News>Feature - New executive chef brings fresh flavors to Fort Eustis Club
Photos
Tim Cooper, Fort Eustis Club executive chef, showcases his freshly made rolls in the club's kitchen at Fort Eustis, Va., Oct. 10, 2012. Cooper came to the club in July, bringing more than 20 years experience and more than 300 different recipes to improve the dining experience for the club's patrons. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Wesley Farnsworth/ Released)
Tim Cooper, Fort Eustis Club executive chef, moves a cart of food in the club's kitchen at Fort Eustis, Va., Oct. 10, 2012. Cooper and his team prepare the club's buffet lunch offerings each day from scratch. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Wesley Farnsworth/Released)
Tim Cooper, Fort Eustis Club executive chef, prepares food for the club's lunch buffet in the kitchen at Fort Eustis, Va., Oct. 10, 2012. Cooper and his team make every dish served at the club from scratch each day. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Wesley Farnsworth/Released)
Tim Cooper, Fort Eustis Club executive chef, measures out an ingredient for a fresh batch of rolls for the lunch buffet at the club on Fort Eustis, Va., Oct. 10, 2012. Cooper is the new executive chef of the club, which has experienced a 35 percent increase in business since his arrival. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Wesley Farnsworth/Released)
Tim Cooper, Fort Eustis Club executive chef, breaks an egg into a measuring cup at the club's kitchen at Fort Eustis, Va., Oct. 10, 2012. Cooper is the new executive chef of the club, which has experienced a 35 percent increase in business since his arrival. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Wesley Farnsworth/Released)
Tim Cooper, Fort Eustis Club executive chef, prepares bread dough at the club's kitchen at Fort Eustis, Va., Oct. 10, 2012. Cooper and his team make every dish served at the club from scratch each day. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Wesley Farnsworth/Released)
Tim Cooper, Fort Eustis Club executive chef, prepares bread dough at the club's kitchen at Fort Eustis, Va., Oct. 10, 2012. Cooper and his team make every dish served at the club from scratch each day. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Wesley Farnsworth/Released)
by Senior Airman Jason J. Brown
633rd Air Base Wing Public Affairs
10/12/2012 - FORT EUSTIS, Va. -- With one look at the myriad of ingredients strewn across the counter tops in the Fort Eustis Club's kitchens, it is easy to tell the top chef here means business.
Business is greatly improved, indeed, since executive chef Tim Cooper joined the team in July. He abandoned the pre-cooked, heated-up fare in favor of home-style, "made from scratch" cuisine featured on the Club's lunch time buffet.
Cooper brings with him 20 years of experience garnered through an on-the-job apprenticeship at Williamsburg's renowned Berret's Seafood Restaurant, where he worked his way up the food chain to become restaurant chef.
Wanting to take the next step in his career, Cooper interviewed for the position of executive chef at the Club, and was a perfect fit for the club.
"Tim brings a wealth of experience in fine dining with him, and we're grateful to have someone with his knowledge and reputation on staff now," said Joe Dumas, the 733rd Force Support Division community services branch chief who hired Cooper. "His attention to the quality and presentation of the food that he prepares is what sets him apart."
Given the task of reinvigorating the Club's lunch time offering, he said he had to rebuild from the bottom up.
"The biggest transition for me has probably been going from the fine dining atmosphere of "a la carte" cooking to buffet style cooking here," said Cooper, while tending to a mixer churning dough for the day's fresh rolls. "I still put forth the same amount of effort in all my cooking, but here I'm producing larger quantities of food."
Of that food, Cooper said "comfort food" has been the biggest draw, garnering praise from the club's regular diners.
"I think that I do comfort food very well because that's what I've always done my whole life," the West Virginia native said. "I add the flair of having experience in doing things in a much richer manner, cooking food that's better seasoned with a better bottom end, and understanding how it affects the taste buds. With the buffet style setting here, comfort foods have gone over very well."
While his fried chicken and Beef Stroganoff are currently the big hits, Cooper wants to expand the menu, and hopes to offer seafood and steaks eventually.
As the man in charge behind the scenes, Cooper said he is working to teach his staff how to prepare food from scratch - a stark contrast for a kitchen used to purchasing heat-and-serve entrees to serve to diners. Eventually, he said he will develop recipe books for the staff to follow; giving him time to expand the club's other dining opportunities.
"I feel like the club right now is about 20 percent of what it could be," Cooper said. "I would like to eventually prepare a menu for dinner time service that's a la carte with menus, so people can order what they want, and we can cook as ordered."
Cooper said he also wants to explore building the club's banquet business, catering for more weddings and special events.
For now, the biggest motivation to keep improving the fare is the feedback from customers.
"I go out in the dining room several times during the course of lunch and I'm often stopped and thanked for coming in here. People are really appreciative," said Cooper. "I think that they're surprised at how good the food tastes. They didn't know simple foods could taste that good.
"The reason I love to cook is that I love the gratification of seeing happy people when they eat my food," he added. "Seeing the happy customers here just makes me want to keep doing it."
EDITOR'S NOTE: Hungry yet? To experience Chef Cooper's new and improved lunch buffet offerings, visit the Fort Eustis Club at 2123 Pershing Ave. on Fort Eustis weekdays from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. The lunch buffet is $8.50. For more information, including menus, catering and directions, visit the club's website at http://www.eustismwr.com/index.php/about-us.
Comments
10/16/2012 8:39:09 PM ET way to go Tim Copper Trey seems very proud of what u r doing great job he passed this on to me
Pam Barnette, Gloucester Va. 23061
10/16/2012 5:59:51 PM ET Loved Chef Tim's cooking at Riverwalk and Berret's for years. Glad to see the military personel get to see what a true chef can do to a menu.Hope the future keeps getting brighter for such a hard working and deserving professional
