatoire’s Bistro, pictured here, had quite the experience at this year’s Masters golf tournament. Photo taken by Eugenia Uhl, courtesy of Galatoire’s Bistro.
For a week in April, sports fans turn to Augusta, Georgia, and focus on the Masters golf tournament. Within that tournament and the course is a members-only type club, Berckmans Place.
It’s 90,000 square feet, and it’s open for one week each year—the week of the tournament. A badge to get in is around $6,000.
Berckmans Place has five restaurants, and this year, Galatoire’s Bistro chef Kelley McCann was tasked with opening the complex’s New Orleans concept, Augusta’s. It was McCann’s second year working with The Masters and at Berckmans Place. Roberto Bustillo, a former executive chef of Galatoire’s Bistro and now current executive chef for the entire complex, called McCann last year. McCann couldn’t resist the opportunity. Last year, he worked in the complex’s Southern soul food concept.
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During his two-week stay, McCann says he met chefs and foodies from around the country, including certified master chef John Johnstone.
“It seriously is like this nerd chef camp,” McCann says. “I was rooming with this chef from Chicago, and we’re just talking about food all day and night. You have 15- to 16-hour days of turn-and-burn, then you go and hang out with other chefs and people in the food industry.”
At Augusta’s, McCann and his team served Louisiana staples such as trout almandine, shrimp remoulade, oyster poboys and bread pudding.
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“We were getting fresh fish from New Orleans delivered to us every day,” he says.
It was an experience he can’t wait to return to next year.
“Absolutely, I’ll be back next year,” he says. “When you get an opportunity like this, to execute a menu and get everything in place in just three days, it’s a rare treat.”